New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-21
OWEN MURPHY'S GOODNESS.
AGAIN A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE.


CANADA NOW HE FINDS ONE HERE
owen Murphy, who was treasurer Of the Board Of
Excise in this city in 1877 and fed TO Canada just
before Christmas in that year. taking with him $4,000
OF the excise money. has returned TO the city and has
settled himself comfortably In fat in upper Madison
ave. His sefimpcsed exile might have lasted longer
IL he had not been afraid OF Imprisonment account
Of his connection with the Dominion scandals which
recently TO light BEING assured OF conviction
and Imprisonment in Canada II he remained there, he
forfeited his bail and slipped the border three
weeks ago in company with Robert II. MoGreevy, one
of his fellow doodle contractors. They to
New York together and stayed hotel in Madison
ave. until Thursday. when Murphy moved into the
fat with his family, Mrs. Murphy and the children
having joined him in the meantime.
Murphy is said to have fear of arrest for his
crime in this city after the lapse of fourteen years
No indictment found against him after he fed from
the city. He is reported to have said on Thursday
that net afraid to face his friends and enemies
in New-Iork. as he had accumulated a large amount
Of property in Canada and he intended to pay back
every cent of the $4,000 which he stole in 1877.
lie had been made the object CT unjust political
persecution in Canada, he said, ana had been
warned that the Government intended TO
his conviction At the same time
he admitted that he and other contractors
had secured immense contracts by brbing public
officials &c hoped TO return TO Canada and resume
operations teTe after the trouble had blown and
he had instructed his agent to pay his forfeited bail
Murphy and his associates in the Board OF Excise in
this city, George W. Norton and Jacob NJ. Patterson
were appointed by Mayor Wlckham in 1876, ana the
office Of the Board then was at houston and Mulberry
sts As treasurer of The Board Murphy was not re
quired give bonds although he had charge Of the
large sums Of money which paid by the liquor
dealers for licenses every month. 1t the custom
for the lquOrdealers To pay their money when they
made applications for licenses often several weeks be-
fore the licenses granted. Tn August, 1877,
Murphy withdrew $4,000 of the Excise money from
the German Exchange Bank and placed the entire sum
to his own account in the Bowery National BANK
lie used 10000 to satisfy mortgage OF his prop
erty in secondave., held by his ssterin-law. On
December 2l I've drew the remaining 100000 from the
Bowery National Rank. Next day he went TO the
German Exchange Bank and tried to draw out soo'ooo
bv ore check The hank could not spare the cash.
but his check certified and he deposited 1t in the
Pacific Bank and drew $4,000. lie left the city the
same evening and he safe IN Canada before his
fight was discovered. An attempt TO indict Murphy
failed because II was said that the mercy which ne
had stolen did not belong to the city.
Th,, Commissioners and clerks at the Office of the
Board of Excise yesterday said that they hed no
knowledge OF the return of Murphy to the city, There
had been so many changes id the Office since
Mummy ran awev that no there now
had any knowledge of the crime and no
interest in Furnishing the thief If he could De
At Police Headquarters the officials had receNcu NJ
information OF Murphys return that tey thous1'
demanded their attention. and most OF them were ui
willing TO talk about the President MacLesih
said he could not believe that Murphy would be per
mited to remain in the city unpublished, and ne e1
pressed the opinion that the return OF the hei de
manded the attention of the District-Attorney. Mr.
MaeLean counsel TO the Board OF Ponce III INC
time of Murphy's flight, and he recoleced yesterday
that he had given an opinion that the police should
not recognize the receipts by liquor dealers who
had paid their money but had failed to get their
licenses before Murphy ran away lie thoughI ~
had been held that the money stolen by Murphy olo
net belong TO the city, but 10 the liquor dealers VINO
had paid for licenses which they failed 10 seI III
any event. the money stolen, Mr.. MacLean said
and there should be ne difficulty in securing the In
dctment and conviction Of the thief, that he was
within tie Jurisdiction OF the courts. Murphy could
not take advantage of the statute OF limitations ne
said because no indictment had been found while he
was outside the jurisdiction.
Inspector Byrnes left the Detective Bureau carrier
than usual yesterday afternoon and was said to be at
work Oh some case uptown. His sueordinstes would
not talk about the return of Murphy to the city,
Possibly II Murphy tried to leave the city again nc
might feel the hand of detective on his collar.
nlstrIct- Attorney De Iancey NicOi said that Murphy
could be prosecuted II he had committed crime lie
had kept out of jurisdiction for fourteen years ana
therefore not under the protection OF the statute
of limitations This statute did not protect men VINO
Kept out of the state. Mr.. Nicol SAID that ne womb
zee Daniel G. Rollins, who WAS D!st1ctAtofncy IA
1877 and learn Just how the Murphy case s'Oon a'u
why the fugitive not ll1lctca
Ex-surogate Daniel g. Rollins Sad to Tribune vie re-
porter last evening that ne Knew o. no WS so long
ago that he did not remember !nst what cohntot ts
evidence was in In saynt us ne ,e a other ' Tbere
might he obstacles and there might not. me s'@'ue
81 Limitations certainly did not bar prosecutor