The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1888-09-01 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

GENERAL BOULANGER AND  BRIGRTON.  THE TRUE STORY OF A CRIME. General Boulanger recalled to an interviewer a few days ago the fact that he was a Brighton schoolboy. "I have cousins in England," he said. "They are the sons of my mother's brother, who was murdered in 1848 or 1819, near Brighton, He was murdered on the cliffs near Brighton. and robbed, and the assassin was never discovered. A reward of £2,000 was offered by the Government for the discovery of the guilty persons, but without success. I went to a boarding school at Brighton, and I remember the town very well.'' As General Boulanger was quite yonng when the murder took place it is not surprising, says the Sussex Dilly Sews, he is not thoronghly acquainted with the facts. G moral Boulanger, a special article in the paper just quoted says, was born at Rennes, in Brit. tony, on April 29th, 1837, but his mother, who is still living. was an Englishwoman, her maiden name being Griffith, and she was sister to Mr George StonLouse Griffith, proprietor of the Rock Brewery, Brighton, whose tragic murder on the night of February 6th, 1849, will be in the recollection of many Brightonians. Mr Griffith had resided about three years in Brighton, and was a fine, good-looking, athletic man in the prime oi life, between 42 and 43 years of age. He had previously been connect3d eith the law, and seems to have been a good speaker, fixid he distinguished himself as a Brighton Town Commissioner by Ins spirited opposition to the clerk of that body, the late Mr Lewis Slight. For some time it was the practice of Mr Griffith to I visit the country customers of the brewery in the north-west of Sussex on the first Tneeday of each month, but for twelve months before February, 1849, he bad discontinued this journey, his place being taken by Mr Martin, his chief clerk. Early in January. 1849, an anonymous letter was received directed to Mr Mertens, Griffis Bruery." "Sir—Some parties intend to rob you next time you goes to Horsham, so bee on your gard." Mr Griffith thereupon resolved to make the journey himself, and armed with a pair of pocket pistols he started on February 6 in a light gig, declining the offer of the chief of the Brighton police to accompany him. The outward journey was made saiely, Horsham, VeA Grinstead, and Benfield being visited successively, and accounts collected. At the former place the landlady spoke of recent robberies in the neighbourhood, and Mr Griffith produced and loaded one of his pistols. He reached Henfield on the return journey about half-pat eight in the evening, and, after taking tea with the landlady, left at ten niinutee to nine, it being a moonlight night : and about half-past nine lie was shot through the chest by a pistol, his body being found in the high road, about CM yards from Dale Gate, between one and two in the mcrning, by a party of gentlemen returning home late from a shooting party at Newtimber. The scene of the murder was shoat nine miles from Brighton. The reins were cut, and the gig turned towards Henfield. A struggle evidently took place, but by some fatal mistake Mr Griffith drew out the unloaded pistol, and the fact that so powerful a man was dragged out of the gig and a nistol fired so close to his chest as to burn his clothes supports the view that snore than one person was concerned in the murder. The only booty secured was about £2O in cash and the victim's watch, but the latter WM soon thrown away, for seven years after it was found in a pond at Nutkuowl, near the scene of the murder. This crime caused the greatest excitement in Brighton, the road being then, as now, much frequented, and a reward Of £3OO was offered, £lOO by the Government, and £2OO by private subscription, for the apprehension of the murderers, but no rine was ever