The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-09-10
VRONGDOERS' old FOE DEAD
EX-SUPT. OF POLICE MURRAY
CAUGHT MANY OF THEN.

Distinguished Himself In All Grades From
Lowest TO Highest-An Honest Police
mar Abram D. Hewitt Called Hin
william Murray, ex-Superintendent oil
Police Of New York, whose encounters with
criminals were among the most interest
ing and thrilling in police experience,
200 Ocean Parkway. Brooklyn, after an
illness covering many years. While his
condition had been critical for some
weeks his death yesterday was some
what sudden. His wife and Eve children
reached his bedside Just before he died.
The children are William Murray. Jr.,
contractor; Walter, a deputy tax COM
missioner in Brooklyn; Mrs. s. L. Taylor
Mrs. j. L. Jordan and Mrs. William
Trainor. The funeral arrangements will
be made to-day.
Mr.. Murray was suffering from palsy
at the time he retired In 1892, n since
then he has been treated by physicians
both here and abroad. He had been near
death frequently. but his remarkable
constitution pulled him through. He
first became Ill in 1899, when his favorite
son. Tom. then just out Of college, dropped
dead while playing ball. He was "a years
old on June 20 last and the day previous
he suffered q mild stroke OF ~apoplexy and
had been sinking rapidly since.
Mr.. Murray a born In New York and
was IS years old when Fort Sumter was
fired on. He Immediately Joined Ellis
worth's Zouaves and went to the front.
He was in the first battle Of Bull Run,
where he was shot in the thigh and was
left on the battlefield 90 long that his
condition was critical for o time. When
he had nearly recoverable was attacked
by malaria and was forced to accept his
discharge. He was appointed to the
police force in May. 1888.
Policeman Murray first attracted at
tenion to himself when he caught three
burglars drilling q safe In a Canal street
warehouse. He captured the three men
single handed and they were sent. 70
Sing Sing. For this act he was made q
roundsman in 1870 and q year later was
promoted to be sergeant. Five years
later he vas appointed captain n sent
to command the Oak street precinct.
tLou tuo LOooit tuO WSios fohS, iANoi
thieves that ever infested the city. one
Of the thieves being Jerry MoAuley, who
afterward reformed. In eight months
Capt. Murray made such lively warfare
on the thieves that he obtained an aggre-
gate punishment Of 500 years for them.
When a captain Murray also attracted
attention by capturing O desperate thief
who had robbed Matt Dancer. then a
notorious gambler, of 500, 600 worth of
bonds and by his successful hand to
hand encounter with Jake Jerolomon,
O crook who was q terror to the police
on account Of the many holdups he was
known to have perpetrated. On one
occasion he vent into o dive kept by
the late The. Allen, then n Of the most
notorious In town. and took out q man
he wanted in spite of the efforts OF a
dozen Of the mans c~oufederates to pre-
vent him.
Murray was made an inspector for a
remarkable piece Of detective work
which he performed in 1875. A gang
Of masked burglars had been operating
in the Ravenswood and Astoria sections
robbing houses and binding and .gagging
the inmates. In the plumber OF OF
these burgiaries was q silver pencil q
With this as q clue Murray took a few
days OF and posed as q longehoreman
searching the riverfront for work, In
four days he had five notorious thieves
In his station house and SOC solved the
mystery Of the robberies.
While an inspector Murray ran down the
slayers Of Vickey Connors, whose mutt
lated body had been exhumed at the