The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-05
Mrs. Molloy's Career and characteristics.

Mrs. MOllOy's Career and Characteristics.
Fort Wayne Gazette.
So much has been said of Mrs. Molloy in rela-
ton to the terrible crime that has undoubtedly
been committed in Missouri. that W append a
brief record Of the salient points in her history
from one who has been fully conversant with
her career. She was born about 1888, and
raised in st. Joseph county, Indiana, not far
from South Bend. She was a farmers girl. very
smart and precocious. At the age of fourteen
she married a man who turned out to be a drunk
ard and sot, and who finally died of delirium
tremens in a small village near South Bend,
while their only child was lying sick with scar
let fever. She was then about twenty years old
She taught school for a few years, and did va
rious things to support herself. She at last
formed the acquaintenance of a man named
Molloy, who was publishing o weekly paper in
northern Indiana. He was consider
ably older than she. but he
was an excellent man, and one of the best jour
nalists of that day In the State. Althoughthey
were not congenial and lived unhappily. she went
to work and learned the printers trade. She
mastered the business in all its details. While
her husband was sick she used to edit the paper.
setting up her editorials at the case, attended to
the mail, transacted the business and became as
great an expert at the calling as anyone. She
cOutlHueu III tDlS Wdlk y L hto uQtif TIE CruSdu0
movement struck the country in 1873. Here was
her opportunity and she embraced it. She organ
lied the women of Elkhart, Fort Wayne. and all
the towns of northern Indiana. into crusade
bands, and she distinguished herself by great
personal courage amounting to recklessness. On
one occasion she placed herself at the head of q
number of women and arming herself with q
Ratchet she stormed a saloon. drove the proprie-
tor out, and smashed his stock. This way Of life
suited her so well that she abandoned her
home and let Molloy take care of himself as best
he could. When the ribbon movement began IN
1877, she embraced it, and as she showed great
talent she was taken up by the temperance peo-
Pile. The first time she was introduced to a pub
lie audience in this capacity was by Schuyler
Colfax. at South Bend. Largely through his in
fuence she obtained the Endorsement of promi-
nent %clergymen in the State. Colfax was a zeal
Gus churchman, and ne labored to help one
whom he regarded in some sort as a protege.
Mrs. Molloy was thus favorably launched into
the temperance field. She rose at once to the
zenith of her fame. She was called the female
Cough. and well merited the name. Her most
thrilling theme was her experience with her first
husband. She worked this up until il dramatic
force and startling hideousness it displayed rot
only strong originality, but was a wonderful
sketch. 1t closed with a picture of his
death from delirium tremens while her
babe lay dying in its cradle. She
converted hundreds in a night. She travelled all
over the United States and established clubs
sna WIN . w OouSC.bnu BCuS WhitO dho
blue. After getting through with this country
and Canada. she went to England and spent a
year there lecturing in towns and drawing large
audiences. There were queer stories afoat about
her. She is rather a small woman, very nerv-
Gus. with a big overhanging brain, coarse black
hair, and blazing brilliant eyes. Those who
knew her best laughed at her pretensions. but
she had that magnetic power that enabled her
to hoodwink men and use them as she pleased.
After she came back from Europe she did not re-
turn home to her husband to stay any length of
time. She secured a contract with the Good
Templars of Indiana as a travelling lecturer. In
this capacity. she met a fellow in Wabash who
had a wife and several children. He was q man
Of means, and Mrs. Molloy had him go around
with her on her tours. He was an
ardent church member aud a local
preacher. He fell in love with her, declared
publicly that there was no pleasure or happiness
for him here or hereafter without her. The two
finally went off together on a long trip. When
Molloy heard of this his patience gave way, and
he went into court and secured a divorce. The
man who had gone of with her at last came to
his senses. abandoned her and the Molloy con.
~nection. and returned to his family. She then
went to Kansas, and undertook to run a temper
ance paper in connection with Graham. The
particulars of her life since then have already
been given The people of Springfield, Mo-, be-
lieve that she Is implicated in the murder Of
Mrs. Graham. The career of the Molioy woman
has been remarkable. Coming up without edu-