Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-06-25
CHARGED WITH HAVING BEEN
IN PENITENTIaRy
M.E.PASTOR WAS DECEIVED
James s. MacNiurray, the NJ. Il.
Church Choir Leader Leaves
the City Suddenly.

James s. MacMurray, who came to
this city last September highly re-
commended and by this means se-
cured the position of leader of the
Methodist choir and q large number
OF musical scholars, left here few
days ago under cloud. The charge
is that he was bigamist and had
been sentenced to three years in the
San Quentin, California, penitentiary.
The denouement came through
letter to Sheriff Russell from Mr..
Freemen, OF the Freeman Detective
agency of Los Angeles. Cal. The
letter stated the fact of MacMurray's
arrest and sentence to the peniten-
tiary and also stated that 1t was re-
ported that MacMurray was about to
marry young lady of Grants Pass.
He asked that the sheriff investigate
this matter and II he found that the
report was true to go to the family
OF the young woman and let them
know the facts in the case. Mr..
Freeman further asked that the case
be handled discreetly, and II the
mans record was clean here he had
no desire TO disturb him as he had
paid the penalty Of wrong doing by
serving a torn In prison. The LETT
ter further stated that it was re-
ported that MacMurray had married
a half dozen women, but no evidence
in these cases was offered. The
sheriff met the pastor OF the M. E.
church, Rev. Maclean and III. L. Gill
key and to them he told the story.
Rev. Maclean at once called upon
MacMurray and asked him to explain.
He told the story freely, but in the
most positive language denied that
he had been married to more than
two women and explained that he
had learned that his first wife was
dead but that turned out not to be
true Mr. Maclean wrote to the
evangelist, Col Duncan, commander
Of the Volunteers OF America on the
Pacific Coast, who had recommends
ed MacMurray and IN reply the evan
golist said that MacMurray was in
his opinion a thoroughly reformed
man and had for q long time been
doing evangelistlc work with some
of the leading eyangolIsts OF the
country. That he had since returning
from prison Joined the church, serv-
Ing six months probation and had
been faithful to his VOWS. He had
not written his story to Mr.. Maclean
for the reason that he had and still
has great faith In MacMurray who
lived in his family much OF the
time since he came out OF prison.
He further said that perhaps II
would have been best to have told
Mr.. Maclean the story, but II Is not
always easy to determine what Ia
best under certain circumstances. Il
can be said that MacMurray was a
good choir loader and an all round
musician llo was at one time
member OF The celebrated sousas
Band and Travelled with that organ
ization. AZ another time he was a
member OF the Scotch Klltles Band
II will be remembered that he wore
the Sousa uniform at his recital at
the opera house last February.
MacMurray has gone to California
and has again taken mp his residence
with his old friend, Col Duncan.
The pastor Of the Methodist church
here says that he has watched Mac
Murray closely and can affirm that
he has been n clean man whllo In
this city and that there are quite a
number OF people here who have
faith In him. The music teacher incl
dent, 80 far 40 Grants Pass ~ con
cerned, is closed.