Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-12

Francis MuVphy KeIRtes q start.
Hing Incident of Hts Life aud Con-
futes Some Current SANDERS.
Troy Times
Some nine months ago Frarcis
Murphy, the temperance reformer,
began his work in Troy, and pur-
sued it for about five weeks with
unexampled success. The story
that Mr.. Murphy had committed |
some dark crime in former years, in
Portland, Me-, was secretly whis-
pered by persons who were either
enviouS of his success, or by those
who desired to see him fail in his
work; and when he narrated the
history of his life in the opening
nights of his lectures, and referred
to his Imprisonment in Portland,
without detailing the circumstances
Of the misfortune that sent him to
prison, we felt that possibly there
was some shadow upon the past
which Mr.. Murphy might desire to
conceal from the public. Then
when he left Troy and engaged in
his temperance labors at Washing
ton some hints were thrown in the
press respecting his past career
which seemed to justify the idea
above expressed. We accordingly
felt it to be our duty to say to Mr..
Murphy that he owed it to himself
and his friends to publish the facts.
They are, as told by Mr.. Murphy
himself, and supplemented by
abundant evidence, as follows:
In the year 1853 | was proprietor
of the Bradley Hotel, Portland,
Me. 1t was Il respectable house,
and enjoyed a good reputation and
patronage. On the 1st of Septem-
ber of that year the st. Johns 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 remain
ing in the city. After the guests
had prepared themselves for break
fast they were all shown to the
dining-room with the exception of
one man, who remained seated in
the Office, with head bowed and
hands covering his face. | asked
him whether he was going in to
breakfast. lie lifted his head and
; said, 81 have got no means Of pay
ing for it,
/ babe him go right in and get
something to eat. | saw by his
looks that he had been drinking,
and stood in need of a substantial
3 meal. There was a scar on his face,
and he said to me: "lve been
: having a pretty hard time, and
, would like to have something to
drink more than food" l took him
/ into the bar and gave him some
, liquor, after which he went into the
! dining-room and partook OF break
9 fast. Upon coming out he desired
: an interview with me, when he told
: me he was a tailor by trade, an ut
t ter stranger in the city, that he had
: no means, and asked me if | would
t trust HIM for weeks board pro.
b vided he could get work; | said !
s would do that; and, more than that
r | interested myself in his welfare
= and went out and secured q situa-
0 ton for him. His name was en-.
It tered upon the registry Of the hote
y Patrick Murray, st. Johns, New
e Brunswick. On the evening Of thC
d Sd of September he came in late tC
/ tea. The wife Of Captain Hager, o
?, New York-who was Euperintend
is ing the excavations in the harbor-
l. her sister and cousin, with tw,
d children, we're seated at their nri
e. vate table. Murray began in fre
e way Il conversation with Mrs. Fla
is ger, whereupon the waiter request
g ed him to desist He arose from
5. the table in an angry mood an,
g left the dining-room. Mrs, Hage
/ paid no attention to the man, ant
A. upon concluding supper went t
st the sitting-Eoom and engaged j
ID conversation with Mrs. Murphy
Sc after which she started TO her owI
We apartments, aud Murray assaulte
ID her. was summoned, and Mul
h. ray, declining to quit my house
a tried to put him out, and after
d. struggle he fell'to the foot Of tn
e. staircase with Il fractured skull
He died four days afterwar,
,e- | was arrested and tried fC
nd the murder OF that MAJ
er The trial lasted eight days an
Sc. occasioned great excitement. ho
he to meet the prejudice of the frienC
os, of the Maine liquor law, from IL
ICE fact that kept a hotel at whiC
ks liquor was sold; and was bitter
'co denounced and charged with giyll