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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 2 |
| 1889 | 11 |
| 1892 | 22 |
| 1893 | 14 |
| 1894 | 22 |
| 1895 | 13 |
84 stories matching murphi
- The Man Who Couldn't Be Named: A Mysterious Suicide on Pike Street
In the early hours of a Seattle morning in 1902, a barkeeper discovers a stranger dead in his room with no ID and a note addressed to 'Joe.' The city is left with a body, a mystery, and a morphine bottle.
- A Saloon Shooting, a Bottle Blow, and a Defendant’s War Record
Murphy takes the stand in Seattle, claiming self-defense, while the prosecution’s only eyewitness faces accusations of being bought off.
- The Only Witness to a Saloon Killing
James Murphy’s second murder trial hinged on the sole eyewitness to a quarrel that began over cocktails and ended with Philip Dawe shot under the eye behind his bar.
- Murphy Must Face a Second Jury for the Copper Chief Saloon Killing
A double-jeopardy plea fails in Seattle, and jury selection opens in the 1892 murder of barkeeper Phil Dawes over a bottle of whisky bought on credit.
- A Jury Played Cards While a Murder Case Hung in the Balance
Convicted murderer Murphy was sentenced to fifteen years—again—as his lawyer attacked a jury that reportedly spent its 42-hour deliberation playing whist and pedro.
- A Seattle Butcher Beat the Drunkard’s Label and Kept His Estate
A Gilded Age guardianship trial asked whether John Murphy’s drinking made him unfit to manage his own affairs. The jury said no—and his rags-to-property story came out in court.
- A Drunken Ex-Policeman Tries to Shoot a South Seattle Butcher
Frank Krebs, a butcher and former officer, is arrested after a cleaver-and-revolver quarrel with John Murphy.
- A Saloon Killing, a 42-Hour Jury, and a Second Conviction
James Murphy is convicted again of shooting Fritz Dawe in the old Copper Chief saloon — but his lawyers vow the verdict will not stand.
- A Gun Under His Nose: The North Seattle Highwaymen Go on Trial
John Murphy and two alleged accomplices are identified by the laborer they robbed at Front and Clay, while a second sandbagging case ends in a sealed verdict.
- Ex-Fire Chief James Murphy Shoots Saloon Owner Phil Dawe
A former Seattle fire official guns down a saloon owner in a cold-blooded dispute over free drinks, sparking outrage in the city’s lower wards.
- Phil Dawe's Killing at Copper Chief Goes to Trial
A witness takes the stand to describe the fatal shooting of Phil Dawe on Washington Street.
- The Self-Defense Trial of James Murphy
A Seattle murder trial hinges on claims of a 'dangerous man,' witness bribery, and a life-or-death confrontation in a saloon.
- The Temperance Preacher and the Heavyweight Champion
When gospel temperance evangelist Francis Murphy visited a Tacoma theater to convert prize fighter John L. Sullivan to sobriety, he found the champion as stubborn as his reputation.
- The Deadly Cost of a Failed Train Robbery
A desperate shootout between a local sheriff and two convicts on the tracks outside of Walla Walla leaves one man dead and another in chains.
- The Failed Prison Escape of Sam Murphy
A notorious burglar's attempt to break free while being transported to Walla Walla is thwarted by a tip-off.
- The Murky Business of a Mining Claim
A Seattle businessman publicizes his defense after being accused of a fraudulent mining deal, offering a glimpse into the informal, high-stakes nature of early Pacific Northwest property speculation.
- The Tragic Death of a Great Northern Laborer
A railroad worker dies following a brutal brawl at a Third Street saloon, leading to the arrest of a local proprietor.
- The Cold-Blooded Murder at the Copper Chief
A Seattle bartender is gunned down over a dispute about drink tabs, leading to a grim scene at the local undertaker's.
- Labor Union President Accused of Embezzling Relief Funds
Joseph L. Murphy, a prominent labor leader in Seattle, has vanished after allegations surfaced that he pocketed money intended for the survivors of the Roslyn mining disaster.
- A Candlelit Verdict in the Murphy Homicide Trial
Electric lights failed in the King County courthouse during instructions, casting a long shadow over the trial of James Murphy.
- The Price of a 'Bad Man's' Temper
A Seattle newspaper editorial rails against a lenient verdict for a saloon regular who murdered a bartender over a perceived slight.
- The Copper Chief Saloon Killing Goes to the Jury
After days of testimony, a Seattle jury weighed James Murphy’s fate as an eleventh-hour bootblack witness contradicted the state’s star in the 1894 saloon shooting of Phil J. Dawes.
- Three North Seattle Highwaymen Convicted in a Week
John and Martin Murphy and Tom Davis were found guilty of robbing John Smith near the Seattle waterfront. Their alibi witness, a man known as “Cutthroat” O’Brien, did not save them.
- A Killer, a Gold-Brick Swindler, and a Widow's Missing Coat
James Murphy waits to learn whether he'll be shipped to Walla Walla for killing Phil Doe in the Copper Chief saloon — while a con man's loyal wife scours Front Street for the coat a dead man wore.
- Fire Scare at South Eighth and Dearborn
A fire in a small stand caused a panic among nearby residents, who mistook a white man’s warning for a police raid.