IS SENT TO THE ASYLUM

The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, 1908-03-24, p.9

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headlineHeadline
articleThe article as printed
name as printed"On the second trial Pat Marphy, a"
Patrick "Pat" J. Murphy
name as printed"Patrick J. Murphy, formerly a well-"
Patrick "Pat" J. Murphy

Summary

Anaconda Standard's follow-up to the Inter Mountain Mar 23 piece. Patrick J. Murphy, formerly a well-known bartender in Butte, for several years an almost helpless paralytic, was committed to the state insane asylum after an examination by Drs. Horst and Turner. He had been examined on a charge of insanity once before and was NOT found insane at that time — this was the second trial. Examination took place at his home on West Quartz street. His wife testified that he had been growing dangerous lately, threatening to kill her and the children and they were afraid of him. Sub-head: "On the second trial Pat Murphy, a helpless paralytic, is passed to the care of the state." Adds context to the Inter Mountain account: paralysis for "several years" — i.e. since c. 1905-06. Long pre-history. The wife's courtroom testimony is the substantive new content.

In its time

Copper boom1882–1917

Narrative

Patrick J. Murphy, once a well-known Butte bartender and for several years an almost helpless paralytic, was committed to the state insane asylum after an examination by Drs. Horst and Turner at his home on West Quartz street. He had been examined on a charge of insanity once before without being found insane; his wife testified that he had lately grown dangerous, threatening to kill her and the children.

“for several years an almost helpless paralytic”
“he had been growing dangerous lately, threatening to kill her and the children and they were afraid of him”

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: Patrick J. Murphy)
role: subject · family confidence: 100 certain
Dr. Christopher Turner (Butte physician; insanity commissions of 1908 and 1912)(as printed: Dr. Turner)
role: examining physician · family confidence: 0 not family
Ellen (Lyne) Murphy (b. Ardgroom; m. Patrick Murphy 1881; d. Butte 1935)(as printed: His wife)
role: testifying wife · family confidence: 95 certain

Also mentioned

Dr. Horst · examining_physician
Mrs. Murphy [unnamed wife] · testifying_wife
Identified by name as Ellen in subsequent clippings (see Pat_Murphy_sick_not_insane_by_Ellen_and_Maggie_Murphy).

Places

Butte, Montana (primary)
Warm Springs, Montana (secondary)

Themes

Story threads

Famine to emigration

Source type

news_item, court_report

Related sources

1908-03-23 — The Daily Inter Mountain, p.10 — PATRICK J. MURPHY IS FOUND INSANE

Transcription

transcription: complete · confidence high

# IS SENT TO THE ASYLUM *On the second trial Pat Murphy, a helpless paralytic, is passed to the care of the state.* *The Anaconda Standard, Tuesday, March 24, 1908, p. 9.* Patrick J. Murphy, formerly a well-known bartender in Butte, for several years an almost helpless paralytic, was committed to the state insane asylum yesterday afternoon after an examination by Drs. Horst and Turner. Murphy has long been a burden on his family and was examined on a charge of insanity once before, but was not found insane at that time. The examination yesterday took place at his home on West Quartz street. His wife testified that he had been growing dangerous lately, threatening to kill her and the children and they were afraid of him.

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

When was the previous insanity hearing (the one at which he was found NOT insane)? Worth tracing if a previous Butte paper coverage from a few months / year earlier turns up.