Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-18
SHOOTS WIFE DEAD
Man Then Turns Revolver on
Self, Ending Life.
MARRIAGE WAS UNHAPPY
Mrs. John Griffin Had Gone to
Household to Effect Reconciliation.
QUARREL FOLLOWS ATTEMPT
Passerby, Who Tries to Grab Pistol
From Husband, Has a
Close Call.
QUARREL FOLLOWS ATTEMPT

Mrs. John Griffin; who had four little
| chlidren, went to n houseboat lying in the
rlVer at Half and V streets southwest
yesterday afternoon confident that she
could patch up the trouble which had sep
arated her from her husband All she
got Tor her optimism was two bullets
ana the husband then turned the revolver
toward his own head and sent a bullet
crashing into his brain. John Draper of
Oh 1Ith street southeast came within
lew inches of sudden death also when he
stepped between Mrs. Griffin and her hus-
Dands smoking revolver. AS 1t was, the
bullet tore through his coat directly over
the heart, but did not touch his body
The shooting, 1t is declared, was the
elimination of the old story of hus-
bands brutality to a wife, aggravated by
constant habits of drink Mrs. Griffin
lived at Beltsville, Md, in her childhood
days and was so bright as a girl that she
was adopted by family who lived in An
acostia. Later she met John Griffin and
married him. That was nine years ago,
and in that time they have had four chill
dren.
Children Sent to Asylum.
For year or two the husband was all
that he should have been. However the
drink habit appeared early in their mar
rled life. The neighbors say he abused
the woman, especially when getting over
a spree. In spite Of this, Mrs. Griffin,
hoping for the best at all times, stuck to
him. 1t became necessary not long ago
to nave the children placed in an orphan
asylum, as the father did nothing for
their support it is said.
John Griffin wandered away from his
wife, and spent much of his time on Or
near the river. He had a habit of living
on an old houseboat owned by Arthur
Crouch, and it was there that his wife
called to see him yesterday.
With the faith of wife, Mrs. Griffin
told her friends yesterday she expected
to bring her husband back to her that
day. She had been working in hotel,
had a steady job annd dollar or two be-
Sides She had made up her own mind
that it was time she helped her husband
out of the rut. -
So she put on what finery she had. in
GLIDING a bit of green for ST. Patrick,
and started for Arthur Crouch's house
boat. She was confident that her steady
position would help a long way toward
settling the differences. Probably no one
knows what the conversation between the
two on the houseboat was, for the next
seen of Mrs. Griffin she was walking
away from the boat John Draper. VINO
had SO close call with Griffin's bullet,
saw her walking up the street, with her
husband a short distance behind her: 1t
was evident they had not left the boat
together.
Draper saw the man had a pistol and
started for him. Mrs. Griffin heard an
angry word behind her, and was surpris-
ed, on turning around, to see her husband
armed. Draper was struggling with
Griffin, who broke away and shouted at
his wife:
I'll fix you."
Woman Falls Dead.
Then he fired, and the woman who had
come to bring her husband home again
fell dead.
And I'll shoot you,'' he shouted at
Draper. A second shot. intended for
Draper. cut through his coat, and then
Griffin ran forward to where his dead
wife lay and shot her again in the head.
Then he raised the weapon to his temple
and shot himself. He appeared to be
trying to shoot himself in the head again,
but the last bullet entered his chest.
Draper did not know he had come so
close to death until a friend George
Adams, pointed out the bullet hole in his
coat.
Both the bodies were sent to the
,ooro,,o Thay will he hurled fopefher-