Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-20
CHARLEY MURPHY WAS MADE
VERY RICH BY CONDOLENCES
Five Minutes Either Way and He Might Have
Remained Newspaper
Reporter.
Reporter.

hep(
| Coincidence made Charles Wedd Mur-
ply a base ball millionaire. Five minutes
! either way and he might have renamed
a newspaper reporter to the end OF MS
days. Now his fellow nlagnates IN the
| National League have thrust Murphy out
Of that organization on the general theo9y
| that he Is a disturber. But no matter'
| Murphy has his million.
| Every one knows-at least, every one
| who turns to the base ball column as
| soon as he has digested his morning nlur-
der-that Murphy was the principal owner
| Of the Chicago Cubs Every one also
| knows that his manager used to be Jonn-
nv Evers-remember that Tinker 10
| Evers to Chance refrain OF three sea-
| sons aso?-and that Murphy slipped the
! skids under that young gentleman Wnen
Eyers had this head turned. II Ban john
son. president Of the American League.
and Garry Hermann. president Of the ma
tional commission, and various other
magnates on foot and in carriages meant
| what they said, Murphy was torcso 70
| sell out his base ball property and va
moose from organized base ball because
! of the Evers incident. This Is how he
| got in base ball 1t combines GOMEZ
dence and tears IN real human lnlerese
! story.
Started as Drug Clerk.
Murphy began as drug clerk in
Cincinnati. He was alert, snappy,
, hustler, with a wide streak OF real
| hunor. He thought he saw future
| in the newspaper business. So he
seized an opening on the stan OF the
joined the Cincinnati Times-siar, Which
Is owned by Charles F. TAFT. brother
| q fair salary, saved his money and
| hustled a bit on the side. Each year he
published police annual percent,
age of the profits OF TINS periooicai
who paid money for advertising In the
| same spirit in which they wNuld cut
| their throat nevertheless advertised IN
| lucky.
Murphy was something Of a base ball
| writer. but more of b. b. bug.
For years he looked for a chance to
| capacity. Eventually he came to New
| York as sort Of press agent and sec
rotary Of the Giants. through his friend
ship for John T Brush: He. He was mo, not
| At all events, he went on to Chicago.
| He had between $4,000 and $4,000
| saved. as a result Of that economy and
zipp referred to previously. One day he
| then owner OF controlling interest in
| the Cubs. There was something the
| matter with Harris heart. When he
felt i'll he was full of pessimism. Here's
| where coincidence begins to figure. The
day Murphy entered Harris ONCE that
| gentleman was lying on lounge groan-
ing.
| Timely Visit.
II believe I'm going to die Charley"
said Hart II wish Iecould get out Of
base ball. l need rest
Murphys mental operations are dis
tinguished by their celebrity.
| Give me an option on your stock"
| said he
But Murphy urged him on. Eventually
| Hart gave him an option, restricted as to
| time very closely. a few days later he
sent for Murphy again.
stock ALSO saes said he. The o tirst man o to
get the money gets the stock"
| Murphy hurried back to New York. per-
spring noticeably. No one here would
He went on to Cincinnati, where he had
! lived almost all his life. He called on
I every business man he knew and begged
them to come in.
!
will manage the team?
Me" said Murphy. IT,
I'VE think 1t looks like rain said the
business men, almost as though they had
been rehearsed. Murphy gave It up and
| bought his ticket back to Chicago. Here's
| where coincidence starts in the second
heat. Base ball bug to the last. Murphy
went out to see that days game. Charles
keep more in the open air. He didn't
care much about base bali-but after all,
1t isn't played under roof. He used to
walk out to the park in Cincinnati every
| day the Reds played with the managing
| editor of the Times-Star. Joseph Garrett
| son. Murphy and Garretson were close
friends. Coincidence again. There isn't
another man in that part OF the world to
troubles. He called Garretson over.
Chance for Riches.
II have a chance to get rich," said he.
| But"
| He told the story. Half way through
1t he broke down and cried. It was a
real cry. Tears as big as eyebalis rolled
down his cheeks. Taft is a sympathetic
man. He fidgeted as he watched Garrett
sons companion boo-hoo. By and by he
called Garretson to him.
| WHO is that man?" he asked. What
| is he crying about?"
you ought to know him." said Gar
retson. That's Charley Murphy--used to
| work on the Times-Star. He's crying be-
TAFT listened to the story. but said
nothing at the time. As they walked
back to town after the game he seemed
deep in thought. By and by he said:
Tell Murphy to come in and see me
| tomorrow
Garretson told Murphy. Here's some
i more coincidence TAFT wasn't interested
| In base bali. but years before he had
loaned Adrian Arson, then manager Of
the Chicago team, a sum Of money on his
stockhoidings in the club. Arson had
been a minority very minority-stock-
holder. The majority interests had eaten