Evening star., 1949-07-19
Justice Murphy Dies in Detroit;
Ex-Governor, Roosevelt Aide
Stricken by Heart Attack at So
Coined Wide Attention
For 1887 Handling Of
Sitdown Strikes

Supreme Court Justice Frank
Murphy died of a heart attack III
Detroit today at the age of SO.
Doctors at Henry Ford Hospital
said the former Governor of Mich
igan and United States Attorney
General died at 8:45 am. of coro-
nary occlusions. The justice had
been i'll in Detroit for some time,
but his condition was net regard
ed as serious.
Justice Murphy was appointed
to the Supreme Court in January.
1910, by President Roosevelt.
Known as a liberal with a deep
sympathy for civil rights, Mr..
Murphy usually was aligned with
the liberal forces in the courts
split decisions.
During the one term he served
as governor 1936-38) Mr.. Muir
ply vaulted to national promi-
nence in connection with the
automobile factory sitdown strikes.
Named Attorney General.
Attacked for not routing the
strikers with troops, Mr.. Murphy
retorted that if the people of
Michigan wanted him to shoot
the workers out of the factories
and thus end sitdown strikes once
and for all'' they would have to
get another governor.
Later he said he believed sit
down strikes were wrong.
Some of the sting of Michigan'S
refusal to return him to the gov
ernorship was eased when Presi-
dent Roosevelt called Mr.. Murphy
to Washington as Attorney Cen
eral. He had served year when
he was appointed to the Supreme
bench. before he ever argued a
case before it.
Chief Justice Vinson said JUS
tice Murphy's death was a severe
shock to him. He added:
"A courageous life comes to an
end. For months, Justice Murphy
walked in the great shadow-un-
afraid.
AN outstanding career. climaxed
with service on the court, may be
noted as an example for the youth
of our country. His definitive
philosophy in respect to the rights
of his fellows was never deferred
by criticism either past or per-
spective."
Wrote Christoffel Decision.
Only two weeks ago Justice
Murphy wrote the majority opin-
ion in the Christoffel case which
attracted wide attention. In that
case the court split. S to 4, in set
ting aside the perjury conviction
of Harold Christoffel, left-wing
Milwaukee labor leader. on a
charge that he falsely told the
House Labor Committee that he
had never been Communist or
had any Communist connections.
The majority held the convic-
ton invalid because a quorum of
the committee was not present
when Christoffel testified.
Before his appointment to the
high tribunal Justice Murphy had
devoted nearly 20 years to public
service as assistant United States
attorney. Mayor of Detroit and
high commissioner to the Philip
pines.
Pioneered in State Reforms.
AS Governor he pioneered in
State reforms, backing the States
first civil service law and over
hauling the penal and corrections
system. AS Mayor of Detroit in
the early depression years. he in
sisted it was the Federal Govern
ments responsibility to stabilize
the economy.
His New Deal tendencies were
reflected in the $14,000,000 he
spent In one year to feed and
house Detroit's jobless. To his
critics he answered that such
spending was preferable to rioting
and looting. Detroit reelected
him its Mayor.
The second term was interrupt
ed by his assignment to the Phil
ippines in 1888. which he broke
off in turn to return to the States