The Washington times., 1916-01-01
JOE MURPHY, IRISH
COMEDIAN, IS DEAD
Star of "Kerry Cow" and "Shaun
Rhue" Was SO, and Perhaps
the Richest Actor.

NEW YORK, Jan. Joe Murphy.
known to the older generation as one
of the foremost Irish comedians OF thia
country, whose impersonation in kerry
Cow" made him nationally famous, died
yesterday in his apartments in the Her
aid Square Hotel, from pneumonia, in
his eighty-fourth year.
William Lawrence Murphy, known on
the stage as Joe Murphy on account
Of an error in the billing when he made
his first appearance in San Francisco
in the early sos, was born in Brooklyn.
In his early youth he was bound as an
apprentice, but. finding the occupation
confining, he escaped and fed to Cali
fornia, shortly after the gold rush of
ls49. He made the trip to San Fran
cisco by way Of Cape Horn in sail
ing vessel and arrived there in 1861.
After knocking about the mining
camps for a time a friend offered him
the position of end man in a minstrel
show then running at the Bella Union
Theater. where 1t was said that his first
salary was s. O. week. He was always
known as a good business man, and at
the time he retired in 1903 was said to
be the wealthiest actor in the United
States and to be worth about 81, 900, 900.
His first position. in addition to play
ing end man on occasion, included al
most every task connected with the
theater. He was property man. stage
hand, jig dancer, bone soloist, and
concerts. His ability soon became
recognized, and he became a prime fav-
orite with the rough-and-ready audi
ences OF the Bella Union. and soon OBJ
tained high-class work and much
higher wages. At that time the Wor-
rail- Sisters, and Jotta. the soubrette,
were also members of the Bella Union
company.
After his first engagement Mr.. MUIR
ply formed company, including the
best known of the other members Of
Bella Union troupe and toured the
mining camps in the interior of the
State. During the tour he made his
first appearance in Irish character
roles. and, after returning to San Fran
cisco. took his troupe for a tour of
South America, which. however. proved
he organized with Ben Cotton, the Cot
ton and Murphy Minstrels, in which he
was the bones and Cotton the tambo.
This was Mr.. Mu-phy's last connection
with minstrelsy.
He then launched ont in sketch work
his first being Lone Pine" and the
next Help" This was received with
great favor. and he developed it into
a protean play. in which he played six
characters. After touring for three
Cree" from Frank Maeder. and his
success in this straight Irish play de-
cided him upon his future career. This
was followed by Kerry Cow his
Delng tnt o1
leading role. which was written for him
by Marsden. Then came shaun Rhue,"
also written by Marsden. and Mr.. Muir
ply reaped a rich harvest from these
plays. All these were comedies. and
Mr. Murphy then bought The Donagh."
from George Fawcett Rowe. in which
he played an heroic role and achieved
as great success a. y in his other plays.
Perhaps the one bit for which he Is
best remembered is his singing of "A
Handful of Earth" in Shaun Rhue, "
and he is said to have given this thou
sands OF times both on and off the stage.
Another thing for which he was long
| remembered was tn" then daring bit OF
realism, when he shod a horse on the
stage in Kerry Cow" in which he
appeared for twcnty-four years.
His fame as a minstrel was so great
seen a minstrel show. requested Mr..
Murphy to appear with his troupe at
the old Globe Theater. in Washington.
where the President and members of
his Cabinet attended the performance.
Probably his last appearance was in
1903, at a revival of Kerry Cow in
ProCtor's Fifty-cight street theater.
Years ago. when Mr.. Murphy was
asked the secret OF his wealth, he said.
"The secret of my money IL that
wherever l am ! look about me for
good chances. when you travel a great
deal as l do in my profession as an
find as you think. The basis of il
all was acting. of course. but I've been
a good many things in my time. among
others. Il horseshoer, a stevedore, and
a waiter and often so poor that I did
not know where or how to get a meal "