MURRAY, Beman (1837-1879)

MURRAY

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 12/4/2024 at 13:48:57

Beman "Ben" Murray
(May 12, 1837 - June 10, 1879)

On Tuesday evening as per previously announced, the ladies of Ida Grove provided a strawberry and ice cream festival for the benefit of the wearers of the Blue Ribbon. The largest crowd that ever assembled in the hall gathered at an early hour in the evening, all seemingly bent on enjoying to the fullest extent the pleasures of the occasion. Music by the band, table delicacies, speeches by some of our citizens, conversation and laughter, all combined to make the occasion one of joy and gladness.
Of all the hundreds there, none seemed to enjoy the evening more than Mr. and Mrs. Bemar Murray. During the evening Ben, as he was called, remarked to several of his friends that he was enjoying himself as he had not before since he was a boy. After proper attention had been paid to the strawberries, ice cream, lemonade ect.. the tables were removed and those who wanted to could dance. Among the first to take the floor were Mr. and Mrs. Bemar Murray. The music struck up, the dancers, with smiles upon their lips and laughter in their eyes were reading the intricate mazes of the quadrille, when, as falls a thunderbolt, shocking and startling everyone, came the death messenger with his awful summons. The dancers were in the ace of “swinging their partners” when Ben. suddenly fell backwards to the floor. Dr. Miller was present and had the prostrate man and took him to the window and made every effort to revive him, but his efforts were in vain. The endeavors to resuscitate the patient were continued for a considerable length to time, but already the disembodied spirit had taken its departure. Death, had claimed another victim.
The company that had gathered in such gladness of heart returned to their homes with much sadness in their hearts, and some accompanied the body to its late home to prepare for burial and to weep with and comfort the widow.
The supposed cause of death was an overdose of hydrate of chloral, a drug he had been in the habit of taking to quiet his nerves. About 7 o’clock that evening he purchased at Walker and Scotts Drug Store 120 grains of the drug, as he had often done before, enough for 12 doses, and after he was dead the bottle was found very nearly empty. The supposition is that he was laboring under considerable excitement and took the overdose without realizing what the consequences would be.
The funeral occurred on Wednesday, with the Tribe of Jonathan, of which Ben was a member, taking charge of the ceremonies, the members wearing the badge of the order. A long procession of teams followed the remains to the cemetery, thus expressing the sympathy of the community to the stricken wife, who is left desolate among strangers. Source - Ida Grove Era, Ida Grove, Iowa, June 13, 1879