A more reasonable possibility is that Dorothy leaped from the Fall River side-wheeler which left New York at five P.M. daily; suicides favored these overnight boats, for no passenger list was kept. Now, it was shining twice as harshly. From there, they met up with a well to do man who went only by Doc, but who said that the dead womans name was in fact Dorothy, and that she had died from an operation at home. I believe [so] absolutely, he stated, expressing the belief that she had been set upon while walking home through Central Park. But people who are about to destroy themselves usually seem depressed. Nor did Dorothy ever speak of knowing anyone in Washington who might have brought the package to Theodoras door. Mrs. Arnold was equally well-connected, and the family ranked high in the old guard of New York society, then noted for its propriety and unbending reticence. Not only was he much older than the woman he met as a student, but he didn't have a lot going for him in either looks or personality. You dont feel just right and its no use going to the trouble. Dr. Griscom, who wrote a history of pediatric radiology and trained generations of physicians, died Sept. 27 in Lexington. But she did nor go to Cambridge. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. When a friend named Elsa returned their call quite late at night to check in on Dorothys whereabouts, the Arnolds assured her that their daughter was home at last. It is safe to say that every student of crime who has examined the Dorothy Arnold case has wondered if her reply was fondly solicitous, or simply irritated. He was also 44 years old. Her family assumed she was staying with a friend when she failed to come home that night. The salesgirl recognized her as a familiar customer, and without question added the purchase to the Arnold family account. Or she may have died on an abortionists table. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Yet again, they came back empty handed. Call it a classic glass-half-empty-or-full perspective, but the police saw the lack of evidence for her death as proof of her living. View. Please enter your email and password to sign in. He participated in the search for Arnold and stated that when she was found, he would marry her. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. She hurried away, but on the far corner of Twenty-seventh Street, she turned to wave back a second good-by to Dorothy. The Kowloon Walled City Replica: Historical Accident turned Amusement Park. He was hardly the type to sweep a girl off her feet, or rescue her from a stifling existence. The next day, though, the Arnolds reached out to John Keith, a family friend, and attorney, for advice. Soon the newspapers revealed that she and Griscom, whom she presumably met while at Bryn Mawr, had at one time called themselves engaged. Was she kidnapped and murdered? Men who have nothing to do With this tantalizing phrase to spur them on, newsmen left the Arnold office to delve into Dorothys apparently placid existence. But the mystery was never truly solved. Formerly engaged to heiress Carrie S. Hays. Instead, they cabled European correspondents to locate Griscom. Then, on the afternoon of the twenty-fifth, he called reporters to his office. Yet Dorothy traversed the twenty blocks to Fifty-ninth Street on foot. But through all the furor Francis Arnold persisted in his stubborn assertion that Dorothy had been murdered in Central Park. Griscom (who preferred to be called "Junior") was a 30-year-old engineer who came from a wealthy Pennsylvania family with whom he still lived at the Kenmawr Hotel in Pittsburgh. [Special Dispatch to The Call] ATLANTIC CITY, Feb. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. The storybook Linden Hill estate is currently on the market for $22 million. The doctor who ran the clinic, Dr. Meredith, would later claim to have performed a procedure on Dorothy that took her life, as the conditions, he argued, were simply so shoddy that complications and deaths amongst patients were inevitable. Dorothy laughed too, and the girls stood chatting for several minutes. She was well educated, and graduated with a major in literature from Bryn Mawr College. Search above to list available cemeteries. His name wasGeorge C. Griscom, Jr., and he was a wealthy engineer who lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And I will spend every dollar I have in the world to avenge her death.. Cuando sus padres viajaban, invariablemente los acompaaba. A system error has occurred. Dorothy may have requested the General Post Office in New York to forward her mail over the weekend, but it is unlikely that this would have been done with such exceptional dispatch even if she had left postage for special delivery. asked the World , tying her story to Andrew Griscoms death. cemeteries