Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-08-06
J. F. MURDEN'S DEATH
Friends Think He Was Seized
 With Attack of Vertigo.

The death of John F. Murden, which occurred yesterday at Forest park lake, cast gloom over the whole community, for he had wide acquaintance and was well liked. Many claim, and give excellent req sons for their position. that his death was purely accidental. While his health was poor he was by no means Respondent and his family and others who were close to him never will be- lieve that he committed suicide. Three of his children were working, and he earned considerable money himself, so that there was nothing the matter with him financially, and so far as his mental faculties went they were always sound. He had no domestic trouble, his large family of good children fairly idolizing him and the place left vacant by the death of his wife as caretaker of the fam fly being filled in most satisfactory manner by an only sister. He left the house yesterday morning in happ. mood and walked over to East Main street where he took trolley car and rode into the center. Here he changed and boarded North Main street car, going as far as Forest park. On the way up he chatted pleasantly with a friend to whom he stated that he had changed his family physician and that he was improving under the new treatment and enter tained hope of regaining his former health and strength. This was the last any of his acquaintances SAW of him alive.
 Mr Murden was in the habit of taking stroll into the rural dis tricts of the town and removing his coat and hat while reading paper or looking over his private corre- spondence with the company he was working for. The supposition on the part of those who knew his habits that this is exactly what he did yes terday morning and that when he stood up he was seized with an at tack of vertigo, reeled and fell into the water. There is nothing fanciful about 1t, either One of his asso- ciates told a Democrat reporter to- l day that he firmly believed the drowning purely accidental, because he knew good deal about the mans private life and was positive that there was nothing in it to warrant the conclusion that he committed such rash act. When taken from the water he was fully dressed with the exception of his hat, coat, vest and umbrella which were on the dam nearby. If he had gone out intending to commit suicide why did he carry an umbrella, and when he reached ! the water why did he remove any of his clothing? When one stops to look into these things he is forced to the conclusion that the evidence in support of acicdental drowning is too strong to be pulled aside. Even in the minds of people who might take the other view of it there must be an element of doubt, and surely the I dead man Is entitled to the benefit of 1t. He didn't know. how to swim. When boy he came near being drowned In the Thames and ever af- ter he had dread of deep water, so that assuming that he fell into the pond by accident he would not have been able to save himself, for it is very deep at the point where the body was found.
 John, F. Murden was born in 1850 in London. England, and came to the United States in 1872, when he was just 22 years of age, and located in Boston. In 1875 he married Mary Wilders in Newton Lower Falls, Mass. After spending some time in Boston he moved to Meriden and en- tered the employ of the Bradley & Hubbard Co. Later he accepted a po- sition in Brooklyn, N. r., where he remained until he was offered a good position with the Ansonia Clock Co. From there he went back to Meriden and worked at the Bradley & Hub bard and Meriden Britannia Co.'S un- til he decided to come to Waterbury in 1902. For several years he was | superintendent of the Matthews & Willard Manufacturing Co. holding the position until he resigned of his | ONh NolillOu anu HtuN IO WOFk dL something else in the same factory. His health was not good and he final ly retired for season about sixteen years ago and made trip to his for mer home in England. thinking the change might benefit him. and 1t did, but the relief was not permanent. He worked for while in the clock shop, but 1t didn't agree with him and he left to take up the agency for the new peanut slot machines and was making the business pay.
 Mir Murden is survived by one sIs- ter. Miss Anna Murden. and six chill dren. Mrs Robert E. Streeter, Miss Belle Murden, Herbert Murden, Elsie Murder. Ruth Murden. William Mur- den, and one grandson, Robert A. Streeter.
 The funeral will be held from the family residence Saturday. Service will be held at Trinity church and the remains will be taken to Mer- iden for burial. TAe Masonic rite H |.