The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-01
SOLDIER Held
WITHOUT bail.
Clinton Police Investigating
Michael E. O'Malley's Death.
DROWNING IS SUSPICIOUS.
John p. Murphy, Spanish-American Vet
eran, Last Man With O'Maliey Pris-
oner Says They Both Fell Into the
Pond. Unaccountable Marks on
His Throat---Town in Uproar.

Clinton, Nov. 3O.--The police are hold
ing John P. Murphy, a veteran of the
Spanish-American war, pending the re-
suit of an investigation into the death
of John F. O'Malley, whose body
was taken from Sandy pond at 5 o'clock
this morning.
O'Malley was a well-known citizen.
He had been president and vice presi-
dent of Division s, A. o. H., and his
death under such strange circum-
stances has set the town in an up
roar.
Any amount of bail is forthcoming
to secure the release of Murphy. P. H.
Morrison is willing to go on his bond
for $4,000. Clerk Frank e. Howard of
the district court has refused to admit
Murphy to bail, pending the result of
an inquest, and the action of the court
at the hearing, which will be held to-
nor w. Murphy is single and lives
with his brother, Patrick Murphy, Jr.,
50 Beacon street. o'Malley had a wife
and five children.
At 1.20 this morning, as officer Will
liam R. Grady was pacing his beat on
Summit street, he heard cries for help.
1t seemed to him that he distinguished
two voices, but he could not be certain.
He went down Coachlace street to
where the dam crosses at the head of
Sandy pond. He met a man coming
away from the end of the dam, to
whom he said: Whats the matter?''
The man was hatless and GREATNESS.
His clothing was dripping with water.
He replied: Nothing"
Grady let him go about his business
and went down to the dam that has a
footpath across it. There is no over
flow. The water from the pond is car
ried through raceway that is crossed
by a foot bridge. Grady went almost
to the raceway, and found two hats
lying on the embankment. He blew
his whistle. Officer Edward r. Clark
heard the sound at police headquar-
ters, and joined Grady Officer Will
liam Earle and officer John r. Muir
ply also came to his assistance, as did
Off Ger James F. O'Malley, after com
municating with Chief Oren B. Bates.
The men decided that there was
probabi- a man in the water. officer
Earle accordingly brought graphing
hooks and irons attached to ropes from
the police station. Officer O'Malley
and the other officers dragged the pond
as far as they could reach with the
hooks, while standing on the riprap,
which slopes downward q feet to the
water from the top of the dam.
The hook handled by Clark frequent
~ encountered a yielding substance in
about 20 feet of water. More than an
hour was fruitlessly spent in the idea
that the hook was graphing a body.
Chief Bates discovered that some bags
Of sand which had been used by work
men years ago in repairs, were making
the delay.
In the meantime, &, canoe owned by
James German had been procured. The
canoe was with difficulty brought to
the water and launched. Officers Earle,
Clark and Murphy steadied it with
hooks from the shore, while officer
O'Malley dragged the bottom.
AT AIS the search was successful and
the body of O'Malley was dragged to
the surface. A boat owned by George
A. Dorrison was rowed from the other
end of the pond by Officer Robert
Crothers, full mile, but came too late
to be of use.
Chief Bates sent for Medical Exam
iner George L. Tobey, who made a
hasty examination of the body. The
0Cdu Ildil = WdlCn udu ElOpDEu DIT LIZ.
He had not been in the water long
Rigor mortis was not present.
DR.. Tobey ordered the body taken to
the morgue in Murphy's undertaking
rooms until arrangements for an au-
topsy can be made. Chief Bates sent
Officer Grady and officer Murphy to
the house of Patrick Murphy, Beacon
street, where the prisoner boards. They
found Murphy in bed and sleeping so
heavily that he was awakened with
great difficulty.
He was taken to the police station
and locked up. He appeared to recoI-
lect little of what had happened He
told the police that he went to a rattle
for stove in the house Of John Kirby
Beacon street There was plenty of
stuff to make good cheer. He thinks
he started to go home with O'Malley
and that while they We're crossing the
dam both lost their balance and fell
into the water.
Murphy says he remembers rolling
down the slope of the dam, and of
striking the water He does not re-
member how he crawled back onto the
top of the dam again, nor about meet
ing the officer. He says that he and
O'Malley had no quarrel and were the
best of friends.
Patrick Murphy, his brother. says
that when John came nome he was
dripping wet, and wanted to go to bed
with his wet clothing on, but was not
allowed to do so.
Patrick said this afternoon: ut was
case of the blind leading the blind.
My brother is Incapable of doing vio-
lence to anybody He started to see
O'Malley home, and they both fell into
the water He crawled out and O'Mal-
ley didn't. O'Malley was a fine man.
Everybody liked him. They worked in
the same room at the wire mill and
were friends, although not particularly
intimate.
More than a hundred persons have
called at the police station today to
see Murphy They express their con-
fdence in his innocence The police
will let no one see him except his
brothers and his counsel, David l.
Walsh. His friends are making an eff
fort tonight TO get him admitted to
bail AS soldier, Murphy earned an.
excellent record. He has never fully
recovered his strength since the war.
Capt. p. F. Cannon. in whose company
he served. speaks in the highest terms