JAMES MURPHY, MINER, BEATEN TO DEATH

Summary

Front-page report. James Murphy, "47. a miner" (so printed), died on the evening of Tuesday 8 September 1936 at St. James' hospital, "the victim of what police said was a terrific beating in his rooming house at 721 Utah avenue". The landlady, Mrs. A. H. McIntyre, found him that morning, "terribly beaten, and unconscious". He was found in the room of Glenn Dilley, who was questioned by the police and the county attorney's office, "denied knowing anything about the case", and said he had spent most of Monday night at another rooming house on Utah avenue. The autopsy found a triple fracture of the skull; police believed he had been kicked to death. He was born in Ireland and had been 24 years in Butte. Survivors: a brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Murphy, Butte; brothers Jerry and Dennis Murphy, Providence, R. I.; sisters Mrs. Mary O'Brien of Idaho and Mrs. Hallahan of Chicago; and his mother, two sisters and two brothers in Ireland. The body was at Duggan's, where the page image ends. Not family, and neither of the archive's two James J. Murphys, so no person record. He is not James J. Murphy (1883-1938), the book's subject: that James was living in Los Angeles (the 1936 Los Angeles directory has "Murphy Jas, slsmn Theodore Kotzin Co" at 4339 Victoria avenue, linked to him at 90), lived until 17 December 1938, worked in clothing and never as a miner, would have been 53, had been in Butte from about 1892, and had lost his mother, Ellen, in Butte in August 1935. Nor is he the James J. Murphy of 79 Missoula avenue, who died in April 1927. The age, the arrival about 1912, a mother living in Ireland and brothers Michael, Jerry and Dennis fit neither man. Filed so that the headline is not taken for either of them.

In its time

• Great Depression1929–1939

Also mentioned

• James Murphy · deceased

  A miner, 47, born in Ireland, 24 years in Butte; died 8 Sep 1936 at St. James' hospital after a beating at his rooming house, 721 Utah avenue. Not person_james_murphy_son_of_pat_and_ellen (living in Los Angeles; died there Dec 1938) and not person_james_j_murphy_butte_died_1927 (died Apr 1927). No person record.

• Glenn Dilley · questioned_by_police

  The man was found in his room; he denied knowing anything about the case.

• Mrs. A. H. McIntyre · landlady
• Jack Dugan · assistant_chief_of_police
• Bart Riley · police_officer
• Mike Duff · coroner
• Mr. and Mrs. Michael Murphy · surviving_brother_and_sister_in_law

  Of Butte. A namesake; no tie to the family known.

• Jerry and Dennis Murphy · surviving_brothers

  Of Providence, R. I.

• Mrs. Mary O'Brien · surviving_sister

  Of Idaho.

• Mrs. Hallahan · surviving_sister

  Of Chicago.

Places

• Butte, Montana (primary)
• Ireland (context)
• Idaho (context)

Themes

• Death
• Irish American community
• Mining west

Tags

• #Namesake only
• #Red herring
• #Heavy

Source type

news_item

Related sources

• 1938-12-19 — The Montana Standard, p.3 — JAMES MURPHY DIES ON COAST
• 1936 — Los Angeles Directory Co.'s Los Angeles City Directory 1936 — Los Angeles City Directory 1936 — 'Murphy Jas slsmn Theodore Kotzin Co r4339 Victoria av'
• 1935-08-24 — The Montana Standard, p.5 — MRS. ELLEN MURPHY, 70, SUCCUMBS AT HOSPITAL
• 1927-04-05 — The Anaconda Standard, p.7 — JAMES J. MURPHY DIES

Open questions

• The folder id carries 1936-09-08, the day he died; the paper is dated Wednesday 9 September 1936. Rename the id if ids must carry the issue date.
• The scan holds only the top of the front page. Does the story run on below the fold?