Elliott R. Giffin 1852-1920

GIFFIN, HAYWARD, RODGERS

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 10/21/2014 at 00:24:07

E.R. Giffen Dies In Flame
Remains Found in Basement of Home at Ringsted After Fire Destroyed Home
He May Have Been Murdered
Sheriff and County Attorney Are There Investigating Wild Rumors Afloat in Little City
The little city of Ringsted is all wrought up today over a fire which occurred there this morning in the E.R. Giffin home which is at the edge of the city. No one knows the origin of the fire, but there are some ugly rumors, and the fact that the remains of E.R. Giffin were found in the basement only lends more feeling and excitement in the place.

The fire was well under way when it was discovered that there was no chance of saving the place. As soon as the fire was noticed and before the flames had abated, a search was made for Mr. Giffin. As soon as the fire was out men began to search for the remains. They were found in the basement. While the body was badly burned, marks and the teeth made identification certain. There was some debris under the body when found, indicating that he was not in the basement when the fire first started, and the indications were he was lying on the floor and that he was dressed at the time of the fire. It is thought by those who know him and his business affairs that there was no money in the house. However, there was a safe in the house and this contained some valuable papers and it was found open after the fire. At this time there is no opportunity to get details of the affair and only rumors can be heard. Sheriff Nivison and Atty. Kennedy were called and it is possible there will be an inquest held.

The Giffin family came into prominence some time ago when a son of Mr. Giffin, we believe, and his wife had some trouble over the children. This has no connection, with the present affair, however, as far as known. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, October 13, 1920)

Terrible Ringsted Tragedy
E.R. Giffin Farm Home Burned With Occupant
Remains Unidentified
Thought to be Those of Mr. Giffin – Ugly Rumors Are Afloat
A terrible tragedy occurred at Ringsted early this morning which has upset that neighborhood and which has called the county attorney, county sheriff and county coroner to the scene. At about two a.m. neighbors living close to the E.R. Giffin farm home which is just outside the city limits of Ringsted on the main road from Armstrong, were awakened and found the home to be in flames. The neighbors quickly spread the alarm but by the time the crowd gathered the house was in ruins. Upon searching the ruins, the remains of a human being was found in the basement of the house. They were so badly burned and disfigured that it is impossible to identify them at the time we go to press, but they are supposed to be those of Mr. Giffin.

Mr. Giffin has had the reputation in the past of being very secretive, having little to do with his neighbors. Therefore it is hard to learn whether he was staying in the house alone on this night or not. If it is not his body, then there is still deeper mystery to the affair, as he lived alone. He was not a popular man in the neighborhood and there are some ugly rumors afloat in that city as to the cause of the fire. Excitement is high in the little city and it is hard to get at the straight of the matter.

Mr. Giffin was a man about 65 years old. He was the father of Grant Giffin, who created a lot of excitement several months ago when he attempted to kidnap his wife and children in Illinois. His whereabouts at the present time are unknown. The Giffins, as stated before, were not what you could call popular in the Ringsted vicinity and were known to have many bitter enemies.

The county officials left this city about ten o’clock this morning to take charge of the affair and at the time we go to press, have not been returned, so it is impossible to get the official version.

The house where the tragedy occurred stands on the south side of the Armstrong-Ringsted road just before you make the first turn into the city. Mr. Giffin was a man of considerable wealth, it was reported. Whatever the truth may be, it is a terrible affair and we will have a detailed account in our next issue. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, October 13, 1920)

Giffen Case Continued To The Grand Jury
The case of Grant Giffen, who is being held for the murder of his father at Ringsted two weeks ago, was set for hearing at the court house yesterday. Mr. Giffen was sick at the time and the case continued until the grand jury meets in the coming term of court. The case is attracting a great deal of attention and the authorities are working hard to get the necessary evidence in shape for the case. The outcome is being eagerly awaited by the people of this community. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, October 27, 1920)

G. Griffin [Giffin] Held For Murder of Father
Was Killed and Cremated
Son’s Action Is Cause of His Arrest; Case at Ringsted Will Be Hard Fought
Special to The Gazette
Estherville, Oct. 29 – Grant Griffin, charged with murdering and cremating his aged father, Elliot Griffin, of near Ringsted in this county, waived preliminary hearing. He was represented by his attorney, J.E. Williams of Mason City.

The murdered man lived as a recluse. Flames attracted his neighbors, whom he had avoided, to his home. After the house was destroyed the body was discovered under a pile of wood in the cellar. A piece of his skull had been loosed from his head, presumably by a blunt instrument, an examination showed.

A gun was found near the body. No doubt exists that the man, 80 years old, had been murdered and that the slayer set fire to the house to escape detection. The appearance of the son, under arrest, at the home of his father after a long absence a few days before the crime was committed threw suspicion his way.

Yesterday the son was bound over to the district court to await the action of the grand jury. A special attorney has been retained to assist the state in the prosecution. The grand jury will convene on Nov. 3.

The case will be a hard fought one. Both the dead father and the accused son were wealthy. The murdered man was peculiar in his demeanor and was not popular in the community where he lived, it is said. That he was out of his head and that a deadly fear hovered him all through the six years he resided alone is the contention of his neighbors.

A few days before the murder he went to the bank in Ringsted and took out some of his valuable papers. He feared, he said, that somebody was after them. He wanted to get in touch with his son Grant, the man under arrest, it is said, for the purpose of getting him to protect the property.

