New-York tribune., 1899-04-30

Maryyille Daily Review" who was kihed In
Maryville on Saturday, April ., was unique
character. -,
"Grif" was a comparatively young man when
he came TO Maryvirie, but he did not diier
essentially in his more prominent characteils-
ics-from the "Griff'' who died so ganely on the
streets OF the town few days ago
Maryville when "Griff' came was iar Iroin ION
being a sanity town. 1t was at about tnis tlilie
that the Wabash Railway was puli' ~ thIous u
from st. Louis to Omaha, and In lis construc
ton crews came some OF the most vicious men
that ever visited this part OF the country: it
was at about this time that the NOTORIOUS
Omaha Charley" who was afterward oraSseo
from the NodaWay County Jail and swung 10
his death from a bridge in East Maryviiie py
a mob of infuriated citizens just after ne hau
shot an inoffensive German IN saoon' peeause aus,
the latter resented his action in throwing glass
of beer in his face. was creating gooo ueaI
of excitement here Poker was played ior pIs
stakes at dozen different places IN TUE Wv WI ~
and drinking bouts fights and snootihs solap
were the order OF the nights and ponce coui'
trials the order of the day. -
He formed a partnership for the practice OF
law with Frank NJ. Woolf. now OF Springheiu
Mo shortly after his arrival, and as quich'y
formed a close connection with the sports OF the
town soon becoming one OF thelr leaders DuI
ing the night he drank heaVily' heiu d h'nu &c =.
maker with the best of them, ana was ava
ready for any kind Of a mix up or olst tuIp pa"oc'
He was always dead game so iar az -
known no man ever blufIed him with ms M hsts
and very few with a gun. oh o'le ~, .t,h
shortly after his arrival. he quarreheu "Itn
Omaha Charley" who was generaiy recos ,. H.
as the worst man in town, and Omaha 'htuS'
his ready gun across the taDe me- ase.. -" ,.i,hont
and swore ne would Kill him Grim; w9 wilhou. :.
q sign of fear seized the weapon ana Jelhsu ~ ~
away and then. leaping over the lauIe 'oon o;nd "a
small but doughty owner IN ms ainIa' -
him 10 the door and threw him headlong uoNn
.tairs Af,orward II is said. Omaha go' the
drop ON him and made him bend TO MN; pu. , o,
this occasion the bad man quietly ven ""'
leaving "Grif" master OF the situauoi'
HIS NEWSPAPER BEGINNING.
=, 1896 "crifr' decided that he would venture
tt 81 pewsnaper business He accordingly
bought a small hand press, rev IONS % y. .rh y,o
TYNE rented a room and began 10 pupish ~
Weekly Advocate II Is nGup'ant aneet ;, than "The
Advocate" Like its editor, il was eccehlric 10
the last degree. "Grin' had a good eoucA.pn ,11
but he preferred notorety 10 iahe' ~ 20 p,,not
full If a proof was ever read in his once: tuhc.-
nation correct grammatical constfuctlol' VI
biography and good ink he always "ai,', ulsualrvu
He had a very unusual talent TOT ulscoNVills
the closets in which families kept or were sup
posed to keep their private skeletons ana .ne
first and every subsequent copy OF Ihe AuNo-
cate" teemed with the most malignant anu w.
ter attacks on persons and Things .nat Us - eu.
for aid not like Sometimes his attacks were
nv direction and sometimes by lndrectioh' pu'
no issue Of The Advocate" ever came froin the
press which did not cast reflections on SUIT
hodv's character. For several years the fo'
House Four" as ne called Peter HanlIi' no" d
saIoonkeeper; Il. p. Duffy, then editor OF small
newspaper here; Il. f. Anderson 1~urhture ~
dealer and Rev. Father Pembroke. theh prlest
of 81 Patricks Church, were the chle1 opJects
of bis attack One result of this warfare was
that Father Pembroke and Grimm got INTO
quarrel which lasted up TO the time OF the edi,
tors death and caused Griffin TO be arrested
and taken into the United States Circuit Court
for sending obscene matter through the mail
twice lost Pembroke his parish. at least tempo
rariIy and caused the latter TO be sued for
$4,000 damages at one time
Among those whom Griffin assailed most saw
agely was X. c. Montgomery prominent and
wealthy business man OF Maryvilie, VINO was
killed here in December 1888, by John Joyce Tor
an alleged liaison with Joyce's wife. MontgOm
ery had the reputation OF being extremely Mandy
with a gun. but his threats against Grimm had
no effect Finally driven TO evaporation, Mont
gomery learning that Griffin was TO arrive in
town at $40 y. m. on a Wabash train from the
West went to the Port Arthur station, armed
and determined TO kill him. As Grifhn stepped
from the platform Montgomery pushed MS way
through the crowd, suddenly showed the gun
into his face and exclaiming: Now, d-n you,
| am going to kill YOU" put his finger on the
trigger to shoot. Quicker than thought GRIMM
without even losing his ever-present superior
smile raised his right hand. grasped the weapon
and jerked it away and. seizing montgomery
with his left hand. threw him violently TO the
platform and, putting his foot on his neck. held
him there immovabe. Here he stood. smlllhg
down at his assailant for a moment. after which
he permitted him TO rise. The next day The
Advocate" made the usual unpleasant reference
10 Montgomery with some added vigor.
REsOURCEFCL TO A DEGREE.
few wears after Griffin began the publica-
ton OF his paper some persons made a raid on
his office and carried away large amount OF
his type but THE Advocate" came out on time
the next week Griffin having hshed the type OUT
of the old we'll where IL had been thrown. Later
another raid Of the same character was made,
and subsequently all the forms OF his paper were
MED a number OF times, his machinery was
broken up. and finally one night his entire press
was made away with. IL was supposed then
that his publication would stay suppressed. at
toa.t Tor a week But Griffin was resOurCeful.