There’s been a long existing rumour of Young Griffo being a child molester, and I finally found some sources on the case on an old Boxrec thread: Young Griffo or Alfred Griffith, as he is known outside the prize ring was arraigned before Judge Moore in the Court of Sessions, Brooklyn, N.Y., May 25 (1895), charged with an unprintable offence. In a dogged manner the accused pleaded not guilty, and declared that the accusation was a “put up job" by his enemies. In committing the prisoner to jail without bail Judge Moore said, “I understand that attempts have been made to get the witnesses against this man out of the way.” “Any such attempt,” replied Griffo’s counsel, “has in no way been encouraged by the defendant, and if some of his friends are misguided enough to act in this manner, it ought not to be charged against him.” “Well, perhaps not” said Judge Moore, “but if I discover it to be a job, you may rest assured that I shall see that the guilty parties are made to suffer.” The eleven-year-old boy complainant, William Gottleib, was placed under $100 bond to prosecute. -Police News, May 26, 1895 Albert Griffiths [sic], the pugilist, or as he is known in the prize ring, “Young Griffo,” was to have been tried June 12 in the Court of Sessions, Brooklyn, before Judge Moore, for his alleged unnatural assault of the boy, Gottlieb Mayer, at Coney Island on May 9, but his case was put over for one week. He was sent back to jail as he could find no one to qualify in the amount required for his release, $5,000. He will probably stay in jail until his trial comes on. -Police News, June 12, 1895 Young Griffo is still confined in Raymond street jail in Brooklyn, unable to find the $5,000 bail that would set him temporarily at liberty. He is willing to give his share of his next two contests to anyone who will go bond for him. Judge Henry A. Moore, before whom he has been arraigned, is soon to leave for Europe to spend the summer, and Griffo hopes to be tried before some other judge. The chief witness against Griffo has disappeared and cannot be found. -Police News, June 20, 1895 If Young Griffo succeeds in getting out from behind bars on bail, the Florida Athletic Club may offer a purse of $7,500 for a contest between him and Jack McAuliffe. -Police News, July 15, 1895 Griffo is still in jail in Brooklyn awaiting trial. Some days ago he with several other prisoners, was placed in line to afford a witness a chance to identify a murderer. The witness picked Griffo as the man. Now the Australian is sorry he left his home, and wants to get back as quickly as possible.” Police Gazette, July 27, 1895 After much inside work Young Griffo has been released on bail of $5,000, and if he keeps in line with those who have been instrumental in securing his release, his case may never come to trial. The object in having Griffo bailed was to get him some matches, the principal one being with Jack McAuliffe at Dallas, who has signified his willingness to take the match. Hugh Behan still has the management of Griffo. The boy with whom Griffo was charged with committing an unnatural offence disappeared from Brooklyn. It seems a question whether the entire proceeding against the rollicking “Rocks Lad” was not a job prompted either by the spite of McAuliffe’s partisans or by Griffo’s own friends to get him into line and out of temptations way for a time. He should after imprisonment of several weeks be in great condition for a go in the ring. Police News, August 8, 1895 Young Griffo, as stated in the Police News, last week, is out of the Raymond Street Jail, Brooklyn, N.Y. Ex-Senator McCarran applied to Judge Gaynor of the Supreme Court to admit the pugilist to bail August 8. It will be remembered that Griffo was indicted on May 23 for an indecent assault upon a boy named William Gottlieb at Coney Island. Justice Gaynor fixed bail in the sum of $5,000, and as sureties on the bond William Johnson, a builder, qualified. The bond was approved, and Griffo accompanied by Hugh Beehan and other friends, called at several Brooklyn saloons to celebrate his deliverance. Griffo hopes to get a match with Jack McAuliffe, to take place before the Florida Athletic Club in Dallas the week that Corbett and Fitzsimmons fight. Police News, August 15, 1895. Griffo, who has been celebrating his release from Raymond Street Jail in Brooklyn by a prolonged spree, is back again in the jug. It seems that he only gave “straw bail”, and the authorities found it out and rearrested the “feather” and put him back in prison. They now intend to make it hot, not only for Griffo, but for his bondsmen as well. The latter can be prosecuted for perjury. Police News, September 25, 1895 Griffo has succeeded in obtaining a “good” bond and is again enjoying the invigorating breezes of Coney Island. Police Gazette, October 9, 1895 Young Griffo, otherwise Alfred Griffith, pleaded guilty at New York to assaulting William Gottleib, a 12 year old boy. The indictment against Griffo was found last spring and he has most of the time since then been at large on bail. Judge Aspenwall sentenced the fighter to one year in the penitentiary. -Milwaukee Evening Wisconsin, August 14, 1896 Young Griffo celebrated his release from prison June 14 at Coney Island. As a result of celebration Griffo is in a cell. The tough little prize fighter, after loading up on Coney Island whiskey of “Grandmother-fighting” brand, entered Henderson’s Music Hall and ran all the perfomers off the stage. He then challenged any man in the place to fight. His challenge was promptly accepted by Detective Eckold, who was attracted by the screams of the women. The detective did not understand the ethics of the prize ring. He used those tricks learned in dealing with thugs. When the atmosphere cleared up there was no fight left in the fighter and he went meekly to the West Eighth street station for the night. -Police News, June 26, 1897 https://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=106673
