Arizona republican., 1899-05-17
AN INTREPID EDITOR
Lookin Into Qua Barrel Was an
 Ordinary Incident.

Frank Griffin, editor and publisher
 of .-Griff's MaryvilIa Daily Review.
 who was killed in Ma-yvil.e CT Sat urdlay, April s, was uniqus character.
 ..Griff'' was, a comparatively young man when he came to Maryyille, but he cid rIct differ essentially in his mere prominent racterfstics from the "Griff' who died So gamely C1 the r5lsts of the t-rHn few days ago.
 Maryville when "Grim'' came was far fl on being a sairtly town. It was at about this time that the Wabash railway was built through from St Louis to Omaha, and in its cCnstruc- tion crews came some Of the most vic ioUs men that ever visited this part or the country It was at about this time that the notorious Omaha Char ley who WAS afteTward dragg:d from the NOdaway county jail and swung to his deaEh from Q bridge in East Mary vile by a mob Of infuriated citizens just after he had shot an inOffensiTe German in a salccn, because the latter resented his action in thTJ wing a glass Of beer in his face, was creating good deal cf excitement he~e. Poker was played for big stakes at dozen differ ent places in thei town. and drinking
 
 were the order Cf the nights and police court trials the order of the day
 He formed a partnership for the practice of law with Frank M. Wcof, now of Springfield, Mo, shortly after his arrival, and as quickly fOrm5d a close ccnne eoticn with the sports of the town, soon becoming 'cua Of tlair leaders. During lha right ne drank heavily, held a hand at poker with the best of them, and was always ready for any kind of 9 mix-up or disturb anee. Ha was always dead game" g.. far 2s is known Ho man ever blUffed him with his fists and very few with a gun. On Cne occasion, shortly after his arrival, he quarrelled with Omaha Charley, who was generally recog- nized as the worst man in town, and Omaha" thrust his ready gun. across the tabla into his face and swore he would kill him. "Griff,'' without q sign of fear, seizsd the weapon and jerked ]. away. and then. leaEing over the table. tcok it's small but doughty CwEGr in his arms, carried him 10 the door and threw him headlCng down. stairs. Af,erward, it is said, Omaha" got thsi drop on him and made him bend to him; but On this occasion the bad man quietly went away, leaving ''Griff'' master Of the situation.
 In 1886 "GrifT'' decided That he wculd venture into the newspaper business He accordingly bought . small hand press, q few fonts Of old tyl2e. rented l room and began to publish The Week ly Advocate" It is doubtful if there ever was a less attractive appearing sheet .,han the Advocate. Like its sdi- tor, il was eccentric to the last degree 'Griff'' had a good education. but he preferred n0tcTiety to fame It is doubtful if 8 proof was ev5r read in his GffiCe. Punctuation, correct gram nautical construction, orthography and good ink he always disdained. He had a very unusual talent for discovering the closets in which families kept or were supposed to keep their private skeletons, and the first and every sub sequent copy Of the Advocate teamed with the most malignant and bitter attacks on persons and things that it's editor did nct like. Sometimes his at tacks were by direction. and some times by indiTectiOn; but nc issue Of the Advocate ever came from the press which did not cast reflections on some bOdy's character. For several years the Pot House Four" as he called Peter Hanlill now a saloonkeeper; B. r. OuIy, tn51 edIU-F or small news paper here; B. F. Anderson, furniture dealer, and Rev. Father Pembroke. then priest Of St Patrick's church. were tha chief objects of his attack. Che Te5ul, of this warfare was that Father Pembroke and Griffin got into a quarrel which lasted up tc the time Of the editCrs death, and caused Grif- fin to be arrested and taken into the United States circuit court fer send ing obscene matter through the mail twice, lost Pembroke his parish, at least temporarily, and caused the lat ter to be sued for S10,0O0 damages al one time
 Among iE-Ee whom Griffin assailed most savagely was R. c. Montgomery. a pIi-Cninent and wealthy business man Of Maryvil,e, who was killed here in December. 1898, by John Joyce for all alleged iaisOn with Joyce's wife. Montgomery had the reputation of be ing extremely handy with a gun, but his threats against Griffin had no ef- feet Finally, driven Ito exasperation, learning that Griffin was