Griffith, John Williams

Picher Oklahoma, Nov. 8.--An inquest was being conducted today by John H. Venable, assistant county attorney, into the death of John William Griffith, 23 years old, of Douthat Oklahoma, whose body was found in the No. 5 hard rock lead and zinc shaft of the Skelton Lead and Zinc Company at Douthat Oklahoma. E. E. Simpson, sheriff, accompanied Mr. Venable to assist in the investigation. Griffith, who was employed as a mill man by the Skelton Company was last seen Saturday afternoon at the mill where he was employed and which is only a short distance from the shaft where his body was found.

The body bore many marks of violence, but it could not be determined Sunday whether they were caused by the body striking against the sides and bottom of the shaft or had been inflicted by some person. Griffith was unmarried. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Griffith of Douthat, three sisters and one brother. No funeral arrangements have been made. Pending the completion of funeral arrangements the body is at the morgue of the Todd undertaking company, at Picher.

Picher Oklahoma, Nov. 9.--An inquest Monday into the death of John William Griffith, 23 years old, whose body was found Sunday morning at the bottom of an abandoned shaft of the Skelton Lead and Zinc Company at Douthat Oklahoma, failed to yield information that would lead to arrests in the case, and county authorities today were seeking additional clews. Authorities are convinced Griffith was the victim of foul play. The body bore several marks of violence one of which, a wound on the right side of the head, apparently was inflicted by a blunt weapon. The coroner's jury returned a verdict finding that Griffith came to his death as the result of the blow on the head, made by a blunt instrument in the hands of an unknown person. The inquest was conducted by John H. Venable, assistant county attorney, before O. M. Coleman, justice of the peace at Cardin Oklahoma.

Testimony given showed that Griffith was last seen about 7 Saturday night by fellow workmen at the mill where he was employed on the night shift. After asking for some matches, Griffith was said to have left the mill without saying where he was going. His failure to return to work Saturday night led his fellow workmen to make a search for him, but they found no trace of his whereabouts. When he did not return to his home at Douthat Oklahoma Sunday morning, a more extensive search was begun with the result that his body was found at the bottom of the Skelton No. 5 shaft. The presence of matches around the mouth of the shaft caused searchers to explore the shaft.

Authorities believe Griffith was killed when he resisted holdup men. He had received his week's wages Saturday. His watch was torn from the chain when the body was found and the watch could not be found. It is possible the watch dropped into the water at the bottom of the shaft, authorities said, but they hold to the belief the watch was taken by robbers. A holdup at the same spot several nights before is another bit of evidence which led to the robbery theory.

Funeral services for Griffith will be held at 2 Wednesday afternoon at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Griffith, at Douthat Oklahoma. Burial will be in the Cartervillle Missouri, cemetery under direction of the Todd undertaking company, of Picher Oklahoma.

Funeral services for John W. Griffith, whose body was found in the shaft at Skelton Mine No. 5 Sunday morning, were held from the home at 2 this afternoon. Burial was at Carterville Missouri. Besides his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Griffith, he is survived by one brother and three sisters.

The Skelton Mine remained idle Wednesday morning during the funeral of a former employee, John William Griffith, whose body was found in a shaft at mine No. 5 Sunday morning. The hard rock lead and zinc miners attended the funeral in a body. Burial was made at Carterville, Missouri.

Since the death of John W. Griffith, whose body was found in the shaft at Skelton Mine No. 5 last week, the Skelton Mining Company has built gates with locks at all its shaft to prevent persons from falling into the shafts.