The record-union., 1893-09-11
MANSLAUGHHER OR ACCIDENT ?
An Unknown Youth Found With a
Broken Neck.
Dell Murphy, the Prize-Fighter, Ar
rested on Suspicfon-Deceasod
a Stranger Here.

al lAOW1l yOuSA AlCS 1b luO 4N1ol AS
with broken neck. and, strange to say,
there is no direct evidence going to show
how he was killed.
About l o'clock yesterday afternoon,
while Officer Carroll was on duty at the
police station, telephone message was
received from the Western Hotel re-
questing that the patrol wagon be sent to
John NOrton's saloon, across the street,
for "a sick hypo fiend."
Carroll asked who made the request,
and was answered that it came from Dell
Murphy, well-known character. Car
roll insisted on hearing from Murphy
himself, and the latter was called to the
telephone. He informed the officer that
there was young hypo tiend sick in the
rear of Norton's saloon.
Carroll and Special Officer Goods got
into the patrol wagon and fastened to the
place, but when they arrived they found
dead man.
They then went to the Coroner's office,
where they met Murphy, and Carroll at
once arrested and locked him up. having
learned that there was a suspicion that
Murphy was concerned in the affair.
On the way to the police station Murphy
told the officer that the deceased came
into \ NOrtOn's saloon, where he was, and
started to go to rear room, when he fell
and struck his head against a door-jam,
from the effects of which he died.
John Pendergast, the bartender, who is
nephew Of n Norton, the proprietor, was
present at the time, and officer Maley was
sent by Chief Rodgers to bring him i'll,
and he, too, was locked up.
The dead mans body was removed to
the Morgue, where hundreds of persons
called during the afternoon, but no one
could identity him. Officer Carroll re-
members having seen him in company
with another youth several times during
the last three weeks. 1t was also learned
that the deceased had been employed for
time in picking hops on one of the
ranches near the city, and was paid off on
Saturday, when he had but 81 05 due him.
HIS NECK BROKEN.
DIR. White held an autopsy on the body
last night, as the law provides, but it did
not require a surgeons examination to
prove the cause of death, for it was clear
to anyone that the victims neck was
broken. There was evidence OF a blow
on the back of the neck, also an abrasion
of the forehead, the latter evidently
caused by his falling on a table in rear
room of the saloon, as there were blood
marks on the table whore the young
mans face had come in contact with it.
While Murphy denied any knowledge
of the affair further than that the young
man fell against door, the story was
current that the fall was the result of a
blow the youth received from
MURPHY's MUSCULAR RIGHT ARM.
One person was heard to say that the
deceased struck Murphy, and that the
latter retaliated by blow on the back of
the head, from which it would appear
that the circumstances attending the
fatal atfray We're talked of before the
young man died-which was several
minutes after he received the blow.
After he died, however, no one could
be found to admit that he knew any
thing about the tragedy, and Murphy de-
MED being concerned in it.
THE UNKNOWN DEAD.
The deceased is a young man, probably
% or % years of age, about five feet ten
inches in hight, brown hair and smooth
shaven. He was quite plainly dressed
On the left forearm are a cross
and anchor tattooed, with red center
and three butterflies; on the right fore
arm a cross with the letters 81. II. S." at
the base, and the initials J. B. above the
cross. On the lower part of the left leg
was tattooed a running deer.
MURPHY'S RECORD.
Murphy is an ex-prize fighter, large,
frequently in trouble. In December. 1890.
he was a bartender in Jack Smiths dive
on X street, near Third, and on the 18th
of that month he, Jack Hurley (another
prize fighter and cripple named Bob
Watts robbed James West, a Rocklin
man, who happened to visit the dive and
exhibit a well-flled purse.
For this crime Murphy and Hurley
were each sentenced by Judge Van Fleet
to six months in the County Jail. Owing
to the disappearance of the complaining
witness, and the consequent lack of testi-
mony, the charge WIS reduced to petit
larceny, to which Murphy and Hurley
pleaded guilty.
A short time ago Murphy married a
Sutter County woman, who had a little
means, and they opened up wayside
saloon in the old brewery building near
Sutterville, formerly kept by j. p. Mel
choir. Since the State Fair opened he
has been one of the bartenders at Agri-
cultural Park.
Young Pendegast, who was held as
witness, was released by Chief Rodgers,
mis- friends giving bond for his appear
ance when wanted.
WHAT PENDERGAST SAYS.
Young Pendergast, the bartender, told
Chief Rodgers that Murphy came into the
saloon and went to the room in the rear.
LIS u0CedSGU IOlIOWeU Murphy and q
moment later noise was heard in the
rear, and on the proprietor and himself
going there they found the deceased lying
on the floor. A physician was sent for
and he administered a stimulant, but the
young man soon breathed his last.
MURPHY's STORY.
Murphy stated to the Chief that he
went to the rear of the saloon to wash his
hands. He noticed the deceased enter
and saw that he was very weak. In pass
ing from the small room to a rear shed
the stranger appeared to trip in some way
and fell forward to the floor. That was
all he knew about it.
BLOOD ON THE WALL.
The officers say there was blood on the
wall of the room, several feet from the
floor. and also on an old card table they
found in the place.
The blood had been washed off the face
OF the deceased when the officers reached
the place.