New-York tribune., 1901-04-21
MURPHY'S HOUSEGUARDED
POLICEMAN IN FRONT OF THE COM
MISSIONER'S HOME.
A RECENT ASSAULT BY A POLICY MAN THE
REASON FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF THE SPECIAL POST.

special policeman passes up and down in
front of Police Commissioner Murphy's home at
NO oS2 Broome-st.. to prevent an attack upon
hlm Last night Policeman Curran was desig-
mated by Sergeant Petit. of the MacdougaI-st
station, for this purpose. The regular police
man. No 2,S36. covers the beat but Policeman
Curran has special instructions to see that Com
missioner Murphy's house is not besieged by
strangers
The reason for this surveillance is that Com
missioner Murphy was attacked a week ago last
Thursday night. and but for his nephew he
might have been killed. He was assaulted by
a man who went to the house of the Commits
sioner between 10 and IL o'clock at night. This
man has been identified. it is said with policy
shops against which Captain F. Norton God
dard is waging war, and order 10 close up
these places precipitated the attack the
Commissioner.
Three four men. among whom was the as
sailant, went to the house of Commissioner Muir
ply and demonstrated with him. In the course
of the argument the man accused attempted
to assault Commissioner Murphy. but Mr.. Muir
phys nephew struck him with cane. His COM
panions intervened. and he was forcibly elected
from the house.
There are several versions of the affair One
is that Commissioner Murphy was assaulted
fore the assailant could strike the Commissioner
his nephew and the mans companions inter-
vened.
Commissioner Murphy was seen at his home
at No. So Broome-st, last night, and said about
the story:
There is nothing whatever in it. never was
assaulted by any The story is ridiculous
There is nothing in it. No number of men have
called on me since last Sunday, and then seVerai
newspaper men came TO see me. The story of
nv being assaulted by one or more policy men
is absurd"
Commissioner Murphy's nephew, who was
present said that he was in the house at the
time and there no assault
Despite the denial Of the Commissioner. the
story was confirmed by the special policeman
and the regular policeman on the beat and the
saloonkeeper on the corner and other people IN
the vicinity The placing of a special guard
since the night of the assault has been common
gossip in the neighborhood. A new policeman
was assigned TO the place each night since the
night of the attack On that night policeman
Rennings was on duty. but he was on a distant
mart of the post and did not hear of the assault
until about 11:30 O'Clock. 1t is said that ne
was roundly censured by the Commissioner foT
not being on hand at the time. Another ponce
man, No. 2,S36 is now on the detail
Commissioner Murphy was very much exer-
cised over the indignity he had been SUBJECTED
to- and caused a special patrolman TO De placeo
near his house 10 guard il. Last night SER
geant Petit, of the Macdougal-st. station. nao
a long conference with the Commissioner IL
was said by members of the force that Conrnls-
sioner Murphy about to take drastic meas
ures against his aSsailant. but was disSuaded
from doing SO. as the man is a member or the
Monticello Club, i'm Charlton st, 1nHusntial
Democrats dissuaded the Commissioner. however.
The Monticello Club is a strong political factor
in the locality, and many of the prominent Tam
many men Of the district are members
AT the Macdougal-st. station the sergeant
was asked if there had not been a special guard
stationed at Commissioner Murphy's house He
said there had been placed on the beat
How long has this man been on the special
heat?"
For about week"
What is the reason for putting this special
man on this post?"
"Oh. no special reason.
lis he not there 10 guard the house OF Police
Commissioner Murphy?
"Oh. no. You see, there is lodging mouse
right near where the commissioner lives. This
house is filed with all sorts OF disreputable
characters. They even do panhandling in the
district There are some pretty tough cnar-
acters in that house, and we don't want them
to do any panhandling. or perhaps worse we've
got to be careful these days.
For the last week the policy shops In the city
have been working with more or less regulation
Only three days last week have the winning
slips been issued and yesterday they did not
appear at all.