The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-18

OCtODeTt 1895, EuSene T. M phSt a
resident of San Francisco, living at 1904
Guerrero street, rented a room at a
lodging-house at 536 Third street, went
there with his satchel containing a
night shirt and necessary toilet arti-
cles, and then went to the office Of
the Registrar of Voters and changed
his registration from 1904 Guerrero
street to 536 Third street. He left
palatial residence with all the sur
roundings of a luxurious home; left
devoted wife and loving children; left
his friends and neighbors bound to him
by the ties of almost a lifetime of asso-
citation and began to live lie in the
interests of purity in politics"
But Eugene P Murphy had been an
honest man too long to begin late in
life as an alder and abettor of election
fraud even when his close friend James
D. Phelan, political reformer, asked
him to and tried to convince him that
it was not only right but proper. Muir
phys conscience was a better guide
than the urgent requests of his old
friend, and his whole being revolted
against committing the crime.
When Phelan manipulated his IA
nous convention and rushed his slate
of One Hundred he selected his old
friend Eugene P. Murphy as one of the
men whom he wanted on the Board of
Supervisors. and he was nominated.
But Murphy lived in the Eleventh
Ward. and it was necessary to have
him represent the Ninth Ward. With
Mephistophelian art the man who poses
as the exemplar of purity of the ballot
| hOH -ay7t fn hfc old w
honesty of his unsophistication believed
in all men. and told him that he was
needed in the interests of purity Of pol
itics to represent the Ninth Ward In
the Board of Supervisors.
But" said Murphy. how can I rep
resent the Ninth Ward when I live in
the Eleventh."
"Oh," said Mephistopheles Phelan, ut
is merely a matter of form. You can
rent room in the Ninth Ward and
register from there. It is perfectly
legal. And then, you know, we need
you to help purify the politics of this
city"
Eugene P. Murphy is man of stain
! less character. His sense of right and
wrong is acute, and while he has faith
! in the purity and integrity Of his fellow
man the approval of his own conscience
| is his guide. When the proposition was
broached to him by James d. Phelan
that it was right and In the interests of
pure government to change his regis
tration and qualify as voter in a ward
in which he did not live he reflected.
When told that the service of reform
demanded the sacrifice of his personal
comfort he reluctantly consented and
qualified as a resident of the Ninth
Ward.
Mr.. Murphy made but a short stay in
the Ninth Ward. Mrs. Cluness, keeper
of the lodging house at $50 Third Sss eet,
said last night:
"NIr. Eugene P. Murphy hired one Of
NV rooms on October 1. He had his
election cards out and retained the
room lust one week. l heard nothing
more from him until Sunday. E. p. E.
TROY called on me then and said that
as Mr.. Murphy had decided to retire
from the election contest he would not
require the room and ] could dispose of
it as I saw fit.
But there is q pathetic side to the
story. He packed his satchel as If go
ing on a journey; left his beautiful
home and loving family and engaged
lodgings in a house on the. corner of
Third and Bryant streets. He was
lighted to a naeager room with scant