Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-30
By HIS OWN HAND.
Mr.. LEWIS GRIFFIN FIRES THE SHOT
THAT PRODUCES HIS DEATH.
Several Notes Left, But None Explain the
Cause-Ife Was Soon to Have
Been Married.

shot that suddenly terminated the lie vi
3Ir. Lewis VI. Griffin some time between III
o'clock Sunday night and daylight yester-
day morning.
Likewise no one except his Maker knows
the cause that led to the committal of the
rash act nor the anguish suffered before 1t
was performed
Mr. Griffin, who was a successful young
tobacconist of this city, had for some time
past occupied O suite of rooms on the Sc
cond floor Of Major Charles Selden's
house, No. IL north Sixth street, between
Main and Franklin.
Caroline Woodbridge, an old family SER
want, mas waited on him for years.
FOUND DEAD.
About O'Clock yesterday morning. as
was her custom in cool weather. Caroline
went % Mr.. Grilfin's room To make the
fire; For this purpose she is furnished
with q pass-key. Caroline entered the
front room and Knocked at the door of Mr..
Griffn's sleeping apartment. The door to
tins was always left unlocked, and MIR.
Griffin generally called out to her to enter
Receiving no response to her signal CARO-
line raped again, and more loudly than
before. Finding that she was still un-
answered the old woman pushed into the
room.
She at once detected the odor of burned
gunpowder, and her eyes fell upon blood
stains on the bed-clothing.
The woman then ran down stairs to
Mrs. Selden and told her what she had
seen. Major Selden was not at home,
having spent the night AT the bedside OF
en- extremely i'll friend. Mrs. Selden told
her 10 90 up into the third story and tell
Messrs. Johnston and Gracy, who roomed
there. She did 40, and these two gentle
men came down at once to find that Mr.
Griffin was dead. with a 3S-calibre Smith X
| WeesOn fve-shooter in his right hand.
Dr. Michaux was sent for and responded
promptly, but he was not needed.
THE CORONER CALLED.
DIR. TAYLOR. the Coroner. was also sent
| for. He arrived about half-past 3. The
body was in the bed covered up and was
still slightly warm. The pistol was lying
near the dead mans right hand. One bar
rel WAS empty. The ball from this was
/ that which had done the harm. 1t had en-
/ tered the head about an inch above the
I right ear. traversed the entire width of the
/ brain obliquely to point about two inches
! above the left aurcular, shattering the
| bone at the latter point.
The Coroner thinks the shot was fired
while the deceased was lying down, and
/ that death must have been instantaneous.
WORDS FROM TIE DEAD.
Near the bed containing its ghastly bur-
! den were the following notes:
"Selden, pardon me. know you would
! if YOU could see my poor bleeding heart.
| May God forgive me. May He bless you
and your happy family. J.. NJ G.n
Give my keys to Taze Darlington, he
will find al in safe. J.. NJ. e."
! Those are for Phil. God bless him and
| forgive me for this act. l.. NJ. q"
The first was an apology 10 Major Sell
den for committing the deed IN his house.
/ The last note was lying in a lot Of iewelry.
such rs cuf-buttons, scarf-pins and the
like. OF little value intrlnslcally, but IN
tended evidently as keepsakes to his
brother-in-law. Mr.. Phil. Winston.
In view Of all these facts the Coroner de-
cided there was no necessity for an in-
quest.
THE PROBABLE CAUSES.
The probable causes which led to Mr..
Griffin taking his life were the all-absorb-
ing topics of conversation yesterday. All
of these are of course purely matters of
/ conjecture.
Mr.. Griffin was young, not having yet
completed his thirty ninth year. lie was
well to do, having been successfully on
gagged for about seventeen years IN the
legf-tobacco business, in which time he had
accumulated much property. In almost
two weeks he was to be married 70 one OF
the most attractive and accomplished
Young ladies IN the city. More attractive
conditions of life than these could hardly
be imagined OF desired.
The most generally advanced theory was
that the deceased suffered severely from
his liver and Indigestion.
A gentleman who was well acquainted
with the deceased for many years and
during the lifetime OF his first wife (who
was an invalid said Mr.. Griffin was the
most tendeIly devoted husband he ever
saw. He never ceased 10 mourn her. al
though she had been dead ten years;
There was no doubt in this friends mind
that Mr.. Griffin. during the last few days,
had been reminded of similar scenes III
wears gone by. His love for his wife was
as strong as ever His affection for his
fQnc6 was hardly less. and being unable to
reconcile it between the two, sought relief
in death. The simple bequest to hi,
brother-in-law would tend to support this
latter theory.
TO DE MARRIED..
On the 14th of next month Mr.. Griffin
was 10 have welded Miss Nellie Rogers. tc
whom he had been paying attention fol
some time. He had made every prepara-
tion for the event, down TO ordering hi;
| WNNuliiE SUIT. y nOurt illii Dtfh A'nA'h
on west Grace street. and the last words
he spoke to his betrothed were in relation
to their selected future home.
CARRIED HOME.
Ate o'clock Yesterday afternoon mum.
ber of friends of the deceased. including
those who will act as pall-bearers at the
funeral to-day, met at Mr.. Selden's and as
sisted IN the removal of the body TO the
old family homestead. corner First anC
Nam streets. Dir. A. G. Tompklns, who
married sister Of the deceased, resides
there at present. his wife having died some
years ago. It was here that the mother and
father of the dead man breathed ther
last. At the time of his death Mr.. Grliilu
owned this house. He has no near rela-
tive SO far as could be learned.
IMPORTANT PAPERS.
In accordance with the wish of the de.
ceased Mr.. Iaze Darlington YESTERDAY
opened his safe. He found In II several
documents sealed and marked lmpor-
tant." The will is probably among these.
Mr.. Darlington would not open these, say
ing he did not like TO do so unless the
counsel or some authorized representative
of the dead man were present.
HIS SERVANTS STORY.
The old colored woman who waited on 1lr.
Griffin says that between 10 and IL O'Clock
Sunday night she was called to Mr.. Griffin's
room and be asked her 70 get some hot
water and bathe his feet. She said HIS
face was as red as blood. and be told me
that his head hurt him end that 1t felt
dizzy. told him 10 lie down and asked
him TO let me help him get in bed. but he
said No, no, and got IN the bed. he was
in mis- night-clothes, and when be laid
down he put out his hand and said, See II
/ have any fever felt his pulse and told
him no, that didn't think he did then |
went out and did not hear any more from
him"
HIS LAST DAY.
Sunday Mr.. Griffin passed pretty much
as usual. He did not leave his room until
about y. NJ. He ate dinner and went
down to the post-office for his mail.
That evening he was in the company OF
his betrothed. Mr.. S. S. p. Patteson' and
other friends.
Mr. Griffin belonged 70 the Westmore-
land CluD. and was regarded as one OF the
most cougenial of It's members. Here as
elsewhere he was known tor his uniform
courtesy and kindness. He was truly o
whole-souled and liberal man, ana as a
friend remarked yesterday, did not have
an h.. -