The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-24

would take hand.
The shooting last night appeared at first
sight to have been a cold-blooded murder.
Edward Carroll is not very bright. A few
years ago he was sent to the penitentiary
from this city for larceny and on the road
to Michigan City he attempted to escape
from the deputy Sheriff by jun ping from
the train. He hurt his head and his brain
was affected. lie has been Of a very mo-
rose disposition since his release from
prison. thirteen months ago, and has had
very little to say. However, his conduct
shows that he has borne great hatred for
the Grifns. lie had a number of fights
with members of the family. John Griffin,
jr., is employed at the Vandalia freight
house. Yesterday was pay day and he
laid off, during the afternoon. About
o'clock last night he returned to the house,
after short absence, and he and his step
mother began quarreling. He was cooking
his supper at the time. Suddenly, without
word being passed between himself and
Edward Carroll, he pulled out a revolver
and began firing. The third shot brought
Carroll to the floor and Griffin put the pis-
tol in his pocket and left the house just as
CarrolPs two sisters came running in from
the side door and the elder John Griffin
came running in from the front entrance.
HIS MOTHER BENT OVER HIM.
When the police arrived the greatest con-
fusion prevailed. The body of Carroll was
lying on the kitchen foor-a floor reeking
with filth-and over it his mother wept and
cried out in her grief. She would call on
/ him to speak to her and tell her that he
was not dead. Her anguish was painful to
behold. But it was easy to see that she
had been drinking heavily and ever and
anon she would stop her lamentations long
enough to heap a few curses upon the
Griffins and curse the day she ever saw
them. She and her two daughters were
the only members of the family in sight at
first and their account of the tragedy made
things look dark for the man who did the
shooting. They told practically the same
story, which, given by Mrs. Griffin between
SoDS and curses, was as follows:
1t was done by young John Griffin. He
has has been laying for my boy, all afternoon.
This was his pay day and he came home
drunk and was quarrelsome He has been
abusing me all the time and finally he went
upstairs and got his pistol and deliberately
murdered my boy. These Griffins have been
the cause of all my troubles. oh, the dirty,
low-down trash" The woman applied
some more epithets to everything that goes
by the name OF Griffin and then went off
into delirium of weeping, ever and anon
kissing the lips of her dead boy and calling
out to him to speak to her. 1t was q pitt
able sight. The kitchen was so dirty that
none but a strong stomach could remain
long in 1t. The dead mans head was rest
ing on dirty pillow and about him were
his mother and two sisters, one Of the lat
ter having an infant in her arms.
The elder John Griffin said that his son
was not drunk when he came home and did
not have the appearance OF a man who had
been drinking: He has been imposed on
by the Carols all the time" said the old
man, and has mad good cause to fear this
Ned Carroll. The young man has threat
ened to Kill him and attempted it several
fi hn hot
it was, just before the shooting, and do
not know what was said or done by either
Of the boys. But know that my boy has
been on his guard for months and with
good cause"
Mary Carroll Craig, Carrolrs sister, said
that her brother was a very quiet young
man. He has not been right in his mind
for some time" she said, land has had
very little to say since he has been at home
this time. He was very fond of his mother
and would stay at home all the time to be
with her and to protect her from the Grit
fins. Old John Griffin and young John, too,
my mothers husband and stepson, would
often whip my mother. 1t made them mad
if she would take a drink of whisky and
they would beat her for it, Since Ned has
been at home they have done less of this,
for he has always tried to protect her and
they were afraid of him"
GRIFFIN SURRENDERS HIMSELF.
About a dozen police were at the house in
a few minutes after the shooting occurred.
Superintendent Colbert was first to arrive,
He was notified by telephone while at home,
only few blocks from the Griffin Carroll
house. Officers on bicycles were dispatched
in all directions to look for Griffin, but it
was soon learned that this was unneces-
sary, for Griffin had gone directly to the po-
lice station and had surrendered himself to
Captain Quigley. He is little, why built
man, with an iron-gray mustache. He is
hard of hearing, and was not interrupted
by many questions while he related his
story to Superintendent Colbert, Captain
Qulgley and Sergeant Crane.
- more mas been nothing but trouble since
the old man married Johanna Carroll" he
said. She is a drunkard, and her two
boys. John and Ned, We're professional
crooks. AT such times as they or either of
them We're out of the penitentiary they
We're always making trouble. Between
them and the old woman there was never
any rest. L kept at work pretty nearly all
the time, and would keep away from home
as much as possible to avoid trouble Last
March Ned Carroll broke open the door to
the room was sleeping in and tried TO kill
me- lie pointed pistol at me as l lay in
bed and pulled the trigger three times.
fortunately Tor me, the cartridge snapped
put ana not go on He IS a man who since
his return from the penitentiary the last
time. has had few words to say Even when
he tried to shoot me that time he said not
Il word. Tonight, when L shot him. he had
not spoken a word.
Il came home at noon from my work.
II
and found my stepmOther drunk and very
| quarrelSOme. | went away again to avoid
| trouble, going over to Sheridans grocery
VIII re paid bill fOrgrc ceres. When came
! back there was no supper under way, ana
l started to cook some for myself. All the
! while l was at work over the stove the Old
! woman would come out, followed by her
/ son, and call me vile names. Ned did not
| say Il word. | watched him closely, how
/ ever, for did not know what moment he
might take a shot at me. Finally he put
/ his hand TO his hip pocket and sprang at
1 and then | drew pistol and e3
/ He continued TO advance on me until the
third shot, when he fell. ] was on the de-
fenSive l do not know whether he had a
| pistol or not. but l was not taking any
chances. He had tried to kin me once and
that was enough"
The police record of the CAROLS is a bad
one. Mrs. Griffin. the mother of Edward
and John Carroll, has been arrested several
times for drunkenness. The Carroll boys
were all-around crooks of a desperate type
1t is not known that either OF them ever
did an honest days work They We're high
way robbers, pickpockets, sneak thieves
burglars and safe blowers as the oppOrtun-
young man who was killed commenced his
prison life at the Reform School for Boys
when he was a mere boy. He followed his
brother there from LOgansport, where his
mother then lived. He was released from
there. and before he was of age was caught
| him and got two years at Columbus for it.
| He afterwards served two terms at Michi-
gan City. The last time he was sent from