The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-29
DRIFTING IN THE WORLD.
..v,ssIOyER OWEN MURPHY'S WAN
nERIyGS ON TITO CONTINENTS.
.,.. ,n Canada-TrampIng Through Ire
n..L-Auray In London-F Floating on the
,or -Wauderings In BraziI-G aliopinE
- The Pnnpas - OF for Patagonia.


i i. vauderings In BrnziI-G niioptRG
- ,he Pnmpas on for Patagonia.
o.u,, Murphv, Treasurer of the Excise
Commission. attended meeting OF that board
lvrS' 49,, morning ot Saturday. Dec. 20. 1877. |
Tbs hoard was m trouble. and 80 was Mr.
.,hv The license law had been declared |
by the Court oil Appeals. This |
,-.',,r had loft all liquor Dealers aside from
MAJ proprictors at the mercy OF DR.. Howard
cy.,h, Sv'. anil the prohibitionists. The Excise
and police Boards sprang to the rescue oil the
-, seller4 The former did not dare grant
i,ron.es without proof positive that the appli-
- verc really hotel uroprictors. md as such
sntilel to the papers. To aid the dealers
s.r,ver they took their money and gave re-
osipts showing that they had applied for IL
80. In due form. and that said licenses we're
under investigation. The police authorities
sr,misel to honor these receipts. The temper
sn,a a,,leties were aroused. Indictments were
eaos in the faces Of the Police Commissioners.
sod ther bccame alarmed. Orders we're given
- s,rcat all dealers without regard to their pro-
,s,tion papers Within two weeks the District
Inorneys on1co was choked with complaints
snd indictments. But the temperance men did
~, atom with the,Pollce Commissioners. They
thFanfnNeu
housands had been received 10y these gentlo-
man who had given in return the worthless
,r,terlion papers. This money had been
mrnsi over to Treasurer Murphy. He had
given no bonds. and made no quarterly returns.
A mart Of the money was covered into the city
l,a,sury. but large sums were still in his hands.
mr. were deposited in banks subject to his sole
order
Mr.. Murphy was ward chiefiain In the
palmy days OF Tweed and Swoony He had rep
resented his district in the Legislature and had
made large circle OF acluaintances. He was
ga aconyivial nature His face was we'll known
otIOng Branch and Saratoga. Howas especial
IL nterestei in the meetings OF the Jockey clubs.
and invested heavily in pools. Swimming In
clover be distributed the clover among his ac-
ouanmn,cs But fortune dealt heavily with
him during the summer and fall. and financial
ruin stared him in the face. Too many penni-
less politicians. who had grown rich under the
Tweed regime had boen blown to the wall by
the blasts Of popular Indignation. and had
dropped into genuine bankruptcy under the
pressure II the hard times. He found himself
going into the same gulf. There was seemingly
only one way out Of H. and evon that was clos
Ing. H. had tie excise moneys. but the action
dealers. aud there were few applications for
protection pnpors. He might soon be called 10
account for the moneys in his hands. What was
done must be done rrlckly. lie made his
choice lie chose the presumable enjoyment OF
il.goten wealth in foreign countries. rather
than tho presumable miseries Of honest poverty
10 New York.
Al the close Of the session OF the Excise Board
% Saturday morning Mr. Murphy promised
bmcei the Commissioners again either ON the
same afternoon or early on sunday morning
Though hasty. his preparations Tor flight were
made with much care. He had weeks re-
oelp,s from the liquor dealers in his pockets.
