Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-09-03
CURTAIN DROPS
ON A QUEER LIFE.
Last Act in the Drink Crazed Ca.
reer of Mike Boyle Closed
At the City Jail.
WAS HIS HOME FOR NINE YEARS
Demoniacal Glee Displayed Over His
Death by Old Tom King, Another
Character of the City.
Poor old Mike Boyle is deadl


For nine long years he hds known no
home save the vile old fifth reeking
hole that has been dlgnifed by the
name of 1.-THE city Jail" But no
more will he be dragged through the
streets by the police; no more will he
be the object OF ridicule and scorn; no
more will he face the Judge in the po-
lice court to be laughed at by the
spectators and then be thrown into
Jail for 30 or 40 days, At 10 minutes
to 10 o'clock this morning his spirit
passed to the great beyond. Lying on
an old quilt IN the officers quarters
at the police station, alone and UNI
cared for he breathed his last.
LAST ACT OF KINDNESS.
Some time before his death. n fireman
found the poor old fellow lying on
the floor unconscious. To make his last
moments as comfortable as possible the
fireman tenderly placed quit under
his head and bathed his face with cold
water. This was the only act OF kind
ness the poor unfortunate was given
I'm his last moments But few words
OF kindness were spoken for him Of him
or to him. Yet he Will be missed from
the place he has called home for nine
years. He possessed gentle nature
and was seldom known to give the po-
lice any trouble. II can be truthfully
said Of him that his worst fault was
love for drink It was that that dry
ged him down. 1t was that that held
him down. In all the years that he
spent under sentence, Jailer Kimbnll
Bays he has given him less trouble
than any other prisoner. When ar
rested for drunkenness, he pleaded
guilty and took his sentence OF 30 days
as n matter of course. In a day or
two after sentence, he could be seen
cleaning the floors at the police station
or attending TO the patrol horses.
CAUSE OF DEATH.
The cause OF his death is acute al
coholism, according to the opinions of
DR. j. s. Witcher and Dr. G. NJ Bene-
dict But Jailer Kimball unhesitatingly
stoted this morning that he would not
De ut all surprised II II developed that
Mike had been posond by some OF the
other prisoners who dlsliked him. When
Dr. Benedict first saw him this morn
Ing he said there we're some indications
OF morphine poisoning but that could
only be determined by an autopsy, and
II Is hardly probable that one Will be
held His body has been taken in
charge by Joseph William Taylor, and
he Will be buried at the expense of the
city. So far as known, there are no
relatives to mourn his death and he
Will probably be laid away In an OBJ
scure grave and soon forgotten
HIS LIFE A MYSTERY.
But little is known of his past life.
Jailer Kimball undoubtedly knows
more about him than does anybody In
this city. Mr.. Kimball says that Boyle
came her about nine years ago and
since that time his home has been the
city jail. During that period he has
not been out Of Jail more than six
months He came here from Park
city where he worked In the mines.
Prior TO that time he was section
boss on the Rio Grande Western, but
at what points he worked, Is not
known. He was never married and IL
he has any living reatives, nothing Is
known Of them.
IGNORANT BUT TRusTY.
'He was extremely ignorant said
Jailer Kimball today but he was a
good natured old Irshman and never
known to cause any serious trouble.
And while he drank considerable. he
did not drink like Eph Kelley, Tom
King and Ed Murtle. He was the
best trusty | ever had and | have
never known him to set drunk while
serving time He did not know very
much but when | told him to do any
thing he was always ready and willing
to do II He has been ailing for two or
three days, His trouble has been grad
ual and | strongly suspect that ne was
'doped' by some Of the other prison.
ers"