“EMPIRE JACK”

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 11323, 29 September 1930, Page 5

“EMPIRE JACK”

Tragic suicide of col. nor- ’ TON GRIFFITHS sequel to Assouan daai TROUBLE ' b ? £ lec - Tel- Copyright) (Received Sept. 28, 5.5 p.m.) - LONDON, Sept. 27. Obituary, at Cairo, Lieut. Colonel ■Sir John Norton. Griffiths, public v orks contractor; aged 59 years. Though most..famous, for the blowing ■up of Messines bridge and destroying the, Roumanian oil . wells, Sir John . Norton Griffiths lived a most adventurous life. He sailed for Australia in .p, wind jammer when 17. He ? ran away from the ship and., remained for some time in Australia. He earned the. name, of “Empire Jack” .for the work he did. during tlie war. °

The London manager of the firm receievd -a cable from Sir John, reporting the state of certain negotiations, but received .no bint that there was anything untoward.

(Received Sept, ,28, 5. 5p.m.) CAIRO, Sept .27 Colonel Norton, Griffiths-.was-seen to go out in a small boat fr.om Ramleigh in the morning. He’paddled for some distance and then . observers ashore noticed that the boat ‘ was drifting and apparently .unoccupied. Swimmers hastened to the spot and -a police .launch examined the boat. They found Colonel Griffiths lying-in the bottom dead, shot in the right temple. Col. Griffiths came to. Egypt to clean up the dispute between the Egyptian, Government and his firm regarding the .Assouan dam heightening contract, British engineers alleging that it was impossible to carry on in the fa.cp of constant- pinpricks and obstructions arising from the incompetence of inexperienced Egyptian inspectors. The work was suspended last week. Col. Griffiths stated that no other course was open for the protection of the firm's reputation.. Hie Egyptian. Governmentalleged that the work was not proceeding at the proper speed. It was known that C'ol, Griffiths was very worried.