GENERAL BOULANGER AND BRIGHTON.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2546, 3 November 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

GENERAL BOULANGER AND BRIGHTON.

The True Story of a Crime. (iF.XKHAr, Boijlanoer, the would-be Dir.tator of Franco, "the hero of the Cnf6 Concerts," who Ims suddenly emerged asrain from the comparative obscurity he relapsed into after hia recent duel with the French Premier, recalled to an interviewer a few days ago, the fact that he was a Brighton schoolboy. "I havo couiins iu England," he said. "They are the sons of my mother's brother, who wnH murdered in 184S or ISIS, 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 tho Government for the discovery of tho guilty persona, but without success. I went to a boarding - Bchool at Brighton, and I remember tho town very well." As General Boulanger was quite young when the murder took place, it is not surprising, says the Sussex Daily News, that he is not thoroughly acquainted with the facts. General Boulanger, in a special article in the paperjust quoted, says, was born at Rennes, in Brittany, 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 Stonehouse 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. Young Boulanger was educated at a boarding school in Montpelier-road, Brighton. Mr George S. Griffith had resided about three years in Brighton, and was a fine, good-looking, athletic man in the prime of life, between 42 and 43 years of age. For some time it was the practice of Mr Griffith to visit the country customers of the brewery in the north-west of Sussex, on the first Tuesday of each month, but for twelve months before February, 1849, he had discontinued this journey, his place being taken by Mr Martin, his chief clerk. Early in January, 1549, an anonymous letter was directed to " Mr Mertens. Griffis Bruery." "Sir,—Some parties intend to rob you next time you goes to Horsham, so be on your gard." Mr Griffith thereupon resolved to make the journey himself, and armed with a pair of pocket pistols he started on February 6th in a light gig, declining the offer of the chief of the Brighton police to accompany hitn. The outward journey was made safely, Horsham, West Grinstead, and Henfield 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-past eight in the evening, and, after partaking of tea with the landlady, left at ten minutes to nine, it being a moonlight night, and about half-past nine he was shot through the nhest by a pistol, his body being found in the high road, about 600 yards from Dale-gate, between ono and two in the morning, by a party of gontlemon returning home lato from a shooting party at Newtimber. The scene of the murder was about nino miles from Brighton. The reins were cut, and the giir turned towards Henfield. A struggle evidently took place, but by somo 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, snpports the view that more than one person was concerned in the murder. The only booty secured was £20 in cash and the victim's watch, but the latter was soon thrown away, for seven years after it was found in a pond at Nutknowl, near the scene of the mnrder. This awful crime caused the greatest excitement in Brighton, the road being then, as now, much frequented, and a reward of £300 was offered, £100 by the Government, and £200 by private subscription, for the apprehension of the murderers, but no clue was ever obtained. From this it will be seen that General Boulanger's account of the murder is far from accurate. The reward was £300 instead of £2,000, and the crime was committed, not on the coast, but somo miles inland. But the discrepancies are excusable, seeing that Boulanger was a boy of twelve when his uncle was murdered.