New Britain herald., 1916-08-23
VANISHES ON EVE
 0F HIS WEDDING
PlainVille Young Man Mysterious
 ly Absent Since Saturday RELATIVES FEAR SUICIDE
Find Empty Cartridge Box in Home He Had Prepared for B1ide-Ap- peared to Be Under Nervous Strain Vain Search Made.

peared to Be Under Nervous Strain Vain Search Made
 Shatter1ng of pretty romance | which was to have eliminated in a wedding in a newly furnished cottage on Whiting street came to light today with the news that the bridegroom Perlie Griffin has been missing since Saturday, the day fixed for the happy event. The bride to be, Miss Grace Bates of Syracuse, who came here from her home city last week to be married, is grief stricken and can offer explanation for the absence of her fiance Discovery this morn ing in the house on Whiting street of an empty cartridge box, apparently but recently opened, offers the sinis- ter suggestion that the young man may have committed suicide on the eve of the wedding.
 According to the statement of rela- lives of Griffen, all arrangements were perfected for the wedding Saturday evening and some of the guests, friends of the young man, had ap- peared at the house when it was de- cided to postpone the event owing to H IL. Those who had gathered were quietly excused and word was sent to Rev. Harry I. Bodley, rector of St. Marks Episcopal church in New Britain, who was to have performed the ceremony, that his presence would not be re- uured for a time
 Mrs Hayden Griffin of 95 East Main street, sister-in-law of the miss 1rg man, stated to a Herald reporter this morning in answer to a query concerning the postponed wedding that Perlie or Jack" as he was more familiarly known to his relatives and close friends, was apparently the happiest man in the world Friday evening, the night before his dis appearance. He had been keeping bachelors quarters at the cottage on Whiting street, but was invited that evening to have supper at the home Of his brother-in law with whom Miss Bates, the bride-to-be was stopping.
 This he gladly consented to do and the young couple spent a most pleas ant evening. Thursday evening, the night before, Mrs. Hayden Griffen gave a shower in honor of Miss Bates and later in the evening the whole party adjourned to the cottage on Whiting street, taking the presents with them.
 Early Saturday morning Griffen was about attending to details of his we'd ding and shortly before 8 o'clock boarded a trolley for New Britain This was the last seen of him. No fears were expressed until nearly neon when Mrs. Griffin's son reported to his m mOther that Jack was missing and could not be found at the Whiting street house, which was unlocked. Mrs. Griffin remarked that the young man was probably making plans for inc wedding and no doubt would show up in the afternoon. But evening came and Griffin could not be located.
 While the bride became somewhat apprehensive over the long delay not the slightest doubt was entertained that he would appear at the house at o'clock the hour set for the we'd ding, but when he failed to ma terialize at the appointed time, it was decided to quietly excuse the guests and Hayden Griffin, brother of the missing man, together with his son in stituted a silent search They visited his known haunts without result and at length were forced to give up the search until Sunday, when 1t was re- sumed. All Sunday they spent in vain search for the missing bridegroom going to Bristol where he worked as machine hand in the New Departure factory, and later visiting New Britain. Possessed of the widest fears for Griffin's safety, but unable to obtain a single clue that would lead to knowledge Of his whereabouts the chase was at length abandoned.
 Color to the theory that he may have committed suicide Is given not only by the discovery today of the empty cartridge box but in a way to Griffins somewhat uneasy actions the night before the wedding was to have occurred. His sister-in-1aw noticed kut did not remark on the matter al the time that the young man was ex- tremely nervous and appeared to be laboring with some kind Of mental trouble although keeping up the ap- pearance of pleasure while in the presence of his sweetheart, who seemingly did not notice anything out of the way.
 Miss Bates is still the guest of her fances relatives, but owing to grief over the disappearance of Griffin could not be interviewed. She ne- came acquainted with the missing man about a year ago in Syra cuse and while the young man was at work in Bristol, they kept up a constant cor respondence and occasionally he vis- ited her. Last week when arrange nents for the wedding were perfected