The San Francisco call., 1909-03-22
THIEF IS CHASED
INTO ORPHANAGE
Joseph Murphy Of San Fran
cisco Principal in Sensa-
tional Event
Following Capture He Confesses
to Numerous Robberies in
Bay Cities

OAKLAND. March 21.-Hemmed in
by the police and a crowd OF armed
citizens, Joseph Murphy, alias Joseph
Welch, was captured in a dormitory
at the Ladies Relief society orphanase
at s93 Forty fifth street this afternoon.
Three shots, fired by a policeman, drove
the man to shelter, and he ran through
the dining room of the orphanage'
causing CONSERVATION among nearly
100 children.
He raced through the institution
building to the top floor, where he hld
under a bed, after boiling three doors.
There he was found by posse OF
police. Taken to the police station ne
confessed to II robberies and admitted
the forgery of a name to pension
pay check.
Murphy is a chef by occupation who
turned criminal, according to MS con-
fession, after deserting his wife, Mrs
Della Murphy, and three minor cnll-
dren, who live at l26 Page street, san
Francisco, three months ago. He says
he is brother in law Of a San Fran
cisco fireman named Dunleavy, from
wlSom he concealed his operations as
criminal. Murphy gave no excuse Tor
his crimes, except to say that since
January / he lost at the racetrack and
took to crime in order to provide Tor
his babies.
Murphy posed variously as a gas
inspector, insurance agent, real estate
dealer, furniture buyer or deputy as
SCISSOR.
ANSWERS ADVERTISEMENT
Learning that the thief would answer
in person advertisements for furniture
to be sold, Detective Richard McSorley
Il r
ing prospective buyer of household
goods to call at 474 Forty-second street
between 2:30 and 80 o'clock this aft
ernoon. That address is the home or
Patrolman James Dolan. Murphy called
and was admitted by Mrs. Dolan. He
withdrew when she went to summon her
husband, and inquired of Dolan's little
daughter, Marie, in front of the house,
as to her fathers occupation. Learn
ing that he had been betrayed into
policeman's dwelling, Murphy took to
his heels just as Dolan, shoeless, ran
out of the house with revolver.
The fugitive made for Telegraph ave-
nue. and caught north bound car. Chill
dren called to the motorman and the
car was stopped. Murphy then leaped
off and raced up Forty third street, with
Dolan in pursuit
He threw away an umbrella when the
policeman fired the first shot. Later he
cast off his overcoat as two more shots
were aimed, and scaled high fence
surrounding the orphanage. Then he
ran into the dining room, where the
children of the orphanage were at din
ner at 1870 O'Clock, and raced through
to the kitchen.
HIDES UNDER Red *.
Finding his way up the back stairs.
he ran into a dormitory and hid under
a bed. BY this time the chase had
brought forth a mob of citizens, who
with pitchforks, spades and shovels sur
rounded the building.
An alarm was sent to police head
quarters and Chief Wilson sent squad
of men to the scene. The search result
ed in the capture.
On Murphy's person was found a ban
gle stolen from Mrs. Eames of 9761k
Thirty-first street. He denied having
any money, but in search the police
found $50 in greenbacks in the pris-
oners shoe. Then followed Murphy's
confession to 4 thefts.
Captain Of Detectives Petersen de-
clared that evidence in his possession
convinced him that Murphy, alias Welch
had committed several robberies in
Berkeley San Francisco and Alameda
The accused man said that he had on
January 1 81 500 in a bank, which he
gambled at the racetrack.