Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-09-18
No Light ON MYSTERY
Des Moines Case Resembles the
Famous Cronin Murder
Case in Chicago
LOOKS LIKE A CONSPIRACY
Still No Trace of GriswoId'. Where
abouts After He is Supposed to Have
Left Munger Hotel-Not Certain He
Went to Bed in the Hotel After ALL
The Developments.
special to TImes-Republlcan,

Special to imes-Republlcan
Des Moines, Sept. 1S.-Thc develop
ments in the George r. Gr!swold MUIR
der case today are not such AS to shed
any light on the mystery of how or by
whom the murder was committed.
Theories are numerous and for the
time being everybody has turned de-
tective bent Theoretically at least on
solving the mystery which promises
to equal anything of the kind in the
country. The fact that ,iriswold's
hands were securely tied behind his
back and that there was no water on
his lungs makes it impossible to be-
lieve that he committed suicide.
That Griswold may have met his
untimely death as the result of asso-
citation with women is a Theory now
strongly advocated. Robbery as mo-
tive has been abandoned by the po-
lice. The suicide theory is scorned by
the mans relatives and friends. and
the only avenue left for speculation is
'IlluiI SSCIGl SIleDJlSS WERE HIS lIpuOlIlS.
Today it is said that while working
in his office Tuesday evening he re-
ceived a woman visitor, He registered
at the Munger hotel and retired. fDc-
cording to the night clerk, about II
o'clock, leaving a call for 2 o'clock.
The call was made but the clerk does
not remember seeing him leave. The
depot from which he would have left
for Omaha was but a block and a
half distance. His train would not
leave for forty-five minutes. but had
to cross several railroad tracks.
Physicians who performed the au-
topsy say the body had been in the
water but a few days. Accordingly
the detectives are firm in the belief
that Griswold was hidden, dead or
alive, for several days before being
thrown into the river. That he was
held alive and tortured to force re-
vealment of money is one suggestion.
The bow knot with which his hands
are tied is of such a nature as has
even suggested to the authorities that
a woman may have played a desperate
part in the affair. Intimate friends Of
Griswold say he had a wide and in
innate acquaintance with women.
The clerk at the Munger hotel is
somewhat confused in his statements
and it is said he is not now so sure as
to Griswald's occupancy of the room
on the night he disappeared. He says
he is sure that Griswald registered;
that he was assigned to room 20 short
~ after II o'clock and that he called
him about las. In his first statement
the clerk stated Griswold answered
the call and passed out the office a
Few minutes later. Now he is not sure
that Griswold went to the room, nor
is he certain that his call was an-
swered. The whole affair is shrouded
In the utmost secrecy and ii promises
to be another Cronin case, only it may
never be unraveled. 1t appears certain
there was a conspiracy as one man
could hardly have committed the crime
alone.
Griswold's movements have been
fully ascertained until 2 o'clock
Wednesday morning, which was per-
haps before he was made away with.
He left homes Tuesday evening after
eating supper expecting to leave for
q business trip to Omaha. at 2:25
o'clock in the morning He told his
family that he would get room at
some downtown hotel, so that he
might catch this early train con-
downtown. Mr.. Griswold
went to his office, where he worked at
until II O'clock. Then
he went to the postoffice where he
met another insurance man and a
friend OF long standing named Es-
SEX They talked in the postoffice
lobby for twenty-five minutes, dis.
cussing business matters. During this
talk Griswold pulled out his wallet
from his coat pocket to show Essex
some notes he was going to Omaha
to collect, and accidentally displaying
a roll of bills. The notes and a
book he put into the wallet
and put it back into his trousers
pocket After leaving Essex Griswola
went to the Munger hotel, and re-
tired 1t was closed at Las a. M.
and he left the hotel with his grip at
about o'clock for the F.osk Island
station, about two blocks away. That |
was the last seen of him alive. One
theory is that on his way to the Rock
island depot he was held up, and that |
his body was later disposed Of in the
Raccoon river, and then carried by the
current into the Des Moines river and |
washed ashore