Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1888-09-01 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

GENERAL BOULANGER AND  BRIGHTON.  THE TRUE STORY OF I 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 1849, near Brighton, He was murdered on the cliffs near Brighton. and robbed, and the assassin was never discovered. A reward of £2,003 was offered by the Government for the discovery of the guilty , persons, but without 1110CCOMI. I went to a boarding school at Brighton, and I remember 1 the town very well." As General Boulanger ' was quite young when the murder took place 1 it is not surprising, says the Bussex Dsüy News, 1 he is not thoroughly acquainted with the facts. General Boulanger, a special article in the paper just quoted says, was born at Rennes, in Brittany, on April 29th, 1E37, but his mother, who is! still living, was an Englishwoman, her maiden name being Griffith, and she was sister to Mr; George Stonhouse Griffith, proprietor of thel Rock Brewery, Brighton, whose tragic murder 1 on the night of February. 6th, 1849, will he in the ' recollection of many Itnglitonians. Mr Griffith had resided about three years in Brighton, and, ' was a fine, good-looking, athletic man in the 1 prime of life, between 42 and 43 years of age.l He bad previously been connected with the law, and seems to have been a good speaker, and he 1 distinguished himself as a Brighton Town Cora- ! missioner by tits epirited opposition to the clerk , lof that body, the late Mr Lewis Slight. For some time it was the practice of Mr Griffith to , visit the country customers of the brewery in the 1 north-west of Sussex on the first Tuesday 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 Emery." "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 safely, Horsham, West Grinstead, and Bonfield being visited successively, and accounts collected. At the former place the landlady spoke of recent robberies in the neighLonrhca, and Mr Griffith produced and loaded one of his pistols. He reached Henfield on the return journey about half-past eight in the evening, and, after taking tea with the landlady, left st ten minutes to nine, it being a moonlight night ; and about half past nine he was shot through the chest by a pistol, his body being found in the high road, about KO yards from Dale Gate, between one and two in the morning, by a party of gentlemen returning home late from a shooting party at Newtimber. The scene of the murder was about 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 pistol fired so close to his chest as to burn his clothes supports the view that more 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 was soon thrown sway, for seven years after it was found in s pond at Nutknowl, near the scene of the murder. This crime caused the greatest excitement iu Brighton, the road being then, as now. much frequented, and a reward of .£3OO was offered, .£lO3 by the Government, and 1.1200 by private subscription, for the apprehension of the murderers, but DO due was ever obtained.