The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-05-04
FRANCIS MURPHY .
THE HISTORY OF THE MAN.
Where He Began, How His Philan'
thropy has Extended. and HIS
Success.


From the Philadelphia Tiines.l
One of the hardest workers in this city
is Francis Murphy, for he not only
speaks twice day in Concert Hail, but
also listens to the grievances Of the poor
from morning until night. Mr. Muir
ply made his first Temperance address
in the city of Portland, April 3, 1870.
For three years he continued speaking
in Maine. at the expiration of which
time he spent year in New Hampshire.
Then for two years he met with great
success in West Illinois and Iowa, and.
finally, the city Of Pitisburg proved a
field ripe for harvest Out of the great
movements in Pittsburg grew the Ma
tional Christian Temperance Union.
Mr Murphy was chosen President, and
such men as Marshal Swartzweider, the
well known criminal lawyer, w c Nor
land and Joseph Dilworthy, a rich iron
merchant, were elected Vice Presidents.
Several ladies' and gentlement from
Pittsburg, now interested spectators of
the Concert Hall meetings, testify to the
wonderful success which accompanied
Mr. Murphyls efforts there Three hun
dred thousand have signed the pledge
in Western Pennsylvania alone, and the |
movement is still in progress. After
three months of labor in Pittsburg Mr.
Murphy came to this city. Every evening
hundreds are turned away who are una
BILE to gain admittance into Concert
Hall. Indeed il is estimated that on
Thursday evening two thousand persons
were thus disappointed. An overflow
meeting is always held in the Associa-
ton Hall across the street, but even
then only a small proportion Of those
eager to hear Murphy" can be accom-
nodated
Mr. Murphy expressed an opinion yes
terday afternoon that the work in this
city is in its infancy. Over ten thou-
sand have SO far signed the pledge. He
hopes before long to see amassiyeb build
ing erected, which shall be monument
to total abstinence, where everyone, the
poor as well as the rich, shall have free
entrance, an evening can be spent profit
ably and pleasantly. Mr. Murphy's
views on the temperance question are
peculiar if compared with those held by
most temperance advocates as stand
ard. He is opposed totally 10 prohibi-
tion. He said yesterday that the little
interview the Times had with him few
days ago had the effect of stirring up
the Prohibitionists somewhat He GER
tainly did not wish TO have a quarrel
with them, but he hoped they would al
low him to conduct his meetings ac-
cording to his present method. Mr.
Murphy believes prohibition TO be total
" wrong. He thinks the liquor ques-
ton can not be controlled by legislation,
for if man wants TO drink he will do
30 in spite of law. He believes heartily
in moral suasion and trusts implicitly in
a mans honor. He says that he loves
all men as brothers. No matter what
their religious faith, he treats them all
alike, and politics and sectarianism can
not be dragged into his meetings. Mr.
Murphy says he has seen little d;spo-
ation on the part of a few extreme Pro-
hibitonists to interfere. He hopeshow
ever, to show that his doctrine is the
correct one before long. All | ask of
them" he said yesterday, lis to give
Frank Murphy chance. have met
with some success in other cities and am
willing to rise and fall with the result
here. You cannot drive a man; you
must appeal to his reason and honor
Very often Mr. Murphy goes into saloons
and speaks to the bartenders. He SAYS
they always treat him courteously. He
has no war against them, for he believes
many of them are excellent men.
Concert Halli open ali day long, and
at almost any hour dozens of poor men
can be seen hanging about the stairways
or occupying seats. Over a hundred
destitute men applying every day for re-
lief One at a time they are brought
before the committee in charge of this
work consisting Of W X Bucknell,
John l. Linton, L P Rowland, w 7
Hacker, G C McCord and Harry L
Agnew, and questioned. Clothing is
given them when needed, and sixty or
seventy have been rendered situations.
Occasionally a man is found who is
without money and far away from .
home. The committee write to his |
friends or send him over the railroad
free of expense. Allsuch men first sign {
the pledge and agree henceforth to alb
stain from all intoxicating liquors.
Mr. Murphy says that he thinks that in {
nearly every case these men speak the '
truth, and the committee are sell r
dom ever imposed upon. At first Mr. i
Murphy roomed at the st George, but so a
numerous were the poor and destitute
men who wished to see him that he has
taken rooms over the Central Coffee
House, Market and Fifteenth Streets and
: great many visit him there. In the 5
same building is ball where meeting C
is held every afternoon, presided over by e
ladies. The one yesterday was crowded, 1
and the audience appeared to be COM c