New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-04
DENIES HE HIRED THUGS
WHO SHOT WRONG MAN
Peter B. Murphy, Agent OF
Engineers, Arrested in
Jersey City.
CALLEDCHIEF CONSPIRAT0R
Saws He Could Have Beaten
Up" Burke Himself Had He
Wanted To-Conroy
Better.

DcGGCi
Peter 3. Murphy, who is charged WIN
having been the instigator of plot which
resulted in the shooting of Thomas Con-
roy in a saloon at Five Corners. Jersey
CITY. on Friday night. was arrested yes
terdav afternoon on Newark avenue
trolley car in Jersey City. He WAS taken
70 the County Prosecutors Office, and later
Judge Carey. in the Court OF Common
Pleas. fixed bail az &.@. Having no
bordsman, he was locked in the county
Jail.
John W. Burke on whose affidavit the
warrant was issued. charged that NUT
ply, who is business agent OF Local No
409 of The Steam Hosting Engineers
Union. sent Ernest Whitaker. now under
arrest. and two men nnown as hld
Dynamite" and slim" 10 Jersey Guy OH
Friday night TO beat up Burke. VINO Ma"
threatened to present some damaSiils
facts against Murphy at last nlght
meeting OF the union. Burke asserted tne
hired thugs got drunk while waiting 10.
him. and became involved in the praNi
which ended in Conroy's shooting
A part Of the charges made in inc aui-
davlt were borne out by the statement VI
Whitaker 10 detectives who visited MN
In tho tail Yesterday. The prisoner pc-
moaned the fact that he and his pals had
Numbered and shot the wrong man. ne
said that Burke. who was present az the
time OF the shooting and took part in the
row which led up to II. answered IN every
way the description OF the man they hau
set out to get" with the single exception
that he wore no glasses. Not until ai''r
the fight was over and Conroy had oeeh
shot did the thugs realize that their IN
tended victim had been in their hands
and that they had let him escape
Matt Comerford. president Of the In
ternationaI Steam Hosting Engineers
Union, said last night that Burkes
charges. for the consideration of which
special meeting had been called, were
made following Murphy's settlement Of a
strike order issued against n Newark con
struction company last october. Neither
the order nor the settlement which fol-
lowed met with the approval OF locals
have jurisdiction over all branches within
radius OF twenty-five miles of New York
city Hall. and soon after the difficulty
had been patched up Burke asserted that
Murphy had accepted bribc.
The charges came to the ears Of tho Of
hcors Of Local No. 400, and President
Ccmerford called a meeting early last
month To consider them. II resulted In
nothing owing TO Murphys plea for more
time In which 10 get together his wit
nesses. and the hearing was postponed
until last night.
Following his arrest yesterday after
noon Murphy made a vigorous denial OF
the charge Of conspiracy. lie declared
that he never employed the strong
men and that II he had wanted Burke
beaten up he would have been amply able
to do the Job himself. Prosecutor Gar
ven. Of Hudson county. has given orders
that the case be- pushed and that every
effort be made 10 get the two thugs who
escaped. Conroy IS still In Christ Hospi-
tai. at Jersey CITY. and has a fair chance
OF recovery. lie steadfastly refuses 10
make any charges against the men who
shot him
Lieutenant Coylc Of the Jersey city po-
lice arrested a man last night who an
swcrs the description Of the Gangstcr
known as slim" The prisoner denied
that he was the man wanted and said he
was John Ryan. an ironworker, of No.
81 "a street. Jersey City. The police,
however said he filled the description OF
one of Conroy's assailants.
Despite the fact that Murphy was In
@ cell. President Comerford insisted last
night upon holding the meeting of in
ouiry at which Murphy was TO have an
swered the charge against him. The
rules OF the union give the president
powers of committing magistrate in
deciding such cases. Comerford held
court last night at Temple Bar and eN-
amlned various witnesses for and against
the accused man. Burke was present,
but no information was given out at the
conclusion of the inquiry beyond the
statement Of President Comerford that
no decision had been reached In the case.