Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-02-06
WOLVERINE News.
A STARTLING AND UNACCOUNT-
ABLE MURDER IN EATON co.
AN OLD MAN ARRESTED FOR
THE CRIME. CONFESSES.
items OF Interest from All Parts OF
Michigan.
Strange Murder at Diamondale.

CHARLOTTE, Fec "a most remar kable
and inexplainable ai1Tder has recently boon
perpctratcd at Diamondale, Eaton county.
The victim was young girl named iellio
Griffin. She was twelve years old and hac
been for three years an inmate OF the state
public school at Coldwatar, being sent 10
that institution from Mason, Iugham coun-
". man, cIlling himself Hendershot,
visited thelscbool last Wednesday in quest
Of a young girl for adoption. He made
satisfactory statements AID the girl, Nellie
Griffin, was made over TO him. The aoZt
heard OF tho child was the finding of her
nude body half hidden bene ith tho ice in
Tho Grand River near Diamondale, by
farmer named Dow, on Friday night.
Authorities from the school identified the
remains and Henderson, was arrested and
immediately lodged in the county Jail
at this place. He is man or medium
hight, somewhat stoop-shouldered with
nncropped gray boarl and hair watery
blue eyes and face that indicates weak
ness rather than viciousness. He was
born 50 years ago in Rome, Lenawee
county, aud has been outside of Michigan
only two or three times in his life He
had had two wives, he said. Ono ran
away with another man after she had lived
with him twenty-seven years. The second
he married several years ago in Calhoun
county, and lived with her only few
months. After they separated he came TO
Diamondale and has since worked as farm
hand, most OF the time hauling milk TO the
condensed milk company at Lansing for
MIR. Harrison ami living at the latters
house. where his home was up TO the time
of the arrest. When the crime was
referred to the old man became roticent.
He said, hesitatingly, that he did not
remember having seen the dead girl at any
time, and, after answering one or two
other questions in n lame way, saw that he
was discriminating himself and subsidized
into sulby silence. When the county jail
doors changed behind him. however, the
nurderer's heart failed him and
he made fun confession TO the
officers and reporters. He said his renl
name was Russell c. Garfield. He went
Go Jonesyille Tuesday and then TO Cold
water, and said he told Supt. Newkirk he
was from Parma, and asked for girl. He
did not see the girl until she was brought
70 him by the school employees at the depot.
When he left the train at DiamUndale he
started for Harrison's house, but struck off
through the woods and finally the two sat
down on the log by the water where the
body was found.
''The girl began TO cry" he said, land
threw her on the ground and choked her
10 death with one hand. She did not
struggle or scream. After her death /
took off her clothes and threw her into the
hole where she was found. l did not out
rage the girl and l have no idea why
killed her. ! must have been insane"
The murderer also added that no one was
implicated in the crime. He took the
clothes to Harrisons and buried them
cnder the cowshed floor and then calmly
went to bed. ~ wish / had been shot
dead" he moaned at the end; ~ don't
know wha. made rae do it,"