The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-07
Colonel Griffith Of Los
Angeles Has New
Explanation.
Declares That He Sought to
Protect Her by First
Story.
millionaire Breaks Down When SYM
pathy Is Extended and the
Woman Is Still in
Critical Condition.
Special Dispatch to The Call.


LOS ANGELES. Sept e-Colonel Crit
nth J. Griffith broke down and cried to-
day when offered sympathy by a friend.
He spent the day at the residence OF DR..
z. n Griffith. Sixteenth and Valencia
streets. and the day proved the hardest
one for him since the shooting OF Mrs.
Griffith Thursday night.
friend OF the colonel called at the
house 70 extend his sympathy and found
him lying on couch on the front porch
with q light blanket thrown over him.
Griffith arose and extended his hand with
his usual cordially, but.the hand was hot
and feverish and lacked the energetic grip
which generally accompanies his hand
clasp.
4 have but a moment TO stay. Colonel
Griffith" said the friend. but I want 10
know how you are getting on and see il
there is anything I can 90 for you. No
man was ever placed in q more terrible
position. and I feel for you. No matter
whether YOU shot your wife or not. no
man can ever make me believe that you
did so with malice afOrernOught- You
have my sympathy. and pity you from
the bottom Of my heart"
Such sympathy proved too much for
Colonel Griffith. and this strong man. who
was never before known TO lose his COM
posure, broke down. His face twitched
as he tried 10 answer and the cords IN
the back Of his neck moved up and down,
the veins on his forehead swelled, and his
eyes filed with tears. He cried like a
child. He was apparently suffering
agony. and. placing his nand ever his
eyes. he said in broken words:
ct am very tired. I an feverish. 1
DO not feel we'll and he slowly turned
and entered the house. assisted by Dr.
Griffith.
FRIENDS HAVE EXPLANATION.
II was the reaction from the intense
nervous strain under which the man has
been since Thursday and the after effect
u Iong-continued drinking, for il is posi-
lively known that Colonel Griffith has
been drinking heavily Cor many days In
fact many Of his peculiar actions since
the shooting have been attributed by ms
friends TO drink.
Contrary 10 the general opinion that
The defense viii make claim Of acct
dent. IL Is stated on well-grOunded au-
thority that the defense viii claim that
Mrs. Griffith was shot by her own act in
al attempt 10 commit suicide Colonel
Griffith would never consent 70 the insan-
Try claim. Notwithstanding the fact that
his wife and relatives take that view Of
the matter and would be glad TO lave
such a verdict rendered by the jury.
we are not prosecuting Colonel Grif-
rtn.' said I. b DOckWeller- " e simply
feel that he should be incarcerated and
Il the jury delivers a verdict Of insanity
we Will be pleased that he may have the
comforts Of a private asylum, but Il II
delivers 2 verdict of attempt to murder
we believe that he should 90 TO jail, and
lastly. If the defense endeavOrs to prove
that Mrs Griffith attempted to commit
suicide IN the event Of her death within
the next week. ] hope that he will hang -
Colonel Griffith has made the claim
from the first that he was attempting TO
defend his wife when he made the state
nnent at Santa Monica and afterward that
The shooting accidental. Speaking
Of this to-day, William H knight. secre-
tary Of Colonel Griffith. said;
COLONEL Is SURPRISED.
I'VE will be able 10 prove that all the
statements which Colonel Griffith made
on the night Of the shooting We're made
10 defend his wife. He has not thought of
himself in this matter al all until forced
10 do so by his arrest. The arrest was
as unexpected 70 him as the shooting
was and he was more surprised that his
wife should make her accusation Of at
tempted murder than he was that she
should shoot herself.
Il is further understood that the de-
Tense viii 90 back in the history of the
family and attempt 10 prove that at the
tine Of the death Of Briswalter from
blood poisoning Mrs. Griffith threatened
10 take her life; that suicide had been in
her mind for many years.
On the other hand the prosecution is far