Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1881 — On The Downward Career [ARTICLE]

On The Downward Career

The Denver (Col.) Republican says: “Edward J. Murdock, an insurance clerk, Who was advertised over the country last fall on account of heavy swindle at Cincinnati, has just left Denver under circumstances that place him strongly under suspicion of having found another victim here, though he had not the opportunities here for such heavy transactions as characterized his Cincinnati career. About the Ist of September Murdock left Cinninnati and came to Denver, where he found employment with Messrs Bates, Chittenden & Co., being cautious to keep from that firm all knowledge of his Cincinnati transactions. There is testimony that one day an insurance periodical came to the office of Bates, Chittenden & Co., while Mr. Bates was at Leadville. The paper fell first into the hands of Murdock, who, seeing in it a statement concerning the Cincinnati affair, tore it. out, remarking’, ‘Bates’ll never know who did it.’ In the meantime, Mutdock roomed at 220 Twelfth street, with three other young men, two of whom, William C. C. Murray and John R. Parry, were also from Cincinnati, the other roomihates being William C. Earnest. Murray an<T Parry, as well as other Cincinnatikns here, knew of Murdock’s Cincinnati career, but all of these, thinking that Murdock meant to do better refrained fiom betraying him. Messrs. Bates, Chittenden & Co., however, concluded on Monday of last week to discharge Murdock, giving him s3l or $32, “so as not to turn him adrift into the streets.” The next morning, when the young man’s roommates got up, Murdock was gone and Parry found that his pockets had been rifled of SSO in cash and a certified check for $l9O. Parry and his two friends at once hunted Murdock up, encountering him upon the street. He denied the theft but the three men said he looked guilty. That night Murdock lost money at gambling,and the next day he left the city, presumably to go to Chicago. Before leaving, he got from Mr. Rhodes, of the Colorado Live Stock Insurance Company, a letter to the Chicago agent of that company, but on hearing the young man’s history, Mr. Rhodes promptly sent word to Chicago canceling the recommendation. It. is thought that Murdock’s wife, at Cincinnati. intends to bring suit for a divorce against him, but it is further said—or has been stated by himself—that his mother has agreed to settle the Cincinnati affair. The case is a pitiful one for his wife and his mother, but there is a duty to the public, and insurance companies may as well keep an eye on the young man. Parry, the loser of the money, was prospecting in the mountains during the summer, and had worked hard all winter to save the money, in order to resume work on his mining claim this summer. . ' ■