Daily Kennebec journal., 1877-08-02
Francis Murphy's Story of his Life IN
Portland.

francls M"rphy's story of his Life In
Portland.
els Murphy made the following allusion to an
| event in his life while residing in Portland
10 1869 | was proprietor of the Bradley Hotel
corner of India and Commercial streets, in Port
land, opposite the landing of the ST. John boats.
On the morning OF Sept Sd, party of trave Hers
from that boat came up to my hotel fer breakfast
After they had washed up and gone into break
fast, found one Of them remained in the office
| and sat with his face in his hand, | asked him il
| he wasn't going in to breakfast, and he said he
| had no money. told him TO go in and get some
| breakfast, and it would be all right He said be
did not feel well, and would like glass ofliquor
| and gave it to him. | saw from his face that he
| was recovering from debauch. He told me h
| name was Murray; that he was tailor, penniless
| and stranger. felt sorry for him, and told i'm
that If he would avoid drink and get work I
| would trust him for weeks board. He seemed
| grateful, and soon got work in q tailor's shop.
| Two days afterwards, unknown to me, he began
| to drink again, and few days later, while drunk
| he lnsulted a lady boarder at supper, and after
| supper when she going to her room he at.
tempted to outrage her. My clerk rescued her
| and ran up stairs and took hold of Murray TO
get him down stairs. He resisted some, but got
him down to a landing eleven steps from the
door when he tried to throw me over the bsnisters
but failed, and threw him over. He didn't
| seem hurt, and started to come up stairs aga in,
| but forced him back, called a policeman, and
had him taken to the station house. That nigh,
he was very sick. A medical examination showed
that there was slight fracture of the skull and in
| few days the poor fellow died. was tried fol
murder. The case came before Judge Goddard
| The prosecuting attorney was then VIM. Z. Frye
| now member of Congress, and he was assisted by
| Nathan Webb. My counsel were George f. Shep-
ley, now United States Judge, and Col. Bradbury
| was convicted of manslaughter. 10 the first
place there was great rivalry between Frye and
Shepley, and Frye would do anything to bea,
| Shepley. ln the second place, people believed
| that Murray got liquor at my place. and they
| were fanaticsl enough to feel that a liquor seller
| ought to be hanged. The fact is Murray haC
| never had drop in my house except the glass
i gave him the first morning. My case was sp.
| pealed and was let out on bail, Shepley being
| my bondsmsn by permission of the court, though
it was contrary to usage. But the charge of mur
der hung over me- All my property had gone to
defray the expenses of my trial. My family wa
in poverty. | was in despair. an,
took to drinking. l had always drank
some, but l had not previously been dissi
pated Three weeks after got out Of Jail my
wife died. That threw me into great misery, anC
drank more. drank to such excess that my
friends had to put me back in Jail as a place o
safety. While there Chaplain Sturdvant visiteC
the Jail and held religious services and WAS con
| verted. The result of my appeal was that ! wa
sentenced to 80 days Imprisonment. After | go
| out of jail Mr. VIM. Deering, now of this city, be
| frended me, and induced me to quit liquor an,
lead useful life. Pretty soon after was re
leased went into this temperance work.