Recluse Was Mysterious
There was always an air of mystery about the old man’s movements. He talked little and never about his past life. He came to this community from Joliet, Ill. He lived near the penitentiary there and often employed convict labor.

It is said he was a hard master and that he incurred the enmity of some of those convicts, that some of them uttered threats against him. Many believe that he came here because of his fear that those would be carried out.

A theory which may enter into the defense of the son is that some one of these ex-prison inmates may have murdered the old recluse, from whom, it has been ascertained no money was taken after the crime.

The suspicion of the son was heightened by his failure to attend the funeral of his father and the apparent attempt on his part to flee the state. He was captured at Algona where he had registered under an assumed name. This is one of the links in the chain of circumstantial evidence wound about him.

Griffin, the defendant, however, insists that he has registered under an assumed name for the past year for the purpose of escaping officers who are trying to serve certain papers on him in connection with a divorce action brought against him by his wife in Illinois. (Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA, October 29, 1920)

Did Convict Kill Recluse?
Estherville, Ia., Nov. 3 – Mystery surrounds the murder of Elliot Griffin who was cremated in his home, altho his son has been arrested for the crime. The strongest evidence against the son is that he failed to attend the funeral of his father and appeared to be making an attempt to leave the state under an assumed name. He claims this was to escape service of divorce paper s by his wife. Griffin formerly lived in Joliet and frequently hired convicts to do his work and was an abusive taskmaster and the claim is advanced by the son’s attorneys that some convict killed the aged recluse out of revenge. (Burlington Gazette, Burlington, IA, November 3, 1920)

Grant Giffin was indicted on three charges, murder, arson and robbery. As we understand the matter this case will not come for trial until next term of court . . . (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, November 10, 1920)

Giffin Witnessed His Father’s Death
Estherville, Iowa, Nov. 19 – Grant Giffin, indicted for the murder of his father, will tell the jury which tries him here Jan. 25 that his parent died from injuries received in falling down the cellar stairs. He, himself, fled from the house after the incident fearing he would be accused of murder.

The son’s defense was made public today for the first time.

He declares that calling upon his father at his home, his parent gave him a rifle to try out. When he returned he discovered his father had fallen down cellar.

Giffin says he rushed down cellar and tried to stop the flow of blood by seizing a rug and holding it to his father’s head.

Then fearing that he would be suspected of crime he fled from the house.

The defense expects to prove that a blunt-edged instrument would not crack a man’s skull on both sides and that the old man’s skull was cracked by striking the cellar steps.

An insanity plea will also be offered by Giffin’s attorneys it is said. – Des Moines Register (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, November 24, 1920)

County Attorney F.J. Kennedy of Estherville, accompanied by a state agent, was in town Saturday gathering up some of the loose threads in the Giffin case. Mr. Kennedy was in Illinois last week securing further evidence in the case. As the case comes up in the January term of court, after Mr. Kennedy’s term of office expires, the new county attorney, Mr. Bammer, will prosecute the case, but Kennedy, who has worked up the case and is familiar with it, will be retained and will aid in the prosecution of the case, as will state agents from the attorney generals office. – Ringsted Dispatch (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, December 8, 1920)

[Lengthy account of trial: Estherville Enterprise, February 2 and 9, 1921/ Vindicator and Republican, February 2, 1921/ Estherville Democrat, February 2, 1921)

Grant Giffin Gets Life Term
After the Motion for New Trial Was Over-ruled Giffin Was Given Life Sentence By Court
. . .In the afternoon session after Atty. Williams had made a – argument in behalf of the defendant, Giffin, and Atty. Kennedy had made his argument in behalf of the State, the court over ruled the motion for a new trial in the Giffin case in which he set out the fact that the defendant had had a fair trial and that a jury of his countrymen had found him guilty of the highest crime of his country, he was asked to arise and receive his sentence. On being asked if he knew of any reason why he should not receive his sentence Giffin said he had nothing to say. The judge then gave him the sentence prescribed by the jury, that of life. The defendant received the sentence without any emotion whatsoever. As is usually said, he received it without the batting of an eye. After the sentence a few minutes elapsed which were spent in consultation with his attorney, Williams when he was taken to his usual place of confinement. Sheriff Nivison left on the following morning with Giffin for Fort Madison where he will commence his sentence of life at once. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, February 23, 1921)

Grant Giffin is Now In Pen
Sheriff Nivison and George Case Returned Last Week After Turning Giffin Over to Officers
Sheriff Nivison arrived home last Friday evening from Fort Madison where he had been with Grant P. Giffin who was recently sentenced from here to serve life for the murder of his father at Ringsted. Geo. Case, who went with him, did not return until Saturday evening. Mr. Nivison says Giffin was good natured all the way down and caused no trouble. He seemed care free and acted like he was glad the ordeal was over and he was to soon settle down to his daily duties for the remainder of his life. They left here at 9 o’clock in the morning and got to the pen at just 12 o’clock, so close to 12 that it was hard to know which day to enter him. After Giffin was registered he was soon taken by guards and Nivison and Case had their job completed and started for home. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, March 2, 1921)

Per Will County, Illinois bio: born in Will County, Il., in 1852. Son of John E. Giffin and Cynthia Rodgers Giffin. Married Hattie Hayward September 19, 1882.