New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-09
EASY" $25O,OOO
LOST in WALL ST.
Young Husband and Wife,
Arrested on Fraud Charge,
Have Nothing Left.
WOMAN ACCUSED AS
BRAINS OF PLOT
She and Lawyer Indicted as
Principals in Stenographic
Syndicate Swindle.

The arrest Yesterday in Groton, Mass.
Of Francis H. Griffin and his wife. Clara
II. Griffin, Of this city. on federal In
dictment charging the use OF the mails 10
defraud, revealed. according TO the
United States authorities, "get-rich-
quick" swindle that is said to nave
netted Griffin anu his wife about "a quar-
ter of million dollars in the last SIX
wears. They got il from their friends ana
friends OF their friends. and then los'
most of it in Wall Street, it is alleged.
Griffin was a lawyer and a graduate OF
Yale. class of 90 His wife was a
stenographer before he married her down
on Long Island. in 1907. They moved IN
excellent society and spent money Freely
Then, it is charged. they began TO IN
terest their friends in plan to make
plenty Of money. The plan Is said 70
have been Mrs. Griffin's. Mr.. grimm
locked after the Wall Street investments.
II was to form a stenographic syndicate
that was TO do work at high priced con-
tracts for the government in its invesu-
cations OF trusts.
Last winter subscriptions began to fan
and there was no money for dividends.
Trouble began 10 brew Mrs. Griffin had
signed notes aggregating thousands OF
dollars and clients were pressing her
hard. They moved from the Great North
ern Hotel TO the Hotel Manhattan. and
then Mrs Griffin fell i'll. She was so III
that every one was barred from seeing
her.
Last March. the hotel people say, the
Griffins decamped without baggage
owing 81, 900 10 the hotels and 500 TO a
stenographer. Complaints were MADE 10
the postal authorities here, and their IN
dictment followed. They were taken from
Groton 10 Boston and held in $1,000 bail
each for trial in this city.
one OF the alleged dupes was Miss c.
y. Cronyn. OF a Court st. Brooklyn, one
time secretary to Mayor Gaynor. She
lost about $1,000 Others were Mrs. Il. j.
Barker, Of Baldwin. Long Island. and
Mrs. Charles II. Dale, of the Hotel
Gotham, who is now in Europe. She Is
said 10 have invested $4,000. John T.
Boyd, OF Newark, was another who lost
heavily Miss Mary Kennedy, house
keeper at the White Rats clubhouse, sub
scribed 5000 and induced her friends to
subscribe 5000 more. Miss Kennedy
knew Griffin when he was boy In
Springlield. Mass. He was the son OF
clergyman and his family connection
was unquestionably high for generations
back, she said. She also knew Mrs
Griffin, who was Miss Clara n. Holland
Of Belchertown, Mass.
In getting people to invest the Griffins
did not solicit the wealthy alone, al
though they got most of their haul from
their roneyed friends here and In
Greenwich, Conn. \ number OF well-to-
do persons in New England were induced
to invest To the skeptical II was eX-
planned that the reason they did not go
to the banks for their money 10 run the
stcnographers syndicate was because
the banks where they would be likely to
get money were interested in the trusts
which the government was to investigate.
AS security for the loans they gave
notes. most of which were signed by
Mrs. Griffin and when the crash came
proved worthless.
Griffin appeared TO be a silent partner
in the scheme. He apparently permitted
his wife to operate IT, Meanwhile he was
apparently doing a good law practice at
50 Liberty ct. and taking flyers in Wall
Street. The Assistant United States At
torney who had charge of the indictment
Of the couple here was unable to locate
any Of their assets.
Grifn's reputation as a lawyer brought
him several trusteeships and receiver
ships in bankruptcy cases in the federal
courts He is said to have been recon-
mended TO these Jobs by some OF the per-
sons who later lost large amounts in the
enterprise. Federal authorities refused
last night TO give out the names Of promi-
nent New York and New England losers.
The investigation OF the case was con-
Quoted by Postofhce Inspectors Swain
and Mathew.