The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-08-10
FRANCIS MURPEY'S STORY.

HIS Account ofhe Tragic Occurrence which
Lei 10 his Becoming q Tcmpcrance Orator.
Francis Murphy, the temperance re-
vivalist, has given the Troy IN. Y.)
Times the following history Of the events
which eliminated in his entering the
lecture Geld as temperance orator:
In the year 1869 | was proprietor Of
the Bradley Hotel, at Portland, Me. 1t
was a respectable house, and enjoyed
good reputation ard patronage. On the
1st of September OF that YEAR the st,
Juhu's boat arrived at the wharf, and a
large number Of guests entered the
hotel to partake of breakfast, and some
registered with the view of remaining
in the city. After the guests had pre-
pared Themselves for breakfast, they
were all shown to the dining room with
the exception Of one man, who remain
ed seated in the ulliCe, with head bowed
and hands covering his face. | asked
him whether he was going in 60 break
fast. He lifted his head and said,
have got no means Of paying for it," |
babe him to go right in and get some
thing to eat. saw by his looks that
he had been drinking, and stood in need
Of substantial meal. There was
scar on his face, and he said TO me,
"1'Ve been having pretty hard time,
and would like to have something TO
drink more than food" | took him
into the bar and gave him some liquor,
after which he went into the dining
room and partOok of breakfast. Upon
coming out be desired an interview with
me, when he told me he was tailor by
trade, an utter stranger in the city, that
he had no means, and asked me If |
would trust him to weeks board, pro.
vided he could get work. i said |
would do that and more than that, l
interested myself in his welfare, and
went out and secured situation fer
him. His name was entered upon the
registry of the hotel - Patrick Murray,
St. Johns, N. i. On the evening of
the Sd of September he came in late to
tea. The wife of Capt. Hager, of New
York-Nho was uperintending the ex,
cavations in the harbor her sister and
cousin, with two children, were seated
at their private table. Murray began
in a free way conversation with Mrs.
Hager, whereupon the waiter requested
him to desist. He arose from the table
in an angry mood and left the dining
room. Mrs. Hager paid no attention
to the man, ana upon concluding sup.
per went to the sitting room and en-
gagged in conversation with Mrs. Muir
ply, after which she started to her own
apar ments, and Murray assaulted her.
/ was summoned, and, Murray, declin-
ing to quit my house, tried to pull
him out, and after a struggle he fell to
the foot of the staircase with fractur-
ed skull. He died four days afterward.
l was arrested and tried for the
murder of that man. The trial lasted
eight days and occasioned great excite-
ment. l had to meet the prejudice of
the friends of the Maine liquor law from
the fact that l kept hotel at which
liquor was sold, and l was bitterly de.
nOunced and charged with having given
the man liquor. l never gave him but
one glass of liquor in my life, and that
was for medicine, and had done all
could to assist him TO life of spbritty
and usefulness. | can never tell how
much suffered for being tried for mur-
der in the presence of my wife and
family and friends. The verdict was
mauslaughter. Tho case was appealed,
and | was admitted TO bail in the sum
of SO 600. Gen. Shepley and A. A.
Stout becoming my bOndsmen. res
turned home very much depressed to
think | had been convicted of such
heinous offence, when before God
knew was entirely innocent. | then
began to drink very hard. My wife
was very much troubled, though patient
and kind, and bore in her face the suf-
ferings she endured at the terrible cal.
amity that had corle upon us and our
children. For about one year kepton
drinking, and became exceedingly recl-
less. My friends had me locked up
July 30, 1870, in the county Jail in
Portland, after which my family re-
moved from the hotel and were COmpell-
ed to take up quarters in u little tene-
ment house on what was known as the
"back cove" and were in very dpsti.
tute circumstances. | remained in iail
three months. On the 10Th OF August,
at religious meeting held in the pTi son
Ivy Capt. Cyrus Sturtevant, l made up
my mind, God helping me, never to sell
another drop or drink another glass of
intoxicating liquor. Meantime the case
had been appealed and the verdict suS-
tanned. was arraigned and sentenced
for period of sixty days in the county
Jail at Portland. On the expiration Of
my sentence l was invited to deliver an
address in the City Hall on Gospel tent
Ierance, and from that time, April,
1871, date my entrance into the work
TO which l have dedicated the remainder
OF my life.