Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-02
MILLIONAIRE FOUND DEAD IN BED
Although Lawyer Convicted Numbering William
Rice and Then Pardoned the Cause of His Death
Is Still Unexplained
By JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS

TN THE autumn of 1900 William Marsh
i Rice, millionaire Texan, S5 years of
age. lay i'll in New York city. He was
attended by his regular physician, Dr.
Walker Curry, a practitioner in high
standing. Rice died and Doctor Curry
issued a death certificate, giving bron-
chitis and senile decline as the causes of
death. The body was embalmed in the
usual manner with a fluid containing
formaldehyde. There was no hasty burial.
Indeed, the corpse was held for As hours
after the embalming.
Rice left about $4,000, 900. Two wills
were found. One had left the estate in
trust to a man In Houston, Tex, for the
founding OF an institution in that city for
the education of negroes. But just before
Rice's death he drew new will in the
presence of two witnesses, both of whom
have since sworn that they saw him sign
it, This later will changed the trustee
ship of the estate, giving it to Albert t.
Patrick, a young New York lawyer,
whose father had been freight manager
of railroad in Texas owned by Rice, at
whose advice the young man had come to
New York.
The Valet in the Case
The morning of the old millionaire's
death Patrick appeared at the bank Of S.
NJ. Swinson & Sons, New York, and pre-
sented several large checks purporting to
have been signed by Rice. defect in
one of the checks caused suspicion, and
Rice's home was called upon the tele-
phone. Charles +. Jones, Rice's old valet,
answered and stated that the check was
genuine, but the bank insisted that Mr.,
Rice should give his verbal approval.
Then the bank was informed that Rice
was dead, and an investigation followed.
The trustee under the first will came
TO New York and interrogated the valet.
Jones, a weakling, whose contradictory
answers caused grave suspicion. Jones
was arrested, given third degree and
under that ordeal stated that Patrick
had killed Rice by the administration OF
corrosive sublimate and other poisons.
The case was called before William Trav-
ers Jerome then a Magistrate and after
ward District Attorney, Patrick was
held and an autopsy on the body OF Rice
was ordered. This autopsy was conducted
at the morgue by DIR. Edward j. DON
nelly, coroner's physician. and the we'll
known poison expert. Professor Witthaus.
later examined the viscera, Nothing un-
usual was noted in the body except two
small patches OF Consolidation" at the
back OF one lung. According to sworn
testimony. the coroner's physician. after
examining these patches. stated: The
old man must have had a cold" and Doc
tor witthaus. on being offered the lungs.
stated. They are OF no use TO me-" After
Professor Witthaus had taken the viseera,
all the other remains were cremated. Ac-
cording 10 the testimony OF Robert Au-
rich, the attendant at the morgue. ply
slclan connected with the prosecution had
remarked; II wish knew more OF micro
seopy Then could make pot OF money
out Of the Rice case"
After his examination Professor Witt
haus reported an absence OF poison IN
the viseera and q few days later the story
Of Valet JoLes was changed. He now
swore that Patrick had not poisoned Rice
bat had sm0lhered the old man With :