found in West Kirby, Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Weve updated the security on the site. He was an engineer almost twice Dorothy's age, who had met her in college. Then, accompanied by Pinkerton detectives, Keith and Francis R. Arnold called upon Deputy Police Commissioner William J. Flynn. Potential husbands shouldnt convince young women to pawn their familys items for a steamy hotel meet-up. [13] [22] Reporters also discovered that, in September 1910, Arnold had lied to her parents and told them she was going to visit a former Bryn Mawr classmate in Boston. Only a year or two older than Dorothy, Keith had occasionally escorted her to society dances or to lectures at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was made of black velvet, with two blue roses for decorationa type then called a Baker, which resembles nothing so much as an overturned dishpan. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/226993282/george-stewart-griscom. Assuming, he recapitulated, that she walked up home through Central Park, she could have taken the lonely walk along the reservoir. We have set your language to Keith investigated all the local hospitals, morgues and jails. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Then, dive into the secret life of Roald Dahl, a fighter pilot and spy who became a beloved childrens author. There was no hard evidence against him, but he was still convicted of second-degree murder after two trials. There was an error deleting this problem. Verify and try again. Did Dorothy simply run away? But to do this, Dorothy Arnold must have been either supersensitive or else supremely callous. To use this feature, use a newer browser. It's hard to imagine what Dorothy saw in the man other than a chance at a little independence and rebellion. He married in Philadelphia on Feb 6 1741/2 REBECCA JAMES, dau. It satisfied the NYPD, but not George or her parents (the only time they would ever agree). Brother of Henry Schwartz Griscom. Her parents extended permission, and on September 16 Dorothy departed. With his point made, Francis Arnold obviously considered the interview over. Please try again later. Oops, we were unable to send the email. He now suggested a search of morgues, hospitals, and even jails. Another rumor circulated that she had gotten pregnant and died during a . Yet no one saw her fall that day, and no hospital received a girl with a concussion or a blanked-out mind. He was George C. Griscom, Jr., a plump, sideburned forty-two-year-old who lived with his elderly parents in Pittsburgh, and summered at Nantucket. Further, he offered to conduct this grisly search himself, still without informing the police. Dorothy allegedly went on a secret trip to Boston with George that summer, whilst telling her parents she was staying with friends. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. The most popular theory is that she secretly eloped with engineer George Griscom Jr., a suitor her family disapproved of because of his passive and inconsistent character. For Keith and George, suicide was one strong guess, but it was so taboo that the parents wouldnt even consider it. Denial, while just as tragic, goes down a little easier. Writing was not a womans game, and certainly not in their upper-crust family. There she paused at Park & Tilfords candy counter to purchase a halfpound box of chocolates. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Library of CongressThe disappearance of New York City socialite Dorothy Arnold remains one of the biggest missing persons cases in U.S. history. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. At least, thats how Francis and Mary felt about the first time Dorothy had disappeared to live with him for a week at a hotel in Pittsburgh. He's a 42-year-old named George C. Griscom, Jr., but he goes by "Junior." She met him at Bryn Mawr. Dorothy Arnold was an aspiring writer but her work was never published. He was George C. Griscom, Jr., a plump, sideburned forty-two-year-old who lived with his elderly parents in Pittsburgh, and summered at Nantucket. He even told the press that he believed his daughter was murdered in Central Park, and that her body was thrown in the Central Park Reservoir. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Theodora, although her curiosity was fully aroused, asked no questions for fear of hurting her friends feelings. The speech was as you would expect, filled with talk of affection and worry for the young woman, praise for the police, etc. When her mother died, she was still hopeful. He was an engineer almost twice Dorothys age, who had met her in college. If there was one thing we can be certain Dorothy was passionate about, more so even than we can be sure she even loved George, it was her writing career. