The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-20
OLD TAMMANY MAN A WOMAN.
Murray Halls Sex Undiscovered I'm
til Her Death at 90.


1t was discovered yesterday that one
OF Barney Martins good Tammany men,
an old-time voter and member of the
lroquois Club. was a woman.
DR.. William C. Gallagher of 500 West
Twelfth street walked into the coroner
ONCE In the afternoon and reported the
death OF Murray H. Hall, professional
bondsman. politician and all-around sport.
Hall lived at las Sixth avenue and kept
an employment bureau there. Hall was
a member of the Tammany Association of
the Fifth Assembly district, who is the
Tammany leader; had lived for thirty
years in Sixth avenue, near Jeffel son Mar
ket Police Court, and was we'll known to
every politician on the West Side of the
city. Coroner Edward W. Hart trained
in politics on the West Side and conse-
quently was well acquainted with Hall
1t was because of this that Dr. Gala
gher reported Halls death to Coroner
Hart, instead of going to Coroner yucca,
in whose district Hall died. Hart was on
the bench in the coroner's court when Dr.
Gallagher came and reported the case.
Report the case to one of the clerks
in the Office said Coroner Hart, when
the doctor told his mission.
Chief Clerk Reynolds can tell you
that" replied Coroner Hart ~
But it is a wonderful case,e continued
the physician. "A remarkable case AL
though l know she died from cancer of
the breast l am puzzled so that 1 don't
know what to do about issuing a death
certificate for her."
Herr! exclaimed the coroner, ct
thought you said it was Murray Hall who
had died"
Yes" replied the doctor, but Muir
ray Hall was a woman"
coroner Hart stared at the doctor. lie
didn't believe it. He told DIR. Gallagher
as much, adding that Hall had always
voted at the district primaries, got full
with the boys and for a quarter of a
century had voted in the district
well, he's a woman. said the doctor,
although 1 did not discover it until af-
ter he died. AS l treated him as a man
and he died a woman, didn't know what
sex to write in the death certificate"
DR.. Gallagher was led back 90 Clerk
Reynolds office and there explained that
Hall had been treated, medically speak
ing, as a man, but was discovered after
death to be a normal woman. Clerk Rey-
rolds read over,the law governing cases
that should be reported to the coroner.
1t stated specifically that it was the
duty of any citizen to report the death
of "a person who shall have died in any
cluded that as Murray Hall had for over
thirty years been known as a man and
had died a woman he had died in an ''un-
usual manner" After the history of the
case had been further discussed DR.. Gal
lagher was told that it certainly was
coroner's case, for the additional reason
that he had been treating Murray HAN
for cancer of the left breast, believing
Hall to be a man. Clerk Reynolds then
out tIc
following report. which was placed on
file:
Notice of Death.
Reported by DR.. William c. Gallagher
of 3O2 West Twelfth street.
Reported at los O'Clock p. m, Jan. 10,
1901
Name of deceased, Murray Hall.
Age, about 60 years.
Color. white. Occupation employment
bureau.
Single, married or widowed. -.
Native of -.
Residence, las Sixth avenue.
Place of death, 145 Sixth avenue.
Date of death, Jan. 16, 1901. at 10:30 p. m.
Body found ait 145 Sixth avenue.
Body now at 145 Sixth avenue
Cause of death, cancer of left breast.
"Was she married. asked the coron-
er's clerk.
DIT. Gallagher said he could not state
whether she was single. married or
widower.
Later in the day Clerk Reynolds was
informed that Murray Hall was widow
er and that her wife died over two years
ago The death of the wife is on record
at the Health Board. She is described
as Mrs. c. L. Hail. s. years Cd wife of
Murray H. Hail. 1.-THE date of her death
as recorded was July 7. 1898, at $50 p. m,
at 145 Sixth avenue"
Just where Murray Hall married her
could not be learned last night. But
the couple were married many years ago
Mrs. Murray Halls maiden name being
Hobbs After her death Murray Hall
Skinned the body to her old home, at
Shawmut, Me- Her will bequeathed some
of her property to my beloved husband,
Murray H. Hall" This property consist
ed of several lots in Westchester and the
will contained a provision that upon the
death of our Dear beloved daughter,
Minnie"
Lawyer Thomas Moran was made ex-
ecutor OF Mrs. Murray Halls will. 1t
was learned last night that he had been
made executor Of Mr." Murray Halls
will and that Murray Hall had willed sew
eral thousand dollars worth of property
TO "the daughter Minnie.
Minnie Hall is a good looking girl p
years old. She and servant were the
only mourners in Murray Halls apart
ments last night. Upon the second floor of
145 Sixth avenue Undertaken Mason II.
Partridge of sO2 Broadway had laid the
body OF Murray Hall in an Ice box. Mr..
Partridge, who is the sexton OF Grace
Church, had been engaged to bury the
body of q man. When he reached the
house he found the body of a woman.
80 that none of the undertaker's assist
ants should be let into the secret the
undertaken was asked to employ outside
help.
when he went TO the house to lay out
the body, he brought with him a trusted
assistant. They would not allow any of
the people in the house to enter the
room. The girl referred 10 as the daugh-
ter of Mr.. and Mrs. Murray Hall wept
and tried her in the dining parlor, but the
servant kept her in the dining room.
The servant explained that "her father
could not be seen until the undertaken
had nut him IN the coffin. The servant
had been let into the secret that Murray
Hail was a woman. The undertaken pre-
pared the body so that only the face and
head were exposed. Then he went away
The story that Murray Hall was a woman
had spread through the neighborhood
hut no one In the neighborhood would be-
ueye Il. The only other tenant In the
house. q firemans widow. said she had
been acquainted with Murray Hall ever
since he, moved In there seven years