The evening world., 1891-05-12
ATE NOTHING FOR $50 DAYS.
Ex-senator Michael G, Murphy's
Great Fight with Death.
The Convalescing Colonel Relates
tho Story for "The Evening
World.'

| con, uming hlm by inches and ounces and had
wasted away his body TIL the round, robust
800 pound figure so well known In every poll
ical circle had become but a shadow, u bundle
of bones wcignng only 90p1unds.
The history OF the surcrluas Of the plucky
old soldier III ike fairy ta!e, almost incredible
TO the mud
An EVENING WORLD reporter saw Col
Murphy at the homo Of his ncce, ~ East Thr-
tieth street. this morning.
The man who ate no food for more than 1f-
teen months was found propped up in an ad-
Unstable easy.chair in the sunny back parlor,
made more sunny by the presence OF this
niece, who was most appropriately christened
"Gracc."
Col. Murphy was In his night robe, and later,
after the withdrawal OF the attentive good
angel OF his sck-chamber, tho Colonel drew up
the robe, displaying q pair Of legs, startling
IN tn cir emaciation.
In answer to the reporters Involuntary ex-
clamatinn. Col. murphy said hrl4kly:
"Why, Pm fat now! Fat, sir! I weigh
l35 pounds. You should have seen me about
New Years weighed only ninety pounds
that day. touched rock bottom then. I've
been getting better ever since. and in spite OF
the fact that read my own death notice In the
newspapers fve months ago Pn better than
half dozen dead men yet."
1t Is no cSageration to say that Col Murphy's
knee joint was four inches wider than Ills leg
at the neshcst part OF the thigh.
But his big, broad topped, rugged and
knotty head was a. big as ever, and all out OF
proportion TO the wasted little body and thin
neck that supported IL.
The eyes were rs keen AMI full of expression
as ever though, and the dongnty Colonel was
enjoying the morning newspapers, OF which
he had a half dozen on his lap, as he has had
every morning since his confinement began in
January, 1890, and the doctors told min that
his days were numbered ana the number
could be counted on his fingers without repeti-
tion.
Ihe ex-senator who sat for thirteen years as
a lie egislator at Albany and was not beaten in
on election Till he was said to be in tho very
jaws OF death, was enjoying a nnG Havana,
aud IN his old-fashIoned way he invited the
roportorial writer to join min In Perfecto.
Then, Just as his niece was leaving the
room, the man VINO ate nothing for ten times
as many days as sig. Giovanni Succi tasted,
SAID Lriskly:
"On, l think you'd better get shad roe 70
my lunch. Aud, by the way, did the soft
shell clans come ?"
The Colonel laughed heartily at the re-
porter's look OF wunderment ard said: :Yes,
I cat anything like now; but let me tell you
that the very happlest moment OF my life was
four weeks ago to-day, when enjoyed the
pleasures OF the palate for the first time since
early In January, 1890.
81 had been promised that might soon be
ablc 10 take someihinR INTO my sloinach IN the
usual way-aiter 80 many months In which !
had been kept out OF the grave by artlhclal
nutritIon-and that morning was seized with
'he idea thht couid swallow cohee.
"Grace-'od bless her!-Rot It Tor me, ana
| dranklI IL went GOWN. HsaVed dowh. 1
eouid scarce'y realize H. hardly beheVe "
Out was the prouuest man IN America anu,
| Sir, drank three cups OF coffee"
By amt OF much coaxihs COL murphy was
| induced 10 give complete history OF MS case.
In lSS'' when ne was apparently In iuil health
ana Vppea me scale AZ Tvs pounds' Coi. murphy
| had frequent a''acks OF eAcruchuhR pains oe-
| low MS waistoahu'
P"'"o "o.'e .i' ~ nm w " ""'' W.
| 80 ~ -" ~ " ~ .ee
| ""'' 's" "O ~ ~
''".' "'oo'
| " "' "' '"'
n"s' 'i"en'''ni'" e'.ee'' nuu' epeAA'nS " D''
hennu ''-"".' o''' murphy sa,u 'ei'ou''''
| ""n' W sHS 'ua' IT. henua naS "eeu
'no'' VI "h'e"u '"a" p"s ''o'an W '"e' he
hue" NV po'eiS' anu '"ouE" Nv 'as "''enaeo
.io '1nn'u"' a' '"''0 'no"'"'' "' ""' Ne'e'
"'n'r" I" o"''
D'' henna "'e'a'eu my uou"'e W oe
'a'ule " Tue 'htes''ues 70 perform the'r Pa''
III u'R's''on' ""u "e 'ene'ea he'
pu' III o''ooe'' 'oo', '"e "ouo,' rT'u'heu
VIII increase" N'g''' y" "'''r ""u 'orineu IL
VIC s'oh"e"' "n' 'neu D'' hehna oesah
treatment oy "as"'he ou' Tue s'oihaon WIN
'eih" ""'c' ny 'neahs VI sort Vi s'Phon'
"n'ch' "hth """ura"h from 'he psophagus'
"fe" Tue wafer ou' again iroUl inc s'oh'ach'
'oi. murphy was cah"'na'e ior re-ele't'ot
10 lhe Seua'e IN 'ne fi''h p's'Tic! mat f'i''
anu he ac'ua'sS eau'asseu '"e u's't''' ou' os
pecuoh uay was ns' on MS "ack III conse
Q"ehce Oh we o'ef-eNet"on' ah'' 10 use h'
! own WORDS MS "elea' on '"at occasion was
nt'Ie moment 10 nm, as MS death was SAID u
ua ohIy Il lew uays uls'aht'
nu, nis y,islty kent him I'M. tnouvh thar,
WAS n craaual st,npaue of the nossac, from