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Thegirls chatted for a few minutes before parting, and Dorothy purchased a book before she left. Un informe deca que su cariosa madre todava le compraba todas sus . Her highest aspirations were to become a writer, although she wasnt having any luck getting published. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Sadly, the story of Dorothy Arnolds disappearance remains one of the biggest and perhaps most tragic mysteries in New York Citys history. A fourth brother, George, died at the age of 21. He was the grandson of Clement A. Griscom, who'd commissioned Furness' Dolobran a half century earlier. There was a problem getting your location. Dorothysfamily was stunned to learn that she had spent a week with him earlier that year, when she claimed to be visiting some friends from college. On July 1, 1886, Dorothy Harriet Camille Arnold was born in New York City to her prominent parents, Mary Parks Arnold and Francis Rose. This account has been disabled. PA John Denn Griscom b.1808 m. 1839 Margaret . Here indeed is a riddle deep within a riddle; this was Thanksgiving Day, when businesses closed down and no daily mail was delivered. This theoryisnt outlandish, but it isnt a slamdunk, either. While Junior was an engineer and came from a wealthy family, he was 20 years older than Dorothy. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Cherchez lhomme popped into the mind of one reporter, and he asked Mr. Arnold if he had objected to his daughter keeping company with men. One had simply to look at her wide, placid lace to realize that she was more studious than frivolous. She may have become pregnant by Griscom. There were also suspicions of murder. One report said his doting mother still bought all his shirts and ties. Failed to report flower. But he was in Italy at the time. Griscom was 20 years older than Dorothy and she had visited him a year before her disappearance, telling her parents that she was visiting a college friend (Monroe). Add to your scrapbook. Reporters were no more successful. Return now to the Arnold home. I dont approve of young men who have nothing to do.. It was precisely the spotlight they never wanted. Or perhaps her family already found her and simply kept her in hiding due to shame. Never had Dorothy skipped a meal without warning the family ahead of time. He did have a letter Dorothy had written him admitting that she was depressed over a recent magazine rejection to a . There is a problem with your email/password. Mum & Dad named me Vanessa, but you can call me Nessy. This theory might seem to be borne out by the steamship folders found on Dorothys desk. They began inquiring about her whereabouts among family friends. Oh, she had a headache and went right to bed, Mrs. Arnold finally replied. After graduating from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, Arnold began to pursue her ambitions to become a writer, though she was unsuccessful in getting anything published. On that fateful winter morning in 1910, the official consensus is that Dorothy left 108 East 79th Street to buy a new dress at 11:00am. Learn more about managing a memorial . Finally she picked out An Engaged Girls Sketches , by Emily Calvin Blake, a scries of frothy love stories that had appeared in the Ladies Home Journal . Arnold is making serious trouble, some thought he muttered. [Such] atrocious things do happen, though there seems to be no justification for them.. They finally brought in the big guns: the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency, whose agent interviewed Dorothys friends, acquaintances, and classmates, but again, no dice. Then, just before Thanksgiving, she again drew her former classmate, Theodora Bates, into the complicated web of her life, when she decided to visit her friend in Washington, D.C., where Theodora was teaching. It's hard to imagine what Dorothy saw in the man other than a chance at a little independence and rebellion. Why, Dorothy, Theodora exclaimed, its only Friday and you were to stay until Monday. Dorothy shook her head. The investigation had reached a tipping point for everyones sanity, but especially for her parents who said it was time to face the music: their girl had been murdered. Please support this 72-year tradition of trusted historical writing and the volunteers that sustain it with a donation to American Heritage. Presumably, no one who knew or recognized Dorothy Arnold ever saw her again! It read: DOROTHY ARNOLD MISSING. She was pre . Dorothy Arnolds formidable father had not only inherited a large sum of money, bt he had made considerably more as the head of F. R. Arnold & Company, importers. