PAT MURPHY FOUND TO BE SICK AND NOT INSANE
The Butte Miner, Butte, 1908-01-08, p.12
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reportThe article, column 1 of 2
reportThe article, column 2 of 2
name as printed"by his wife, Mrs. Ellen Murphy. The tes-"
name as printed"timony was glven by Maggie Murphy, a"
Summary
Butte Miner next-day account of the FIRST insanity hearing for Pat Murphy — the one the 24 March Anaconda Standard later refers to as "examined on a charge of insanity once before, but was not found insane at that time." Held in Judge Donlan's court on 7 January 1908; also reported by the Butte Daily Post (7 Jan) and the Anaconda Standard (8 Jan). > Pat Murphy was examined in Judge Donlan's court yesterday > on a charge of insanity, the complaint being sworn to by > his wife, Mrs. Ellen Murphy. The testimony was that the man > was sick, probably from excessive indulgence in strong > drink. Mrs. Murphy stated that her husband was a great care > to her, as he was in bed sick most of the time. Similar > testimony was given by Maggie Murphy, a sister, and Mary > Sullivan. It was decided that the man was not insane, but he > was ordered committed to the county poor-farm on account of > his sickness. ## WHAT THIS ACCOUNT ADDS 1. **The complaint was sworn by his wife, Mrs. Ellen Murphy** — the only one of the three accounts to give her first name; Ellen herself started the proceedings. 2. **"Maggie Murphy, a sister"** — the Butte Daily Post of 7 Jan calls her "a niece" and names Mary Sullivan as Pat's sister; here Mary Sullivan's relationship is not stated. 3. "In bed sick most of the time" — Pat bedridden by January 1908. Together with the March 1908 follow-up this establishes the household: Pat + Ellen + three children + sister Maggie, at 120 W. Quartz street, Butte.
In its time
Narrative
Pat Murphy was examined in Judge Donlan's court on a charge of insanity sworn to by his wife, Mrs. Ellen Murphy, with further testimony from his sister Maggie Murphy and from Mary Sullivan. The evidence was that he was sick, likely from excessive drink, and in bed most of the time; the court found him not insane but ordered him committed to the county poor-farm on account of his sickness.
- “The testimony was that the man was sick, probably from excessive indulgence in strong drink.”
- “Mrs. Murphy stated that her husband was a great care to her, as he was in bed sick most of the time.”
AI-generated (claude-opus-5). Verify against the transcription before quoting.
People
- Patrick "Pat" J. Murphy (Cork-born bartender / shoemaker; d. 1912 Warm Springs MT)(as printed: Pat Murphy)role: subject · family confidence: 100 certain
- Ellen (Lyne) Murphy (b. Ardgroom; m. Patrick Murphy 1881; d. Butte 1935)(as printed: Mrs. Ellen Murphy)role: complainant wife · family confidence: 100 certain
Wife of the bartender Pat Murphy; swore the insanity complaint herself. Distinct from person_ellen_murphy_wife_of_dennis_1892 (the Cork-1878- marriage Ellen who deserted Dennis in Aug 1889).
- Miss Margaret Murphy (b. ~1867-70 Eyeries Co. Cork; emigrated 1892; never married; sister of Pat the bartender)(as printed: Maggie Murphy)role: testifying sister · family confidence: 95 certain
"A sister" here and in the 1912 death notice; "a niece" in the 7 Jan Butte Daily Post. Marg / Maggie / Margaret — same person across variants.
- Mary (Murphy) Sullivan (PJM's sister; m. a Sullivan; Butte 1908; possibly Yellowstone-county Mary A. Sullivan 1909 probate)(as printed: Mary Sullivan)role: testifying witness · family confidence: 95 certain
No relationship stated here. Same witness as in the 7 Jan Butte Daily Post, which names her "a sister of Patrick Murphy."
- Judge Michael Donlan (Butte; heard the 1908 insanity complaints against Patrick J. Murphy)(as printed: Judge Donlan)role: presiding judge · family confidence: 0 not family
Places
- Butte, Montana (primary)
- Silver Bow County, Montana (primary)
Themes
Story threads
Tags
Source type
news_item, court_report
Related sources
- 1908-01-07 — The Butte Daily Post, p.6 — JOHN BARLEYCORN IS VERY BUSY MAN
- 1908-01-08 — The Anaconda Standard, p.9 — TWO MENTAL UNFORTUNATES
- 1908-03-23 — The Daily Inter Mountain, p.10 — PATRICK J. MURPHY IS FOUND INSANE
- 1908-03-23 — Montana State Hospital admission records — Patient P. J. Murphy — Patrick J. Murphy asylum admission record — Warm Springs MT, 23 March 1908, age 52, bartender, 8 children only 3 living
- 1908-03-24 — The Anaconda Standard, p.9 — IS SENT TO THE ASYLUM
Transcription
Dotted underlines mark key terms on first mention — hover or tab to one for a reference note. The wording is the source’s own.
Open questions
- Maggie Murphy — SISTER (this paper) or NIECE (Butte Daily Post, 7 Jan)? See the open question on that clipping.
- The same page carries a "Personal" column whose attorney listing includes Peter Breen, "one of the counsel for the defense in the cases against William D. Haywood and George A. Pettibone" — the 1907 WFM trial. Recorded in this page's page_metadata.yaml peripheral_items.