Mullaney to Agnes Kelly Murphy, 31 Mar 1925 — Walkerville; reports tragic death of nephew Jimmie; mentions Aunt Agnes Brennan, Nellie Dennison, Maggie Devitt of Crofton BC

Family letters — Michael R. Mullaney to Agnes Kelly Murphy · private family correspondence (later digitized into docx form by descendant) · 1925-03-31

letterprimary focus

Summary

Personal letter from **Cousin Michael Mullaney** (= person_ michael_r_mullaney_walkerville_chatham_cousin, Mike of 500 N. Fourth street Walkerville, b.~1856 Michigan, d. 19 May 1929) to **Agnes** (= Agnes Kelly Murphy, his Chatham cousin, wife of the 1927-d. JJM; she is the granddaughter of John A. Chatham via her mother Mary Chatham Kelly, which makes her Mike's cousin-once-removed via the Mullaney-Chatham line). ## DATE Letter header reads "Walkerville March 31/25" — confirms March 31, 1925. Mike was ~69 years old. He would die 4 years later (May 1929). ## KEY CONTENTS - Apologizes for not writing — handicaps include vision problems (sensitive eyes), retired typewriter, age - Agnes's previous letter had implied she was "feeling a bit blue"; second letter restored her cheer - **THE TRAGIC DEATH OF MIKE'S NEPHEW JIMMIE**: > "the tragic death of my Nephew was truly 'a thunder bolt > from a clear sky.' I thought my heart dropped several > notches, and all I could say for a time was 'anyone but > Jimmie. Oh, anyone but Jimmie.' Long 'ere this you are > as well informed of particulars in the dreadful affair, > as is present known: which is all in favor of defendants. > The police proved one of the pair, at least, lied at the > inquest. They will have plenty of time to invent and enact > a plausible tale before their case is set for trial." > > "If the county, or city officers, have not secured new > evidence, it will be only a farce, to try them at all. As > long as life lasts, I will firmly believe an entirely > different situation would prevail, were it possible to > secure the facts in the horrible affair. I should like to > see evidence enough furnished that would send the pair to > the penitentiary for the remainder of their natural lives. > I cannot think that any boy, who was known to possess > good, mature, and kindly disposition, could act and the > part of a rough and tough without some great reason." Jimmie's death = a violent death (likely murder), with TWO DEFENDANTS who had lied at the inquest. House packed for three nights of wake; large funeral; auto required to carry floral offerings. - **Tom** was here from **Casper** for a week (Tom's wife + baby girl visited his mother for 3 weeks) - **Maggie Hodgens** gave birth to a baby boy 26 Jan 1925 - **Katie** (Jimmie's mother?) was recovering from severe affliction; Mike accepted Sunday evening meals there since Jimmie's death - Letters arriving from **Crofton [BC]** regularly; Mike's sister Maggie Devitt was well as of Dec 20, 1924 - Mild winter through March 1925; 5-6 inches of snow earlier - Mike calls on **"your Aunt Agnes' return"** (= Agnes Brennan = Chatham sister Mrs. James Brennan) — Mike found out about Agnes Brennan's return from **Nellie's Christmas card** (= Nellie Dennison = another Chatham sister) - "I called in at Douglas to make certain of Brennan's location" — visited the Brennans at Douglas (Walkerville sub-neighborhood?) to verify their address; encountered a "fine looking young woman" relative who had been very sick when he last saw her — she invited him to call on her mother (Mike avoids doorbells humorously: "If they had a loaded gatling gun ready to shoot me, if I dared touch one of them bells, it could not be more effective in keeping me away than the aforesaid combination.") - The **"Essence of Life"** (presumably whiskey or other gift) left for Mike at Nellie's was used up at Christmas; Mike was sick for 2 days and weary for a week with a pre-Christmas cold - Closes "Hoping this will find you all in the very best shape and form. I will close. Cousin Michael Mullaney, North Fourth St., Walkerville, Mont." ## VOICE / STYLE Mike's literary voice — half-folksy, half-affected, fond of the long parenthetical and the wry self-deprecating observation. Uses Latin-tinged phrasing ("U.S." = United States, also figured as the postal service that "carries more ink"); references to "old Mother Earth"; ironic self-portraits ("at present colds prevails to a great extent here, on account of quick changes from summer to winter weather"). This is the **TONE of a 1925 Butte Irish bachelor-cousin letter** — invaluable for the book's "family voice" sections. ## FAMILY-CLUSTER ANCHOR POINTS - Mike → Agnes Kelly Murphy: **cousin-once-removed via Chatham** - Mike → Maggie Devitt of Crofton BC: **brother-sister** - Mike → Brennan family at Douglas: **cousin** - Mike → Nellie Dennison: **cousin** (sends him whiskey at Christmas) - Mike → "Aunt Agnes [Brennan]" treated as Agnes Kelly Murphy's aunt → confirms Agnes Kelly Murphy's relationship to Agnes Brennan as **aunt-by-Chatham** (i.e., Agnes Brennan is Mary Chatham Kelly's sister; therefore Aggie Kelly Murphy's aunt) - Mike → Tom (from Casper) with wife + baby girl + mother: unidentified - Mike → Maggie Hodgens (baby boy Jan 26 1925): unidentified relative — possibly a Chatham cousin - Mike → "Jimmie's mother Katie": Jimmie's mother is Katie; Mike visits there. Katie could be a sister or sister-in-law.

