The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1867-05-16
The Murder OrLieutenantG Griffin,

We find the particulars of the murde,
of Lieutenant S =. Griffin in the San An.
tonic (Texas) Express of April 10:
"One of those tragedies occurred yes
terday, ~unaccountable, except when insti.
gated by the %erratic disposition of a stupid
idiot. y private OF Company +, had
robbed the house of a colored woman the
night before, and the woman had sent TO
camp for the purpose of identifying the
thief. For this purpose Lieutenant L. NJ.
Heyl directed the First Sergeant of the
company, Harrison Bradford, to have the
company form in line. The Sergeant
formed the Company and marched up !,
the officers quarters. Just before reach
ing the head quarters guard line he com
handed, Rally boys, rally" aud started
forward with drawn sabcr, followed by
fourteen others-the remainder ofthc com
pany standing in line perfectly dumbloun
dcd. Sergeant Bradford rushed forward.
and with drawn saber commenced a muir
derous attack on Lieutenant lIcyl, innict-
ing no less than five severe saber wounds
upon him. The affair was so sudden and
50 entirely unexpected that the officers
were unarmcd. Lieutenant Seth T.. Crit
lin, Company \, in the ncxt tent. rushed
to the assistance of Lieutenant llcyl. with
No weapon except a small pocket pistol
Bradford turned ON Lieutenant e., and
with \ front Saber cut literally cleft the
l.ieutenaut'S skull open from the forehead
IL tho base q the brain. tho brain protru
ding through The opening several inches.
The sergeant reee.ved 1--WE shots from
Lietenani Grifhu'S pistol. hut he apparent
ly did not suffer from the shots. At this
time Lieutenant Fred W. Smith made his
way through the other mutinccrs. aud
reaching the sergeant. fired three shots at
him, killing him instantly.
Harrison Bradford was light mulatto.
five feet nine inches high, fac black hair,
black eyes. and We saw him an hour after
the mutiny. lying on his back dead, his
CHASTITY face turned upward, he could ca
SLY be mistaken for a white man. possess
IN the outward marks of the white blood:
ne Inherited all the lowest instincts of the
African, stupid, contrary and treaeherous.
For these faults Lieutenant Heyl had de-
~ lSiuCC ilu " the TdOkS.-
Bradford knowing this, and seeing an op-
portunity for revenge, availed himself of it.
The others were his dupes. and as soon as
Bradford fell they dispersed, carrying a
man whom Lieutenant Smith had wound.
ed with them. All the actors have fed
and no arrests vet made.
When we left the camp, at two o'clock
2. NJ, Lieutenant Griffin was lying in his
tent breathing, but insensible; his head a
sight; he will probably die before
morning. Lieutenant Heyl was under the
influence of chloroform, hi. wounds being
dressed. Lieutenant Smith had received
saber cut across the wrist in parrying a
blow otherwise he was uninjured.
General Merritt is now investigating the
affair, and the participants in the mutiny
receive summary justice if caught
The casualties among the troops were one
Bradford killed, and another wounded.
The wounded man fell and his comrades
carried him away. So far, al the parties
have avoided arrest. Lieutenant Grifhn's
gallantry in forgetting his own safety and
trying to assist Lieutenant IIeyl, is worthy
Of all praise.