Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-02-01
McMuRRIN,s SURPRISE PARTY.
That ssFine, staiwart Young MAN"
Returns and Affectfonofeiy
Heats His wife.

The "iine, stalwart young man" has at
last turned up, and in that turning up
has destroyed the last vestage of sympa-
thy and respect which his friends had
still entertained for him. On Saturday
night at q little after o'clock, Joseph w.
McMurrin was seen in disguise by several
of the neighbors, stealthily moving
around his residence on Sixth South
street, peering in at the windows in a
manner which caused the spectators to
infer that he was endeavoring to discover
who was on the inside before venturing
to enter. A few minutes after he had
disappeared around the back of the house
evidently having entered the back door
"a prolonged series OF awful screams
and groans rent the night air and startled
the neighbors for a considerable distance
around, and the cries for help were easily
recognized as coming from woman.
One of the first persons who reached the
house was Mrs. Smith, a sister of Nc
Murrin's wife. living next door, and it is
due to her prompt and vigorous interior
ence that the universally respected
young man" is not at this moment in the
custody of Marshal Ireland. Her pres
ence and well-known and anita gonistic
attitude towards McMurrin induced that
party to leave the premises with much
greater haste than characterized his COM
| ing, so that when deputies Greenman and
Franks arrived half an hour later the
hero OF Social Hall alley was nowhere to
the most pronounced antipathy for Nc
Murrin, refused, out of consideration for
her sister (McMurrin's wife) and her
mother, to disclose any of the facts relat-
ing to the occurrence, either to the depu-
ties or to a DEMOCRAT reporter, and most
of the particulars had therefor to be gath
cred from other sources.
One OF the neighbors heard voice cry
ing "Joe McMurrin is beating his wife
For Gods sake, 60 for help" and
the angry and smothered reply, cts
damn pity he didn't beat you" 1t was
afterwards discovered that the appeal
had been made by Mrs. Smith to hel
father, Mr.. Stephen Hunter, who is also
the father Of McMurrin's wife. Hunter
lives on the corner of Main and Sixth
South streets, Just three doors west oil
McMurrin's, and is as fanatically in sym
pathy with his fugitive son-in-law as he
is violently and cruelty opposed to his
daughter, Mrs. Smith. Those who ap
peared first on the scene, saw McMurrir
grab his wife by the throat and admins
ter number of good "stalwart" blows
upon the head and shoulders of his pros
trate wife whose shrieks were something
terrible. The encounter, on his part a
least, was an angry and violent one, bu
the cause which led to it remains bidder
in the utmost secrecy, which the persist
ent efforts of the reporter failed to pene
trate. For more than half an hour fol
IL, 4
continued to shrek in chorus, postivel,
| ed paciication; and this added to wha
was seen and heard, establishes beyond
doubt or question that McMurrin was cru
ely violent in his merciless attack. 1t wa
surmised by some of the neighbors tina
his wife's testimony in the Collin exami
nation, in which she stated that he ha,
denied firing shot at Collin, had super
induced the attack of Saturday night last
, but this is only opinion, as is also an
,, other theory that Mrs. McNIurrin hat
been a little careless in speaking of he
husbands whereabouts.
Those who saw the pet of the Neics an,
Herald declare that his disguise was
. very poor one, being mainly a'coal blacl
i wig and beard. Those who witnessed tn
shocking affair were so well acquante
. with his appearance that no false wig O
+ whiskers could possibly deceive them
, and several OF those neighbors are a
} familiar with his british wife.beatin
custom as with the man himself.
, Word was communicated to Marsha
i lreland's office within very few minute
J after McMurrin was discovered, and tn
3 two deputies, as stated, were on the prem
Uses Immediately afterwards. They wer
stubbornly refused all information b.
Mrs. McMurrin, and proceeded to scare
, the house and afterwards several othe
residences in the neighborhood, bu
.. without success, and yesterday deputie
kept vigilant watch most of the da
without learning anything of importance
9 1t was thought at one time that Il positiv
,, clue had been discovered, but the hone
. which rose in the minds OF the fai ..u
Q deputies were dissipated after sewers
hours OF fruitless search. That McMurril
is in that vicinity there is no reason t
doubt, but the wonderful unity OF feelin
8 among the residents of that locality t
: shield him battles every effort, no matte
, how ingenously put forth, and the stron
probability is that many days will elaps
before the pride OF the people is brougf
lofs ri