Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-28
DEEP MYSTERY
SURROUNDS THE
DOUBLE TRAGEDY
That George Griffith Was Muir
dered by Third Party Is
Belief of Many.
REAL MURDERER AT LARGE
Ed Husband Poison His Wife and
Meet RetrlbUtion at Hands Of
Former Lover?

Mysterious circumstances sur
round the Griffith tragedy, in which
man and a woman we're Thursday
night found dead in a room at 2029
Fourth avenue, both OF them with bui-
let holes In the head. Conflicting evi-
dence introduced at the coroner's in
Quest has led many 10 the belief that
a third party was implicated in the
crime. Is il possible that an unknown
man or woman committed a double
murder and then made an escape?
This fact remains to be determined.
HEARS FIVE SHOTS.
Shortly before II O'Clock Thursday
night. May Wilson, a colored woman
VINO resides just across the hall from
the death chamber. heard two revol-
yer shots Then followed a pause of
perhaps a minute. Three shots then
rang out in the night. Almost para
lyzed with fear. Mrs. Wilson was un
able to move for several minutes. She
then stepped around the hall and list
ened. but heard nothing. Afterwards
she slipped around to the side of the
house and tried TO peer into the
slaughter room, then listened for sew
era. minutes, and hearing nothing re.
turned 10 the front of the house, push
cd open the door and amidst the haze
OF powder smoke perceived the body
OF George Griffith, lying is a pool of
blood, with three bullet wounds ia the
head A 3S-calibre revolver lay with
in few inches Of, the dead mans
hand. On the bed at the side Of the
room, lay the inert form OF Mrs. Crit
fifth, still clothed but covered up to-
the head A new travelling bag stood
in n corner Of the room. already
packed.
MAN LEAVING.
A brand new fedora hat, the property
OF the dead man, lay within few feet
OF the CHASTITY face The rim OF the
hat was punctured by a bullet hole.
II was evident that Griffith had de-
termined 20 leave his wife forever,
and had decided that the perpetua.
uuarrelihR and pickering must come
60 an end II is hardly probable that
Griffith. having determined to leave,
and with his grip all packed. would re-
turn 10 shoot his wife and would then
kin himself II was unnecessary for
him 10 die I'm order to place behind
him forever. the life which he had led.
Another course was open to him, that
Of leaving his wife, and he had evi.
IDENTIFY determined to do so.
THREE VITAL WOUNDS.
Griffith was shot three times
through the right cheek, through the
right ear aad in the center of the fore
head The gun he used was not even
an automatic Was IL possible, If he
had turned the weapon on himself tC
pull the trigger twice after the first
shot had penetrated his brain? Would
be not have been rendered uncon
scious after the first shot? The po
lice stated that in their opinion, the
man fell 10 the floor after the frs
bullet was fired. Is It probable tina
he could have shot himself twice il
different places, after the first bulle
had takea effect in a vital spot?
SIGNS OF STRUGGLE.
Both Of Grihith's eyes were black
eued and bruised, as though he hat
hll-hhfA III a AbhAbeAAs ~ oNAAe
wound in the forehead was small ant
o.ean. leaving no trace OF powder
burns Had the gun been presse,
against the forehead by the man him
self, It is very likely that the bulle
would have made a gaping wound, an
that there would have been powde
burn traces But such was not tn
case The hole was small and clean
and from outward appearances. tn
shot had been fired from a distance.
STRAY SHOT FIRED.
There we're five chambers in tn
gun. but four Of which were empty
The colored woman testified unde
oath that she heard five shots. Tn
bed. i'm which the woman lay, stand
close 20 a chimney, and the surfac
OF the bed clothing was covered wit
scot The police believe the SCOT wa
precipitated when a stray bull'
struck the chimney. Did a third pa
y shoot at Griffith, the bullet ploy
ing through his hat and striking III
chimney? Is it possible that han
TO hald conflict ensued, during II
course Of which Griffith's eyes WEI
blackened? Is Il possible that Gri
nth was finally felled to the floor an
the real murderer shot him thre
times? This remains a mystery. or
fact remains. that five shots were fl
ed and that there were only four EN-
" chambers in the gun which we
found beside the dead body OF Gri
fifth.
WAS SHE POISONEDf
When the police arrived Oh II
scene, Mrs. Griffith was frothing
the mouth and Night Captain Krame