New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-10
Mrs. F. H. Griffin Revived
with Smelling Salts
Both Held for Fraud.
HUSBAND ASSERTS
THEY'LL NOT FLEE
Alleged "Swindle" by Using
Mails Melted Couple 100000,
Ii Is Said.

Never fear about Us. we won't run
away; we haven't got anything to run
away FROM said Francis n. Griffin
lawyer. VINO with his wife is charged
with using the mails 10 defraud many
persons of sums estimated at not less
than 10000 He was in the bail room OF
the Criminal Courts Building yesterday
arranging for the release of his wife.
Clara II. Griffin. in $3.50 bail on an in
dic;ment charging grand larceny for al
legged converting TO her own use OF 800
obtained on npte Of Gustave F.. Walters,
of l57 East 44th ST
Previously the Griffns. who were ar
rested in Groton. Mass. on Friday. had
pleaded not guilty 10 an indictment in the
federal court charging use OF the mails
10 defraud. and had furnished bail for
their appearance ON May IS Griffin fur
nished sureties for $40 900 and Mrs. Griffin
sureties for $1,000 relative of Griffin,
who lives in Brooklyn. arranged with the
National Surety Company TO provide bail.
Mrs. Griffin was frigidly cool during the
proceedings In Judge Mayors court while
Shields TO order her release on bail and
while before Judge Malone, in the County
Court, but she collapsed while the pail
papers were being prepared in the state
case. Her husband sent an attendant for
smelling salts. and as soon as the bond
was signed she left the court with him
in a taxicab FOR Brooklyn
In their plea TO the federal indictments,
in which II is charged they falsely repre-
scented that they had a large and profit
able business reporting secret inquiries
Of the government. thereby obtaining
large sums of money. Abel !. Smith jr.,
Of 80 Church st, their counsel. obtained
a fortnight in which to change their plea
If he so decides He said that he knew
so little of the case that he could not say
what would be done However, he as
serted that Mr.. Griffin assures me he
has a perfect defence. and | believe him.
From other sources II was learned that
the Griffins will concede that many per
sons gave TO them large sums of money
for business purposes, and that much
of this has not been repaid and prob
ably will not be. but that these transac-
tons were not criminal or tainted with
fraud in any way. They will contend, 1t
is said, that any action that might lay
against either would be Of a civil nature.
Griffin also denies that there was any
effort on the part Of himself or his wife
TO hide.
Griffin. who is a Yale graduate and has
been prominent in club and social uplift
work. had offices in the Liberty Tower
Building He was a prominent figure in
the Federal Building, having served in
many bankruptcy cases as receiver or
trustee his standing with the federal
judges being Of the best.
In Mr.. Whitman's Office, where he had
several intimate friends. including
classmate. he also stood we'll This, how
ever. did not prevent that office from in
vestigating complaints In only one,
however, was sufficient evidence found to
warrant an indictment-a transaction in
which Gustave Z. Walters, an electrical
contractor, contends he lost $4,000
According TO the story Walters told the
District Attorneys office, he gave Mrs.
Griffin his check for $1,000 in return for
one of her husbands for a similar
amount. ms CnSth came bdNh uiibeiN'
He charges that she then offered TO get
the money for him if he would indorsc
an accommodation note. He did so, and
the note was discounted. The proceeds,
however, did not reach him. he says
Thus, though he is out $500, no action
can be had on the first transaction, which
was within the law.
According 10 the stories told in the
Federal Building, the Griffns, by repre-
sentng that they had large contracts
with the government, were enabled 10
obtain large sums. The nature OF the
work required absolute secrecy, they said.
and paid big returns. Profits of % per
cent were said 10 be possible. Investors
got their money back with large interest
one investor was relied upon to get
others into the scheme.
The heaviest local investor according
10 the postoffice authorizes, was Miss G..
y. Cronyn, who maintains stenographic
bureau in Brooklyn and was at one time
in the late Mayor Gaynor's employ. She
put $4,000 into the business and got back
$4,000 The largest according 10 the
same authority, is a Boston fnancier, who
put I'D 800 900. and who is quoted as say
ing that II would be worth as much more
for him not to figure In the case. 1t is
intimated that he is associated in big
shoe machinery company
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