The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-27
A MOTHERS PITIABLE PLIGHT.
GRIEF STRICKEN OVER HER
DAUGHTERS DISAPPEARANCE.

JOseph's Infirmary, Without n Dol
Iar-PIaced There by Her Son-in-
Law, Patrick McMurray, Whose
Wife Has MysteriousIy Disappear
ed-A story the Police Are Investi-
eating.
Among the patients in St. Josephs In
Urinary is an elderly woman, almost de-
mented with grief and anxiety, and with
out money to pay for her care. A few
years ago she was wealthy, and until re-
Gently was still supposed to be so. Her
grief and anxiety, however, are not on ac-
count of the loss of her wealth, but on ac-
count of her daughter, from whom she has
not heard in months, and whose present
whereabouts are unknown to her.
The story of her misfortunes and those
of her daughter is one which outrivals the
plots of dime novel writer's. Whether true
in its entirety, or only in part, is a ques-
ton of some doubt, but hundreds of people
are excitedly discussing it.
Mrs. Catherine Prenty is the Woman's
name. Mrs. Patrick McMurray is her
daughter, of whose whereabouts many
people are anxiously inquiring, some even
going so far as to assert that she is dead.
Until recently Mrs. Prenty lived with her
daughter and son-in-law at Perry and
Houston streets. She is the widow of
Patrick Prenty, who amassed a comfort
able fortune before his death and who, by
his honesty and straightforwardness, won
the respect of the many who knew him.
At his death Prenty bequeathed his
property, consisting of the block of
houses between Perry, Houston, McDon-
ough and East Broad streets, to his
widow during her lifetime, and at her
death to go to their only child, Mary Ann
Prenty.
A few years after the old mans death
the daughter married Patrick McMurray,
then a member of the police force 1t was
considered a good match for McMurray,
as the wife had all the property and he
had none. After the marriage McMurray
resigned from the police, and the houses
at the corner of Perry and Houston
streets were built in a loan association
on the block of property owned by the
estate. A store and residence were built
on the corner and three two-story houses
In the rear on Houston street. McMurray
opened general grocery store and bar
room on the corner and lived there with
bis family. The three houses in the rear
were rented. Everything seemed to go
well for a time. A little boy,
now three years old, was born and was the
pride of the household. The trouble seems
to have begun with the coming of McMur-
rays relatives. incidentally, two young
ladies' from Pittsburg, relatives of Mrs.
McMurray, visited her shortly after the
marriage, and one of them ran away while
here and married John Somers, a barkeep-
er, and partner of Phil Fitzpa trick, who
was afterwards killed by Col. Loud at
Thunderbolt
McMurray's relatives, who came later,
were his brothers, John and jeremiah, and
his two sisters. The members of the en-
larged family did not get along very well
together. According to the story of an in
mate OF the house, it was a cat and dog
life. For nearly year things had been
in bad way. Damaging stories were
circulated by McMurray concerning his
wife, charging her with infdelity. 1t was
charged that she had gone to houses of
i'll fame and had associated with women
there. These stories were told in an ap-
parently confidential manner and were
slow in getting into general circulation.
The people who had known Miss Prenty
from childhood as a modest, unassuming
and somewhat simple girl were not will
ing to believe them. 1t was generally re-
ported in the neighborhood that McMurray
was i'll treating his wife and that he had
beaten her on more than one occasion.
About three months ago McMurray
called at the police barracks and had
talk with Chief McDermott, in which he
made serious accusations against Mrs.
McMurray, and requested the chief to
have the detectives investigate them. The
chief did so and became convinced that
they were without foundation. He also
became convinced that McMurray was
playing deep-laid game and told him so,
warning him to be careful of his conduct.
Recently, while in Pittsburg. attending
the police chiefs convention, Chief Nc
Dermott met James Prenty,
formerly of Savannah, and a
brother of Patrick Prenty. Mr..
Prenty inquired solicitously after his sis
ter-in-law and niece. He had been in
formed that all was not right here ana
was anxious to learn something about
them. He had also heard that the prop
erty was about to be sold. Chief McDer-
mott promised to write Mr.. Prenty on
his return to Savannah.
McMurray had been pushing things in
the last few months. Three or four months
ago his wife disappeared from home He
stated to several parties that he had sent
her to a reformatory in New York, where
he had arranged to keep her for three
years. Some time before that he ANNOUNCE
ed his. intention of selling out and moving
to New York. His wife is said to have
been induced to go north on the belief that
IL was TO inspect the location for the new
business, which was to be established
with her money. Nobody can
be found who saw Mrs.
MoMurray leave, and none of her friends
and neighbors knew Of her departure
Her mother was III in bed and knew moth
ing of il, and neither did Mrs Martin, her
cousin, who lived in the same house. 1t
Is believed that she went north with one
of her husbands brothers. IL is said that
she is in the House of the Good Shepherd,
home for fallen women In New York
city.
About six weeks ago MoMurray disposed
OF the property at Perry and Houston
streets for. il ls said. 5000. Whether he
was legally empowered to dispose Of the
property Is a question which the courts
will be asked to determine. II is claimed
that he secured trust deed
from his mother-in-law In 1898 for
$500. The property IN the block between
Perry, Houston, McDonough and East
Broad streets could not be disposed Of, be-
ing under mortgage. This mortgage. Il is
said, falls due In July and Is liable to be
sacrificed unless some one comes TO the
Of Ian