chance in life," Fields was placed ontrial the next week and gave
= his version of the crime in his own behalf, following the lines of ~~
his confession and ndming Griffin as the instigator and triggerman
and he was convicted with a recmmmendeation to mercy and sentenced to
life imprisonment, Griffin was electrocuted at the Ohio State Prison
on September 15, 193, He went to his death calmly after sharing.
his last meal with his cousin, James Griffin, an inmate at the same
prison, who was serving a life sentence for first degree murder,
COLUMBUS DISPATCH, Columbus, Ohio, April 26, 1913; May 10, 1943; May
1l, 1943; May 13, 19433; May 1h,.19)3 (photograph in this edition);
May 18, 19433; May 19, 19433; May 20, 19,3; and September 16, 19k3
chance in life," Fields was placed ontrial the next week and gave
his version of the crime in his own behalf, following the lines of
his confession and ndming Griffin as the instigator and triggerman
and he was convicted with a regmmmendetion to mercy and sentenced to
lffe imprisonment. Griffin was electrocuted at the Ohio State Prison
on September 15, 193, He went to his death calmly after sharing.
his last meal with his cousin, James Griffin, an inmate at the same
prison, who was serving a life sentence for first degree murder,
COLUMBUS DISPATCH, Columbus, Ohio, April 26, 1943; May 10, 193; May
11, 19133 May 13, 1943; May 1),.1943 (photograph in this edition);
May 18, 1913; May 19, 1933; May 20, 1933; and September 16, 193
chance in life," Fields was placed ont rial the next week and gave
his version of the crime in his own behalf, following the lines of
his confession and ndming Griffin as the instigator and triggerman
and he was convicted with a recummendation to mercy and sentenced to
life imprisonment. Griffin was electrocuted at the Ohio State Prison
on September 15, 193, He went to his death calmly after sharing
his last meal with his cousin, James Griffin, an inmate at the same
prison, who was serving a life sentence for first degree murder,
COLUMBUS DISPATCH, Columbus, Ohio, April 26, 193; May 10, 1943; May
Ll, 19433 May 13, 1943; May 1h,.1943 (photograph in this edition);
May 18, 193; May 19, 1943; May 20, 19)3; and September 16, 19h3
I erviy tes sane for ee
oF a WLI, May 1p 19834 Har
Se i ty 19) my Bh aac te te
aj By Holby Aa By ALD4 Ha 2p 9
GRIFFIN, Erwin
Griffin, an 18-year-old black man, lived at 32 Galloway Ave., Colum-
bus, Ohio. On Thanksgiving Day, 1912, he and 28-year-old Lewis
Fields, also black, were broke and decided to rob a passerby on the
St, Clair Avenue viaduct, frequently used by railroad men going to
and from work, They accosted )\2eyear-old William C, Conkle, a white
engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad and Fields struck him over
the head with HWHMXXHKXEXKKA with a tree limb bo violently that the
Limb broke, Instead of falling to the ground, Conkle attempted to
run and Griffin shot him in the back. They were in. the process of
rifling his pockets when another railroad man approached and they
fled, The witness was able to positively identify both Griffin and
Fields and they were charged with the mrder, QANKKEAXAXKXKEKAK
attempting to prove that he was two miles away at the time of the
crime, planning another robbery. He was convicted without a reco-
mmendation of mercy and sentenced to die after his attorney made a
moving plea in which he maintained that Griffin hkhd "never had a
GRIFFIN, Erwin
Griffin, an 18-year-old black man, lived at 32 Galloway Awee, Colum-
bus, Ohio, On Thanksgiving Day, 1942, he and 28-year-old Lewis
Fields, also black, were broke and decided to rob a passerby on the
St. Clair Avenue viaduct, frequently used by railroad men going to
and from work, They accosted l2-year-old William C, Conkle, a white
engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad and Fields struck him over
the head with XWQHXRMKHEXKHA with a tree limb bo violently that the
limb broke. Instead of falling to the ground, Conkle attempted to
run and Griffin shot him in the back. They were in the process of
rifling his pockets when another railroad man approached and they
fled, The witness was able to positively identify both Griffin and
Fields and they were charged with the mrder, GQKAKKKAXAXXKKEKAH
Fields made a confession naming Griffin as the instigator of the
ropbery and charging him with having fired the fatal shot and they
were granted a severence for their trials, Griffin was placed on
trial first and he denied any knowledge of the crime, unsuccessfully
attempting to prove that he was two miles away at the time of the
crime, planning another robbery, He was convicted without a reco-
mmendation of mercy and sentenced to die after his attorney made a
moving plea in which he maintained that Griffin bhd "never had a
GRIFFIN, Erwin
Griffin, an 18-year-old black man, lived at 132 Galloway Aves, Colun-
bus, Ohio, On Thanksgiving Day, 198, he and 28-year-old Lewis
Fields, also black, were broke and decided to rob a passerby on the
St, Clair Avenue viaduct, frequently used by railroad men going to
and from work, They accosted \2-year-old William 6, Conkle, a white
engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad and Fields struck him over
the head with KWGXXKKG0KKA with a tree Limb bo violently that the
Limb broke, Instead of falling to the ground, Conkle attempted to
run and Griffin shot him in the back. They were in the process of
rifling his pockets when another railroad man approached and they
fled, The witness was able to positively identify both Griffin and
Fields and they were charged with the murder, preseencnr
Fields made a confession naming Griffin as the instigator of the
robbery and charging him with having fired the fatal shot and they
were granted a severence for their trials, Griffin was placed on
trial first and he denied any knowledge of the crime, unsuccessfully
attempting to prove that he was two miles away at the time of the
crime, planning another robbery. He was convicted without a reco-
mmendation of mercy and sentenced to die after his attorney made a
moving plea in which he maintained that Griffin bhd "never had a
etn, ope ek rn ed at hwy tr, a
