The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-12
SPENT NIGHT IN
ABANDONED WELL
Strange and Disagreeable En-
perience of Electrical Line
man Joseph Murphy.
FELL FORTY FIVE
FEET AND UNHuRT
Two Pet Dogs Direct Rescuer
to Assistance of Their
Master.

Joseph Murphy. 10 years old weight 200
fat, residence 5l5 South Main street. oo-
cupation lineman, disposition jolly, habits
somewhat blbulous, spent Thursday night
in q we'll.
Though the bottom wasn't wet. hcd
sure have been there yet, If II handn't
been for a doG-two dogs to be accurate.
Disgust and Disappointment.
According TO current rumor, Murphy
spent Thursday afternoon In strenuous
attempt 10 reduce the visible supply OF
spirtuous, ylnuouS and malt liquor. As
might fell he took retrospective View or
his afternoons labors, and, comparing his
own dilapldated condition with the buoy
ancy and sprlghtliness of the demon rum
was dIsgusted. He recognized that dis
appointment is the usual result OF all
human endeaYor and felt that life Is not
In all respects, what IL is cracked up
10 be.
He Sought Seclusion.
To think the thing over he then and
there resolved 10 withdraw himself from
the haunts of men. To this end he slipped
through the bnck door of the Continental
saloon, on First South and West Temple
streets and picked his way unsteadily
Through the rubbish heaps which adorn
tho vacant lot in the rear OF that drlnkery.
Whedher Mr.. Murphy was aware, as he
shaped his course toward the further
most corner OF the lot. that an old. aban-
doped well, some forty-five feet in depth.
stood directly In his path, is not known.
But 1t Is certainty that he soon found
1T out, for just as he had reached a point
where he felt he could hold undisturbed
communion with himself, the bottom OF
that well few up and hit him In the back
of the neck
Twas Dark Down There.
How long ho lay there in half dazed
condition there Is no testimony TO show.
1T was dark and damp and cold when he
iRltharnd his scattered enough TO
sit up and take notice. AS there were
no bones broken, and as he was cold
sober. he decided that the jar had done
him good. But how to get out, that was
tho question. 1t was no joke to be buried
in the bowels of mother earth at midnight.
unable 10 make his cries for assistance
penetrate to the rendezvous he had 90
lately quilted
Made Best of It.
The walls OF the well resisted all ef-
forts to scale them and, after few vain
attempts Murphy became a philosopher
and sat down TO await the dawn OF day,
But he had two good friends at the sur
face of his perpendicular prison. and he
knew it, His two dogs had followed him
TO the point where the earth had swol-
lowed him up and now kept up an In
ceseant yelping for help. These canine
efforts. however bore no fruit, II eXcep-
tlon be made of n shower of bootjacks,
soap dishes and other bedroom appurten-
nnceS hurled from n window of the Con-
tinental hotel by an irate German lodger.
This indignant gentleman. after exhaust
ing the supply OF bed Stats and crockery in
his apartment, spent the remainder OF the
night In an earnest endeayor TO bankrupt
the vocabulary OF high Dutch profanity.
On Murder Bent
At o'clock Friday morning he descend
cd the stairs leading TO the vacant lot
with blood in his eye and a bludgeon in
! his hand. 1t looked as though the dogs
were doomed As he came upon them,
however. there was something In their
conduct that made him decide on stay
of execution. They ran to him. wagglhg
their tails and manlfes;ing such forgive
ness that he felt ashamed OF his recent
vicious bombardment OF their position un-
der his window
Rescued at Last.
Suddenly he heard a voice as from the
tomb. and at the same time his late in
tended victims bounded 10 the mouth of
the well and told him In plain dog Ian
guage that there was something wrong
down there. IT took him but a moment
TO ascertain what that something was.
Then a ladder was secured and in another
minute Mr.. Murphy emerged shivering
and profane. from his earthly prison.
After expressing his gratitude to hts
rcscucr and exactinB from him a promise
u keep the thing quiet he slouchcd