People

Michael R. Mullaney (b. ~1856 Michigan; d. 19 May 1929 Walkerville; Chatham cousin; letter-writer)(as printed: Cousin Michael Mullaney)
role: writer · family confidence: 95 certain
Same person as the 1929 Mike Mullaney obit subject.
Agnes Kelly Murphy(as printed: My Dear Agnes)
role: recipient · family confidence: 95 certain
Agnes Kelly Murphy (wife of the 1927-d. JJM; Chatham niece of Mike Mullaney). Identified via the letter's references to "your Aunt Agnes" (Brennan) and Nellie's Christmas card (Nellie Dennison) — both Chatham aunts of Agnes Kelly Murphy.

Also mentioned

Jimmie (Mike's nephew) · subject_tragic_death_early_1925
Mike's nephew. Violently killed early 1925 by two unnamed defendants going to trial; the police caught at least one lying at the inquest. Identity unresolved.
Katie (Jimmie's mother) · jimmies_mother
Katie is Jimmie's mother — possibly Mike's sister or sister-in-law.
Tom (from Casper) · family_visitor
Maggie Hodgens · family_birth_event
Gave birth to a baby boy 26 Jan 1925.
Maggie Devitt (Crofton BC) · mikes_sister
Same person as Mrs. Margaret Devitt of the 1929 Mike Mullaney obit.
Your Aunt Agnes [Brennan] · chatham_sister_aunt_of_agnes_kelly_murphy
= Agnes Chatham Brennan (Mrs. James Brennan of 1916 Catherine Maloughney obit). Mike calls her 'your Aunt Agnes' from Agnes Kelly Murphy's perspective, CONFIRMING Agnes Brennan as Aggie Kelly Murphy's aunt via Chatham.
Nellie [Dennison] · chatham_sister_cousin_of_mike
= Nellie Chatham Dennison. Sent Mike a Christmas card.
Brennan family at Douglas · chatham_in_law_cluster
Mike visited Douglas (Walkerville neighborhood?) to confirm Brennan's address.
fine looking young woman (unnamed) · encountered_at_brennans
Mike met an unnamed niece-or-cousin-relative at the Brennans, formerly very ill, now recovered. Doorbell-avoidance humor.

