The Savannah morning news., 1904-10-04
GRIFFIN WAS
DROWNED IN RIVER
GENERALLY BELIEVED NOW.
HE WAS SUFFERING FROM MANY
IMAGINARY ILLS.

|
Thought He Had Spent All of His
Money on the sunday He Disap-
pearcd, and borrowed $3.50 from
Friend-COmplained Constantly
That He Had Consumption.
With not so much as cents in his
pocket, suffering from many imagin-
airy ills, laboring under the impression
that he did not own money, although
he had over $500 at the Pulaski House,
E. H. Griffin walked down the stairs
at the Pulaski House last Sunday
night week ago between II o'clock
at night and o'clock in the morning
and was drowned in the Savannah
river.
Whether or not the drowning was
intentional will never be known. That
he was drowned there is now little
doubt. This is the only reasonable So
ance. This conclusion was reached by
a process of elimination, all other
theories having proven impracticable,
if not impossible.
When Mr., Griffin entered the Pu-
lash House Sunday night he was la
| boring under the belief that he did not
own a dollar in the world. This is
verified by statements which he made
during the day to Mr.. B. E. Andrews,
to whom he confided that he was
! broke, and borrowed money from Mr..
Andrews to pay a cabman. He had
n ln Of he
Pulaski House Saturday night and
had evidently forgotten it.
The theory of suicide by drowning
is supported by strong fabric of cir
| cumstances. chief among which is that
by no other means could the missing
man have disappeared without some
one knowing something about it,
Friends Believe Griffin Dead.
Friends of the missing man in Savan-
nah believe that he is dead. They as
sert positively that they believed he
committed suicide in a fit of despon-
dency which attacked him during his
rational periods. All during his stay
in Savannah Mr.. Griffin was constant
ly complaining that he had consump-
ton, and at such times would go into
violent fits of coughing.
He said he was determined to go to
California to try and regain his health.
He also said that there was something
wrong with his head. On numerous oc-
casons during his stay in Savannah
he was violently attacked by pains in
his head. at which times he would be
Frustrated. At such times he COM
10 nf Gho ir1G in hi
head. 1t developed that his injured
leg was occasioned by his falling out
of cab in one of these periods of un-
consciousness.
All Of his ills were exaggerated in his
imagination. He remarked several
times that his leg was broken. when
1t was really only bruised slightly. In
his more rational moments he could
walk fairly well without the aid of
crutches. He came to Savannah wear
ing a regular military Logging on the
leg which he claimed was broken. The
mate to this Logging was found in his
grip when it was opened by Mr.. r. A.
Griffin at the Central of Georgia Sta
ton before his departure for home Sun
day.
Caught Coming from Room.
On the Sunday on which he disap-
peared, Mr.. Griffin spent most of the
day at a friends residence. While he
was there a cabman who had served
him the night before, came to the
house for his pay. Mr.. Griffin ask
ed Mr.. Andrews, who was living at
the house, to lend him $3.50 that he
was busted" The money was pro-
duced and the cabman was paid.
Later in the evening, Mr.. Griffin
| asked Mr.. Andrews to accompany him
to his hotel. Mr.. Andrews did so, es-
corting him safely to his room leav-
| ing him as he commenced to undress.
Mr.. Andrews waited in the lobby of
| the hotel a few minutes, telling the
clerk on duty to keep an eye on Mr..
| Griffin. Just as he was leaving he
| was surprised to see Mr.. Griffin COM
| ing down stairs. He carried him back
| to his roome and left him. That
was the last time Griffin was seen.
The fact that Griffin did not pay
for the cab which carried he and Mr.
Andrews to the hotel, and that he did
not offer to repay the money he had
borrowed substantiates the belief that
he had forgotten about the money he
had deposited with the hotel clerk
The missing man had no means of
| procuring money other than that which
he had on deposit at the hotel. He
had no jewelry, not even cuffs but
| tons, to pawn. Without money he
could not have secured a ticket ont
of Savannah. Neither did he have
clothes other than those he had on.
Spoke often of Suicide.
In talking with a lady whom he had
known for years Mr.. Griffin often said
he thought the best thing for him to
do was to kill himself. He said he
had consumption, and that he had
bought pistols with which to kill him
self.
Those who were with Mr. Griffin
constantly during his stay here are
convinced now that he is dead. The
exact manner of his death is. of
course. mere conjecture. circumstances
pointing most strongly to drowning.
Had he shot himself, his body would
! have been discovered somewhere be-
fore this, II Is believed.
1t is anticipated that the body will
be discovered somewhere on the river
shortly IL it has not been carried to
sea. Instances have been known where
| bodies OF parties drowned in the river
| have not been recovered for several
weeks afterwards, and I'm some in
stances have never been recovered.
AS was stated In the Morning News
several days ago, Mrs. Griffin, the wife
Of the missing man. has put i'm a claim
for the money which was left with
the clerk Of the Pulaski House. The
money has been turned over to the
Ordinary. and Mrs. Griffin's claim is
In the hands of Attorney Shelby NY
rick. Mr.. Myrick has not yet deter
mined just what action will be taken
to gain possession Of the money.