The kidnapping was witnessed by nine-year-old Charlie's school mate, Henry Cabot Lodge, who testified to the authorities leading to the capture of the kidnappers.

On the return of the expedition, Rice wrote an account in 1880 entitled Ruined Cities of Central America that publicized and popularized the effort.

[1] Rice ran as a Republican in the election of 1886 against General Francis Barretto Spinola for New York's 10th congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 1889, he was appointed as Minister to Russia by President Benjamin Harrison but he died at a hotel in New York City on 16 May 1889 prior to assuming his post.

[5] Rice appears (his name partially disguised) in A Doffed Coronet, an anonymous 1902 roman à clef authored by Marguerite Cunliffe-Owen.