Smyrna times., 1906-11-21
SMYRNA WOMAN VICTIM OF
BOLD HIGHWAY ROBBERY
MISS ELVA GRIFFIN, MANAGER OF DIAMOND
STATE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE HELDUp.
Was On Her Way to Supper When She Was
AccOsted By Oscar Richardson, a COlored
Lad and Relieved of Her Satchel.


AccOsted By Oscar Richardson, a CoIored
Lad and Relieved of Her SatcheI.
A bold highway robbery took place
on Main street in this town Friday
evening when Miss Elva Griffin, mana
ger of the Diamond State Telephone
Exchange, was held up by Oscar Rich
ardson, a colored lad of Is years, in
front of Thomas q. Wilson's agricul-
tural implement store and relieved of
her handsatchel containing about So in
money, her desk keys and other things.
Miss Griffin had just left the Office and
was on her way to supper and as was
her custom she stopped on the way for
her father, Mr.. John Griffin, who is
employed at Wilson's store. She was
almost in sight of her father when the
colored boy, who had been following
close behind her down the street, saw
his opportunity and snatching her
satchel ran down the lane back of
Grieves Livery Stable. Miss Griffin is
a cripple and IN her helpless condition
she could do nothing TO defend her
self. She however, gave a scream
which brought her father and several
others to her side, who upon learning
what had happened set in persuit of
the colored boy. Indignation was rife
over the affair and it was feared that
the boy would be dealt with severely.
Highwayman Caught After An Exciting Chase.
After an exciting chase he was caught
by Mary Butcher Daniels, a coIored
girl, who held him until Mr.. Griffin
arrived. The youthful highwayman
was then taken to the store of Thomas
Wilson where he was held until Con-
stable Jones arrived. In the mean
time he handed over little purse con-
tanning between forty and fifty cents to
Mr.. Griffin but refused to state what
he had done with therest of the money.
He was arraigned before Magistrate
Cummins, found guilty and held in
$500 bail for his appearance at court.
In default he was committed to the
custody of Constable Jones with in
structions to take him to Dover Jail.
He was put in the Smyrna Lookup
until the next day. During the night
or rather the wee hours of the morn
ing Constable Jones decided upon a
little detective work and went to the
cell of the colored boy bent on finding
what was done with the money and
the keys, the latter being especially
needed by Miss Griffin in that she was
without any means of access to her
desk. Still Oscar maintained his same
defiant attitude and would not divulge
the secret hiding place of the stolen
articles. Finally Constable Jones
worked upon his feelings and toward
daybreaklthe colored prisoner told him
that if he would go to Bill Richardson 8
stable on Fisher street and look under
the manger he would find the satchel
and keys. This Constable Jones did
and before breakfast Miss Griffin was
handed the satchel containing eighty.
five cents and keys. The money was
still 1915 short of the amount in the
satchel when snatched from her the
night before. The lad was taken tc
Dover Saturday afternoon.
An Example Must Be Made of the Boy.
There is more or less speculation al
to what punishment will be melted on
i. to the boy. Many are hoping GOOD
example will be made of the case while
some think the boy is too young to b
severely punished. At any rate it wa
an objectionable affair. Miss Grifil
was helpless woman and works har,
for her living and that she or any lad,
cannot walk our streets without DANCE
of being held up and robbed is de
plorable state of affairs and needs to b
made an object lesson of by our Super
Tor Court. Several cases of simila
character have been perpetrated upoi
the women pedestrians of Smyrna tn
past year and the public is indignan
even to the point of having the Law
dealt out to its fullest extent with tn
hope of breaking it up. There ha
been much sympathy expressed TO
Miss Griffin.