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Since Dorothy Arnolds disappearance, reported sightings of the heiress cropped up nearly every year afterward and many imposters claimed to be her in a bid to attain her fortune. But by far the most conspicuous feature of her attire was her hat. Dorothy, still lolling in bed, did not open the envelope or even comment on it, but tossed it aside indifferently. But then that same year, a shocking statement came out of the police department: the case had been solved. Did the young heiress disappear of her own accord? Tuscaloosa NewsA 1928 article about Dorothy Arnolds case in The Tuscaloosa News daily. One theory suggested that the heiress had either run away or committed suicide after becoming bereft from receiving constant rejections from publishers. Edward said they cocooned the dead body in saran wrap, and left it in the cellar of an abandoned home. She had with her about $25 of a monthly allowance of $100. Until this time only the family, the Pinkertons, and a few friends knew that Dorothy was missing. Then there was her older lover, George Griscom Jr. Arnold's family did not approve of Griscom and forbade her from seeing him. Even her friend Gladys King, who ran into her on 5th Avenue and 27th Street at 2pm, said she was in a good mood when they ran into one another. That, Keith said, was an area where had found some troubling things. Like most of the upper class of the time, Mr. Arnold had a deep aversion to publicity. Conspiracies around what actually happened to Dorothy Arnold spread like wildfire. As she departed from her home, Dorothy carried no luggagethough it is conceivable that a nightgown might have been hidden in the depths of her large muff. That was the last time Dorothy Arnold was ever seen alive. As one newspaper remarked, She disappeared from one of the busiest streets on earth, at the sunniest hour of a brilliant afternoon, with thousands within sight and reach, men and women who knew her on every side, and officers of the law thickly strewn about her path. How? To a young lawyer like Keith, Francis R. Arnold was potentially a valuable client. No word ever came. They hired private investigators, the notorious Pinkertons, who searched everywhere for the heiress: shops, hospitals, friends homes, and even the morgue. Weeks passed and additional theories surfaced, each testing the limits of plausibility. Out of ideas, and options, they returned to the only place where they decided it was possibly to acquaint themselves with the most intimate side of Dorothy: her bedroom. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Try again later. He was George C. Griscom, Jr., a plump, sideburned forty-two-year-old who lived with his elderly parents in Pittsburgh, and summered at Nantucket. Dorothydisappeared on a December afternoon in 1910. The pair had met when Arnold was still at Bryn Mawr, and Arnold once even lied about visiting an old college friend to meet with Griscom in secret. Maybe Id better go with you, Mrs. Arnold said to her daughter. Her sudden disappearance shook New York City and beyond. This theory was supported by a doctor who ran an underground womens clinic known as the House. He claimed to have performed a procedure on Dorothy Arnold and that a surgical complication had caused her death. -- George C. Griscom, Jr., slipped out of this resort yesterday afternoon, leaving the Chalfonte Hotel, where he has been registered, by the back staircase. In an effort to bring things to a close, Dorothys father said he thought shed been killed and disposed of in the Central Park reservoir not likely, said the police, as the lake was frozen at the time of her disappearance. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Accompanied by her brother, she knocked on his hotel room door in Italy for answers, but she was given none, or at least none that satisfied her. Outside of work, Arnold mingled and garnered a reputation as a prestigious society girl.. But to his ill-concealed annoyance, the reporters began asking questions. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Even so, Junior had his moments of independence and so, it appeared, did Dorothy. She came downstairs for breakfast fully dressed for travel, and carrying her bag. Francis R. Arnold died in 1922, his wife in 1928. There is another part in Dorothys aforementioned letter to George that raises an eyebrow. Griscom denied any involvement in Arnold's disappearance and gave her family a letter she had written to him earlier in 1910. It remains obstinate and perplexing, a gall to human curiosity, an impossible problem for reason and analytical power.. When she failed to return for dinner, an increasingly worried group ate without her, then began making discreet phone calls to Dorothys close friends to ask if the girl had, by any chance, dropped in on them. His name was George Griscom Jr. (better known as Junior), and he was not favored by the Arnold family. 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