Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-03-10
RY HEReERT coREY.

~
NEW YORK. - Coincidence made
Charles Webb Murphy a baseball mil.
lionaire. Five minutes either way and
he might have remained newspaper
reporter TO the end of his days Now
his fellow magnates in the National
league have thrust Murphy out of that
organization on the general theory
that he is a disturber But ne matter
Murphy has his million.
Every one knows-at least, every
enc who turns to the baseball column
as soon as he has digested his morn
ing murder-that Murphy was the.
principal owner of the Chicago Cubs.
Every one also knows that his man
ager used to be Johnny EYers-re-
member that Tinker to Eyers to
Chance" refrain of three seasons ago?
and that Murphy slipped the skids
under that young gentleman, when
Evers had his head turned. J.. -
II Ban Johnson, president of the
American league, and Garry Herr
mann, president of the national COM
mission. and various other magnates
on foot and in carriages mean what
they say, Murphy was forced to sell
out his baseball property and yamoose
from organized baseball because of the
Eyers incident This is how he got in
baseball. 1t combines coincidence and
tears in real human interest story.
Murphy began as drug clerk in
Cincinnati. He was alert, snaPpy, a
hustler, with wide streak of real
humor He thought he saw future
in the newspaper business. So he
seized an opening on the staff of the
Cincinnati ENQUIRER By and by he
joined the Cincinnati Times-Star
which is owned by Charles p. Taft,
brother OF former President Taft
Murphy made a fair salary. saved
his money and hustled a bit outside.
Each year he published a police an
nual. A percentage of the profits of
this periodical went to the police fund
Lots of people who had paid money
for advertising in the same spirit in
which they would cut their throat
nevertheless advertised in the police
annual 1t was considered lucky.
Murphy was something of a baseball
writer, but more Of a b. b. bug. For
years he looked for chance to con-
meet himself with baseball in some ca
pacity. Eventually he came to New
York as a sort Of press agent and
secretary for the Giants. through his
friendship for John T. Brush.
He was not particularly successful
in that capacity. At all events, he.
went on to Chicago He had between
$4,000 and $4,000 saved, as result
of that economy and zip referred to
previously.
One day he walked into the office
of Jim" Hart, then owner of a. con-
trolling interest in the Cubs There.
was something the matter with Hart 81
heart. When he felt i'll he was full
of pessimism. Here's where coinci-
donce begins to figure. The day Muir
ply entered Harris office that gentle
man was lying on lounge, grooming.
Il believe I'm going to die, Charley,
said Hart. II wish / could get out
of baseball ! need rest. /"
Murphy's mental operations are dis
tinguished by their celebrity
sGive me an option on your stock,
said be.
Then Hart didn't want to sell at all.
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.
I've given so and so an option on
my stock also, said he. THE first
man to get the money gets the stock.
Murphy hurried back to New York,
perspiring noticeably. No one then
would go in with him to the extent of
a peseta He went on to Cincinnati,
where he had lived almost all his life.
He called on every business man he
knew and begged them to come in.
All" said the business men. land
who will manage the team
Me-" said Murphy a." ii "
I'VE think it looks like rain" said
the business men, almost as though
they had been released. Murphy gave
it up and bought his tickets back to
Chicago Here's where coincidence
starts in the second heat Baseball
bug to the last, Murphy went out to
see that days game. ...'
Charles P. Taft had been told by
his physician to keep more in the
open air. He didn't care much about
baseball-but. after all, it isn't played
under roof He used to walk cut
TO the park in Cincinnati, every dav
the Reds played, with the managing
editor of the Times-Star. Joseph Gar.
retson. Murphy and Garretscn were
close friends Coincidence again
There isn't another man in that part
of the world to whom Murphy would
have told his troubles. He called Gar
retson over
Il have a chance to get rich,'' said
he. But"
He told the story. Half way through
it he broke down and cried 1t was
a real cry. Tears as big as eyeballs
rolled down his cheeks. Taft is
sympathetic man. He fidgeted as he
watched Garretson's comDanion 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
-