William Marsh Rice - Death

Death

Rice was the victim of one of the earliest sensational crimes of the 1900s. On September 23, 1900, Rice was found dead by his valet, Charles F. Jones. He was presumed to have died in his sleep. Shortly thereafter, a bank teller noticed a suspiciously large check bearing the late Rice's signature and made out to Rice's New York City lawyer, Albert T. Patrick, but with his name misspelled. Soon, Patrick made an announcement that Rice had changed his will right before his death, leaving the bulk of his fortune to Patrick rather than to his Institute. A subsequent investigation led by the District Attorney of New York resulted in the arrests of Patrick and of Rice's butler and valet Charles F. Jones, who had been persuaded to administer chloroform to Rice while he slept.

Read more about this topic:  William Marsh Rice

Famous quotes containing the word death:

    “Promise me solemnly,” I said to her as she lay on what I believed to be her death bed, “if you find in the world beyond the grave that you can communicate with me—that there is some way in which you can make me aware of your continued existence—promise me solemnly that you will never, never avail yourself of it.” She recovered and never, never forgave me.
    Samuel Butler (1835–1902)

    For death is not the worst, but when one wants to die and is not able even to have that.
    Sophocles (497–406/5 B.C.)

    My verse your virtues rare shall eternize,
    And in the heavens write your glorious name.
    Where, whenas death shall all the world subdue,
    Our love shall live, and later life renew.
    Edmund Spenser (1552?–1599)