Teresa Murray, a middle aged woman,…
source date: 1888
availability: public-domain

M. Ginn’s office asking him to assume charge of a suit she has against the railroad company in which judgment has been granted her, but which is on appeal. The suit was the result of a young son having a leg cut off by the Silver City train at Deming several years ago. When the inter- view was ended, the attorney stepped to the faucet to get a drink of water. In turning he saw the woman take morphine from a vial. He warned her of the danger, but she carelessly took the remainder. Judge Ginn at once told her to leave and go home while he summoned a physician. She reluctantly obeyed, saying several times that she was “going to rest and settle it all.” When leaving she placed a hand on the attorney’s shoulder and bade him a last good-bye. In passing C. Hauswald’s saloon she sank to the pavement. Judge Ginn lifted the poor woman and placed her on a bench, then hastened to seek medical aid. Dr. Ernest Ste- phens responded quickly but she could not be saved. It was the opinion of the physician that she had taken morphine before going to leave her business affairs in the hands of the attorney, as death came so soon after emptying the bottle, which contained 20 grains when pur- chased. Mrs. Murray was a hard working woman, and poor. She had, however, not long since purchased a little house beyond the L. C. residence.