Places

Themes

Story threads

The Pat-and-Ellen Murphy household — Butte 1887 to LA 1980

Related sources

Transcription

transcription: complete · confidence high

# Mullaney to Agnes Kelly Murphy — Walkerville, 31 March 1925 *Letter from Michael R. Mullaney (b. ~1856 Michigan; d. 19 May 1929 Walkerville) to his Chatham cousin Agnes Kelly Murphy. Original handwritten letter; transcribed digitally by a descendant.* Walkerville March 31/25 My Dear Agnes, Learning you will have occasion to believe, that I intend to ignore the fact of having received your two very interesting letters. I start this more to dispel such an impression, than to cover space with non-important, or anything like important, news. Up to a year ago last fall, I generally done all my scribbling at night, but these days is over, and even reading, which I found such a time killer, and pleasure, has joined the past. In addition to these serious handicaps, my stenographer, and typewriter, resigned her position, and left me stranded on a rock, [mildish] bleak and dreary breakers. You well know of some of the difficulties I encounter to find the necessary material for a letter. You are without doubt better informed by papers and other ways of events occurring here from day to day, than I am, and anything I might use to fill space would perhaps be only a repetition of things you are well posted on; and for these and sundry other causes I would nearly do anything to escape ink-splashing exercises now. I wish you could hear the high and determined resolves made by me tomorrow or the day after or some near date. Your first letter would incline one to think the writer was feeling a bit blue: so I began gambling with myself, as to the length of time it would require before this disagreeable feeling vanished and concluded. Six months or less would [convest?] another relative to believe there was only one place on old Mother Earth, and that was Calif. I was glad to see the second letter was in harmony with my secret predictions: balmy winds and summer skies are this time of the year are convincing and [able] debaters. I have received my portion of shock, for a lifetime, and can find no possible way by which they may be taken lightly, for each one causes a deeper impression than the one previous, and the tragic death of my Nephew was truly "a thunder bolt from a clear sky." I thought my heart dropped several notches, and all I could say for a time was "anyone but Jimmie. Oh, anyone but Jimmie." Long 'ere this you are as well informed of particulars in the dreadful affair, as is presently known: which is all in favor of defendants. The police proved one of the pair, at least, lied at the inquest. They will have plenty of time to invent and enact a plausible tale before their case is set for trial. If the county, or city officers, have not secured new evidence, it will be only a farce, to try them at all. As long as life lasts, I will firmly believe an entirely different situation would prevail, were it possible to secure the facts in the horrible affair. I should like to see evidence enough furnished that would send the pair to the penitentiary for the remainder of their natural lives. I cannot think that any boy, who was known to possess good, mature, and kindly disposition, could act and the part of a rough and tough without some great reason. It was very agreeable to see the many people who by their presence, and other ways, extended sympathy. The house was packed every night, for each of three nights with people, and the [auto?] funeral was largely attended: it took a car to carry floral offerings. This flower business I always look at as being unnecessary and will not be required at my funeral. Tom was here from Casper for a week: his wife and baby girl visited his mother for over three weeks; they returned home lately. Maggie Hodgens gave birth to a baby boy Jan. 26th. Katie [Jimmie's mother?] recovered from her severe affliction more rapidly than could be expected. I was there yesterday, and found her in bed suffering from a cold. I was worried, and accepted several Sunday evening meals there since Jimmie's death. I received Christmas cards and a few letters that I answer the last of only lately, and from several points of the compass. Letters are received pretty regularly from Crofton [British Columbia, Canada]. I can boast a sister [Maggie Devitt] well worth having: they were all enjoying good health at last account, Dec. 20th. Providing there is no monkey business, on the part of the weather between now and July the Fourth, the past winter can take its place on record as being of a mild persuasion; though it did assert itself with a vengeance for over two weeks straight at an early stage: the quantity of snow was not great at any time; we are having light falls lately, which appears and disappears nearly like magic. The ice rinks were ruined before January, and for this reason, the big and little imaginary figure 8 was left meant by me. I was not aware of your Aunt Agnes' [Chatham Brennan] return until Nellie's [Chatham Dennison] Christmas card arrived: and went to see her; on the way down, I called in at Douglas to make certain of Brennan's location, and just here met one of the most agreeable surprises of my life; for there before me stood a fine looking young woman, smiling all over and later laughing heartily over the surprise I was not in the least inclined if I could to conceal; all I could do for a time was to stare and act dumb; I was thinking of the contrast between the young woman I now saw and the poor girl I had last seen, who seemingly was dying by inches and who I sincerely but secretly sympathized with and who I wished and wished something could be done for. She wanted me call on her mother but alas for that, when the doorbells were fully described. If they had a loaded gatling gun ready to shoot me, if I dared touch one of them bells, it could not be more effective in keeping me away than the aforesaid combination. You have my full permission to suggest to any of our relatives who feel imposed on by my presence, to simply add a couple of doorbells, or imitation of bells, and their troubles will end. The Essence of Life left at Nellie's for me was thankfully received. It was strictly kept for an emergency: providing this failed to materialize before Xmas. It was destined for final destination during the holidays, but a cold previous to Xmas put an abrupt end to plans and specifications. I was down and out for two days, and for over a week experienced a tired weary feeling. At present colds prevails to a great extent here, on account of quick changes from summer to winter weather. Hoping this will find you all in the very best shape and form. I will close. Cousin Michael Mullaney North Fourth St. Walkerville, Mont.

Open questions

Who was "Jimmie" — a Mullaney nephew murdered in early 1925 Butte? Worth a 1925-01 to 1925-03 Butte Miner / Anaconda Standard search for a young-man murder with two defendants + inquest + upcoming trial.
Who was Katie (Jimmie's mother)? A Mullaney sister? A sister-in-law? If Mike's sister, that's another Mullaney sibling beyond Maggie Devitt.
Maggie Hodgens — possibly a married Chatham cousin (Hodgens being the husband's surname).
Where is "Douglas" — a Walkerville sub-neighborhood? A nearby Butte street? Pending verification.