The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-03-05
LIGHT SHELDON J.A.MURTHA,
FORMER BROOKLYN MAN, STATE
SENATOR IN MICHIGAN.
Gev Osborn Makes Public His Career Re.
cause sf Murthas Attecks- He Was
suspended From the Mar Here and
Then Dssappeared far Time.

C0OrO - NssoCoe wv W."
Suspended From tho Mar Here and
Tnen Dssappeaeed for Time. |
LANSING. Mich. March Through
made by Gov. Charles =.
Osborn to-day 1t was learned that Senator
James A. Murtha Of Detroit. minority
leader Of the present Legislature and
former practising attorney Of BROOKLYN
was suspended from practice in that city
for defrauding a client and once was
supposed to have committed suicide.
Al the very beginning of the present
session of the Legislature Murtha. who
represents a strong Democratic district
in the city of Detroit and is also said to
be one Of the legislative representatives
Of the Detroit Brewers Association,
ntagonized Gov. Osborn by making
speech on the floor of the Senate in which
he referred TO the Governor as a political
"fourdusher" and charged that his
efforts to clean the State Of the appointees
placed in Office by Ex x-Gov Warner was
simply scheme to gain free advertising.
Gov. Osborn said that he would show
up all the men who opposed him in his
efforts to clean the State OF undesirable
ofYceho lders. and Senator Murtha is the
first man to feel his wrath. The Governor
secured a record OF Murtha's career. and
: to- day told Michigan that member of
the State Senate had been barred from
pract ising in the courts OF New York for
improper practices. He also intimated
that a special Grand Jury might be called
to determine how Murtha secured the
credentials to practise in the courts OF
this State.
Ii was through a personal appeal to
Mayor Gaynor of New York that Gov
Osborn was able to gain the information
about Murtha. The Detroit police de-
partment is the body that precipitated
Gov. Osborn's investigation. but the
Governor found himself blocked at the
outset. A letter was sent TO Mayor Gaynor
asking for information. Gov. Osborn
becoming impatient at receiving no
answer determined to make 1t u personal
matter and on recent trip to New York
made a call on Mayor Gaynor. The lat
ter expressed great surprise that the mat
| ter had received NO attention. =
Mayor Gaynor promised the Governor
to give Il his personal attention and i'm
mediately took up the matter with Com
missioner Cropsey. with the result that q
long report was received BY the Governor.
The report says that in 1900 Murtha
formed law partnsrship with q lawyer
NAMED Tucker. but in March. 1e0S. was
accused before the Brooklyn Bar Associa-
ton. found guilty Of bad practice and
suspended from office az an attorney and
counsellor and his license revoked for
three years This was the outcome OF
the case Of Mrs Julia A. O'Donnell Of
2 Sherlock place, East New York. who
said that when her husband was killed
! by being run over she hadAiurtha begin an
action against the company responsible
for the accident and that after waiting
q long time she finally agreed to settle
for $1,000.
She afterward learned that Murtha
had received $3.50. but as she was in
need OF money she decided to take the
amount offered. She then asked for the
money, but was informed she would
have to wait until her Oldest boy WAS q
before she could claim the money This
was in 1901. She then waited until May
1909. when she went to Murtha's Office
and demanded the 81 900. but was put
Oh on one pretext or another until she
finally appealed to a Judge in Brooklyn
who sent her to Eugene Brewster. al
attorney, who took the matter up for her
At about that time New York anG
Brooklyn newspapers said that Murtha
had been drowned in the North River
due to the fact that his clothes had beer
found on the banks Of the river with Al
upturned boat near by.
Murtha came to Detroit from New
York few years ago. He was known a
first among the sporting men Of thu
metropolis by the name Of Conway anC
ofYiciated az announcer OF prizefights fo
the Considinss, He later made applica
ton for admission to the Michigan bal
and in the recent election was chosen
State Senator.
Murtha is i'll at Detroit hospital. II
an interview he gave out to-day he sait
that he had known for some time tina
Gov. Osborn had been investigating hi
record and had been anxiously waiting
for him to spring il. He does not den!
the story except to say that all the Incl
dents of his early life were known to hi
intimate friends. Murtha said:
Perhaps Gov. Osborn thought he''
drive me from politics o: force me 4
leave Detroit. He will succeed in neither
l shall stay right here. and furthermor
Osborn has begun something which h
will not be able to stop. He will hav
me on his hands to the end Of time am
l shall 60 Just as far for my evidence
necessary as he has. ! ask no quartz
and I shall give none. | claim to wiel
, no influence, but have control OF mysel
and ! never quit"
James A. Murtha. DR.. was suspende
. from practising as an attorney for thre
years by the Appellate Division of tn
y Supreme Court in Brooklyn on March 2
1905. This action was based on tn
:, report of Herbert s. Ketcham as refers,
! who found Murtha guilty Of appropriatin
:. to his own use 81 $50 which had bee
r entrusted to him az attorney for JUL
A n'nonnol