The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-04-07
SOCIETY WOMAN
LED DUAL LIFE
Widow of One of Philadelphia's
Foremost Citizens Is Found Dead
in Tenderloin of Pneumonia.

Philadelphia knew Iona Mae Nowlan
Murray. All Philadelphia respected,
envied and admired her.
This was Iona Murray. ideal of wo-
mankind:
brilliant professor IT Girard college.
Talented amateur actress.
Famed beauty.
Social favorite.
Refined, gentle. home-loving widow
OF a citizen whose memory Philadel
pLia reyeTed as IL loved her.
Deyout, pious woman-devout and
piOus In church ana out.
Daughter of one OF Philadelphia
foremost families.
The city grieved with her two years
ago when her husband. Jas. K. Murray.
wealthy wholesale grocer. sue
cumbed TO tuberculosis In Rome. He
was one OF Philadelphia's leading men
The city applauded when she match
ed her woman's wit with Italian blue
law, and by bribing under-officials,
bringing influence to bear higher, sue
ceeded In bringing Murray's body
back TO philadelphia for burial. In de-
fiance OF the Italian law which says
that consumptives must DE buried
within "a hours after their death on
Italian soil.
The usual period of mourning pass
ed. Then friends noticed that Mrs.
Murray was not at home sometimes
for weeks.
Her old sorrow has returned. they
concluded. "She wants TO be alone
with her grief
Recently she announced that she
would be willing 10 assist in society
amateur performances lor charity.
James would want me TO II ne
were here, | am sure" she explained.
TT is for a good cause
So Philadelphia was pleased TO hear
that Mrs. Murray would take the lead
inc role In the benefit playlet, sec;
ond in Command" to be given In the
Bellevue Stratford MOTEL holy week
shes q fne woman" they all
agreed.
Known in Tenderlon.
All the tenderloin knew certain
woman-beautiful, well dressed-who
appeared within its precincts PERIOD
ically. stayed days. and then sudden
ly dropped out OF sight.
She came on no errand OF phiian-
thropy. to save no souls. Sociology
was not her bent.
This woman lived the life Of the
tenderloin.
She drank in tho lowest resorts
drank to excess, drank 10 low. sod
den depths.
She consorted with the men OF the
tenderoin, she consorted with the wo
men of the tenderloin: she hved their
lives, told their stories, cursed their
curses, apparently enjoyed their al
mosphere.
she lived here and there. one day
in disreputable rooming houses. where
a mockery OF a register satisfies the
letter of the law; the next day III
houses of the underworld.
She was Mrs. This in one place.
Mrs That in another. The tenderloin
the calloused tenderloin-knew bet
ter. but tenderloins never ask ques'
tons. ,,
More often she wac known as MRS
John Clarkson." That was the name
sometimes used by the man she ap
peared with most frequently. Otherf
Knew him as william Clements. once
noliceman on the Philadelphia
force. :.
Although there were thousands OF
such nomadic denizens or the ten
derloin. the tenderloin was most IN
terested In her. To them she was
woman OF mystery
DESPITE the zest with which she
lived their life. ii was writ on her
face that she was not one or them'
Refinement always showed In nee
sneech and her actions. low as they
might descend.
MAYBE a swell once" the tender
loin concluded.
Dual Life Revealed.
The body OF woman was iouni
i'm room in a lodging house ON North
Ninth-st. the other morning She
had evidently died OF pneumonia,
FASTENED by alcoholism. Inc land-
lord remembered that she had come
there several days before. i don't
know what her name is. the pro
nrietu, said "She and the man with
her registered as Mr.. and Mrs. clark
SON.
philadelphia was shocked when
come one identified the body at the
morgue as that of Iona Mae Nowlan
Murray. Her frienGs could not be-
lieve II. Her relatives would not.
They believed that she had been en-,
Il, ed to a low resirt, drugged and
killed.
But tie police detectives confirm
cd the worst. They traced her move
ms ts for many months. There could
not be any doubt about IT, 1t was Mrs
Murray who appeared in tenderloin
resorts and took part in carousals as
Mrs. Clarkson Those appearances
were identical with the disappear
ances from the upper-world. score
OF people identified Der.
Mrs. Murray was a feminine Dr.
Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde, said Coroner
Ford In charging his jury. She lie
a dual life The entire matter is
strange beyond belief"
Labor Case TO be Heard April 10.