Issue 48: The Rev. Ronald Griggs Case
The Great Alpine Road is a major tourist attraction in Victoria. It runs between a town in the north of the state Wangaratta, through to Bairnsdale a country town in the east of the state. People who take this drive will pass through the area known as the Victorian Alps and pass through a town called Omeo. Though a tiny town now, back in 1927 its population was around 3500 individuals, the same year this town would become the centre of a murder case that captivated the nation.
It was on 8 May 1926 that an announcement of a marriage appeared in The Advocate, a regional Tasmanian newspaper. The marriage was between Ronald Griggs a Methodist minister, and Ethel White a school teacher. The ending of an article accounting the wedding stated, ‘By the evening train the happy couple left for Devonport, amid showers of confetti, and on Saturday embarked for Melbourne by the S.S. Oonah, enroute to Omeo, Victoria, where the Rev. Griggs takes up his duties as minister of the Methodist circuit in the district.’
The following February a baby daughter, Alwyn Dorothy was born. At five months old, in July, Ethel took Alwyn for an extended holiday in Tasmania to see her family. She arrived back in Omeo on New Years Day 1928, taking three days by boat, train and hire care to get there.
Two days later in Railton, Ethel’s hometown on the north-west coast of Tasmania, a telegram was received by Mrs White from The Reverend Harris. The telegram asked the reverend to deliver the news that Ethel had passed away of heart failure. A letter from her son-in-law arrived two days after the telegram, going into more detail. Recounting the activities of the day and what lead up to her sudden death.
Mrs White replied to him and pleaded that if he was unable to care for the child, could he send Alwyn to live with them. She was upset to hear that while Griggs was sending Alwyn to Tasmania, it was to live with his parents who were located in the south of the state.
While this was all happening Edna, the younger sister of Ethel, remember something that her sister had shared with her on her most recent visit. Also, back in Omeo rumours started to circulate.
Locals of the town had begin to take a second look at the friendship that was between Rev. Griggs and Lottie Condon, who was a pretty young girl whose father was a wealthy grazier. With only the rumours to hand, the decision was made to exhume Ethel’s body, which had been buried on her 22nd birthday of January 4th. Once exhumed the body was forensically examined and the toxicology results showed that arsenic was present. Now with proof that Ethel did not die of heart failure, Detective Inspector Daniel Malfahey arrested and charged Rev. Griggs with murder.
First trial
For the first trial it was overseen by Chief Justice Sir Walter Irvine. The trial was held in Sale, Victoria and ran from March 7–12, 1928.
Detective Sargent Malfahey was called to give evidence about the arsenic. He stated under oath that he had found the poison in the blacksmith’s shop at a home where Griggs had access.
The pathologist, Dr. Mollison, testified that the toxicology tests showed that Ethel had 15.5 grains of arsenic in her blood. The attending doctor, Dr Alexander Matthew, rebutted that when he visited Mrs Griggs, the accused had stated that only one dose as prescribed that been given to her.
After five days the jury went to deliberate and where deadlocked, a mistrial was given and a new trial ordered. Years later it was reported that ‘… two jurors declared stubbornly that they could not believe him guilty…’
Second trail
The major differences between the first and the second trial were that it was held in Melbourne and both Griggs and Condon took the stand.
It was at the second trial that details about the extra-marital affair were given. It was this part of the testimony that journalists used to keep readers glued to the salacious details. It was testified to that the affair started early in 1927 and continued until 17 January 1928, the day before Griggs had an interview with investigators.
He only admitted to the affair back then because Lottie had been interviewed already and had disclosed it. While on the stand she also told the jury that ‘… Griggs told her that, after his wife had gotten a separation, he would marry her.’
After four days of testimony the jury deliberated and delivered a verdict of not guilty.
Aftermath
Griggs moved to South Australia.
The question of who killed the parson’s wife was never answered and her murder remains unsolved.