Tho sum was considerable. for the New Year
was approaching and the rush for the protec-
ton papers had been unprecedented. About
$4,000 WAS o. deposit in the banks. He had
sold all his property and borrowed large sums
from friends Al q o'clock IN tho AFTERNOON
he presented a ch COX for $50 600 az tho counter
OF Tho German Exchange Bank He was told
that the bank could not cash So large check at
the moment. and he took u certified check for
the amount. The money was then drawn from
various banks, and he was ready Tor exile. He
probably returned homo that evening. His
wife declares that he spent the night there. and
but the barber priest and Mr.. Murphy himself
deny this. He bought a section In sleeping
car and started, from the Grand Central Depot
On the following morning Commissioners
Morton and Patterson met ~ the rooms OF the
Board IN Houston street. They waited an hour.
aud a. Mr. Murphy lid not come. went 10 his
house Getting nothing satisfa tory from his
wife they became Suspicious. and called upon
tho President Of the German Exchange Bank
where the most Of the excise money had been
deposited. That gentleman : rove Htions opened
snelr eyes AMI sent them L. Police Inspector
@s @ Mr. Ss MSrphy 5y4h had ey& ppeG oSer the SSG LORE
derM Rluse's Point. and was then snugly en-
sso1eeI IN the parlors OF relative, near Mon
Inda man oi wealth. The exile told his story.
and spread before him his plans and prospc' ITS.
NThle N Montreal he says h" net the ..on.
Thomas C.. Fields, who hai been his colleague
n the Assembly. Fieldss story OF his wander
hg' y Cuba. Belgium. AMI other countries pro-
ogndly nuresse him He began 10 be doubt
Iul concerning the enjoyment OF his stolen
wealth ip foreign countries. Under the advice
q Fields and tho railroad contractor he en-
IieANoIed To- make some arrangement by which
ne could reiurn 10 New York and live here un-
II3leoIel y on the surrender OF the larger portion
IsS9g cfor failed Tho hiding place Of the
lgxltye was discovered, nnd he became fright
ele1 HIS friend. the railroad contractor. con-
SEoasi nm IN small town ~ Acadia, and there
gsS'Myed qAill tAe later part II february, As
~ a. ls known 90 Mr. Murphy. the detectives
made 20 effort 10 Ind him, and he thinks he
nlghi haye b.on rs safe on the streets Of Mon
Abou, the lst Of March lie wont to Halifax
thefe he VIA lQned by his relative. They took
passage Tor Ireland and landed ~ Cork. Several
Sfs were spent among friends In that city. two
khom htoup panied them In visit 10 the
dhaKes Of Killarney. After going rs far north as
yalNay hey visited Dublin, and spent week
" more very pleasantly. The fugitive caro-
bssp wa',h'd the American newspapers. He
nsl nseno no' given NJ all hopes Of eiTeoting com
NSw York
IN ihe latter part Of April the friends
ssjoned london, The eN-Commissi sioner be
Bs tr,,d or'%n ms sorr2ys IN wine; LEI,
ha' e abandon all hoTe Of return e
H.. ~ United states. He grew gloomy nnt
sniIS2!lhso4te, and at times was on the verge OF
sssIus; hpmeslck and miserable, he shed tears
Me sight q New Yorker. Thus inr all his
ssagnlS had been bent toward home. Will
~, slVOp0 IN his pockets. no had made nc
tsS,l tgl 70 s. !iiQ business His friend the con
Ia Msn hl7 own tact and energy, pointed GU
T.nuFPhy the certain profits that could b,
,fIy,,t rom ludl 'ious railroad CONTRACTS. The
AfI deN7lOp tho resources OF Brazil openeC
Mm5p Nl hlth cOnifacf~, and he coun6ellet
EnHhl 20 snake on his dependency, visi
huV America, aud seek such an lnvestmen
/ inls money, With a clear head and gooC
/ oTsipqesa management he night regain All hon
havjp J7'Nun IN society. The exile, however
tonHag allen into dissipation. paid little heeC
M Nis az alY 20 Qi his friend. One day he pickeC
tyaa u9b} ot m English magazine that de
eons,rh .he me- and career Of Harry Meiggs, IN
Snd Ipuutpr Il tho wonderful railroads in Chil
I sS1rt ttotu' MeigRs Ind died In l. ina onl ~
deisen,Eset tray,ous. MeigGs, also having 6eeII
| hi0 i0m interest. Mclggs's great success. and hi
MAI Iin"ht Qi all debis and defalcations, ha'
49, away the stains on his name, and hi
bse vas regarded by the Peruvians as