Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-07-02
Francis Murphy.

ance leader began. career which was
the result of his conversion while on
trial in the city of Portland for caus-
ing the death Of man in saloon
which he had been running there.
That was in 1869 and Francis Murphy
was then SO years OF age. He had come
to this country from Ireland at the age
Of 16, had led wandering and dis
sipated life. had served through the
Civil War as Il brave soldier In the
Union army and then had drifted to
Portland where he had a brother and
where he was soon running cheap sa-
loon. To this saloon on the night of
Sept 2 1869. came Il customer named
Patrick Murray. drunk and obstinate.
He attempted to go upstairs and
In the scuffie that ensued Murray fell
downstairs striking on his head and
receiving injuries which resulted in his
death.
Murphy was indicted for murder and
was tried before Judge Goddard of the
Cumberland superior court. The
county attorney was Matthew Webb. af-
forwards United States district judge.
and Murphy was defended by Gen.
George F. Shepley and Col. A. w.
bradbury. Murphy was finally con-
victed of manslaughter, although the
the prosecution, and was brought in
for sentence Jan. IA, 1871. When the
formal quastion-if he had anything to
say why sentence should not be passed
upon him-was asked he made such an
impassioned speech, coupled with the
dramatic telling of the story of his life,
that the audience which filled the court
room was moved to tears. In the
light of later events it was memoir
able and historic event which has Of
| ten been retold by those who were
present. Judge Goddard sentenced
him to Jail for the short term of two
| months. When he was released the
| wonderful courtroom address was still
preached by those in charge of the AL
leu mission in Portland. and there
made his first temperance speech. This
WAS soon followed by another in the
City hall and Murphy at once became
a temperance worker whose power was
| soon widely recognized. Prominently
| associated with him in Portland and
else where in the state We're Joshua *
| Osgood of Waterville and Samuel F
Pearson, both converted drunkards, the
latter aftcrward becoming a minister
of the Gospel and being sheriff OF
Cumberland county when he died {:
few years ago.
The temperance crusade which they
| started in Portland spread Throughout
Maine and thence to all parts of the
country and even to foreign lands
From the little beginnings at the Al
len mission in Portland. Francis Muir
ply became within two or three year:
/ the greatest temperance orator in th'
world. He had not a dollar when h'
left the Jail but funds were forthcom
ing and he was soon travelling th'
country over addressing great au
dienccs in every city and winning sign
crs to the pledge by scores and hun
drcds of thousands.
| He was the founder of the ''blue rib
bon ana .'iron clad pledge" move
ments. The Murphy pledge reads a
follows: with malice toward none
with charity for all. I, the under
| signed do pledge my word and honor
Cod helping me. to abstain from al
Intoxicating liquors as a beverage. ant
that will, by al honorable means en-
courage others to do the same Ii
his advocacy of temperance he knew
neither creed nor race. His purpos
WAS to reacn hardened drunkards
L
and the desperate, fallen men and fall
en- women. HIS was a gospel tina
reached the Catholic and the Protes
tant. the jew and the Gentle. tn
white ana the black. and as tenn
perance evangelist he always made tn
most of his,opportunities. suiting hi
talks to his hearers and making then
feel he was their friend.
BY the common standards of orator
Francis Murphy was not Il great ora
tor, but he had gift of speech tina
i. moved and swayei crowd with emo
ton whether he told the simple stOr
Of his own experiences or made an ap
peal in a few plain words. He wa
brimful of human magnetism an
| could play on the human heartstring
with TIE touch OF master. He wa
a man IF striking presence. large
white haired. ruddy-faced. one of tn
kind who would impress anybody a