New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-20
GRIFFINS TO FACE
DUPES in COURT
Man and Wife to Hear
Sentence Pronounced
as SWindlers.

Frsnci, H. Griffin, lawyer, social
worker and society man, with his wife,
will be sentenced by Judge William
n. Pope in the Federal Court to-day
for swindling friends of their savings,
totalling in the neighborhood of $780,
COO. Many women who were duped by
the pair will be In the courtroom when
sentence is passed.
Yesterday Mrs. Griffin was arraigned
before Judge Grain in the Court OF
Special Sessions, where she again
pleaded guilty through her attorney
George Gordon Battle. 10 three in
dictments charging grand larceny in
the first degree. She was remanded TO
the Tombs until Thursday, when SEN
tence will be passed upon her.
From the 1ombs yesterday, where
they have been detained since January
>, when they were brought here in
custody OF federal Secret Service
agents from Colorado Springs, where
they fed after forfeiting their bail,
Griffin sent out word that he had no
statement TO make. He promised one,
however, 1T 1890 this morning, the
hour set for his appearance az the
Federal Building. Il is believed that
he will avail himself OF an oppor-
tunity 10 address the court when
asked il there is any reason why sen
tence should not be passed upon MN;
When arraigned Monday he asserted
that ne was equally guilty with MS
wife. and wished to share her pun
q
attorney, on that occasion SAID mat
Mrs. Griffin had assumed most Of the
blame.
"Tbe pleas that Mrs. Griffin sue
crn,bed 10 temptation because OF her
r,otber's md sisters illness is abso-
iu.oIv false" woman who lost all her
eav;nps in the fake stenographic bureau
said yesterday. "Mrs. Holland, Mrs.
Cr;fon's mother, was a well, hearty
woman until the latter part OF 1917,
and Mabel. the sister, was well ana
nIaved golf and attended TO many social
duties until 1918, when she was hrs'
taken i'll. 80. r.,.,.
"Nrs. Griffin asked me in 1906, think
+. vas 10 finance for her the steno-
oranbic work involved in government
trust Investigations. She referred me
TO Mr.. Griffin. saying that he knew the
people with whom she was dealing ahu
ali about the matter. went 70 her
husband. and it was entirely upon, MS
assurance that the business was abso-
Iutely sound and that the people were
nerfectly reliable that put my money
in the venture. The expression ne
used was: It's as safe as the Bank OF
England; your money can't be iost'
In court this morning some OF the
women who will listen TO the sentence
as il is passed upon the Griffins WIZ De
Miss Christine \. Cronyn, former sec
retarv to Mayor Gsynor, whose invest
menti' was about $4,000; Miss Mary l.
Kennedv' housekeeper for the, White
Rats, who put $4,000, sll she had IN
the Griffns' syndicate; two friends OF
Ms Kennedy. whose savings aggregat-
ed another $4,000, which they sunk IN
IN. venture and who have since oeeh
nenniless and dependent upon Mrs
Kennedy; Mrs. f. J. Baker, Of BALDWIN,
Long Island, said TO have lost apou'
s9b 900. and Mrs. A. Norman, sister
in-law of Griffin, who was not spared
Otber persons. with the possible excep-
ton Of the New Haven millionaire VINO
lost heavily, are expected at the court
room.