The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28 00:00:00

CONDEMNED TO DEATH,

A workman of Toulouse, named Berges, has just
been condemned to death for three murders which he
committed on the 24th of October last year (writes the
Paris Correspondent of The Times). On that day,
about nine o'clock in the morning, he left his house in
Faubourg de Bonheur and proceeded on the road to
the village of Balma with a double•barrelled gun over
his shoulder. He was known to all as a daring poacher,
so two men who met him on the road were not sur-
prised to hear him fire twice. Borges almost imme-
diately after repassed them going towards Toulouse.
One of them said jokingly, "You have soon found the
hare." Berges made no answer, but, reloading his
gun, continued on his way. The two men in ques-
tion, however, were attracted by loud screams from
a neighbouring cottage to the spot whence they
hard the reports proceeded, and soon found the life-
less bodies of Lasbax and Naudy, two cantonniers,
lying nil the road. Both had been shot through
the head, and were quite dead. Berges, continuing
his walk, asked a woman if Caussinius, the pro-
prietor of the house where she lived, was at home.
Probably," she replied, "since he is ill." "I
shall know how to find him," remarked Berges,
whce on arriving at the house, perceived Canssinius
going up stairs. The murderer took steady aim,
and hit his victim behind the left ear. The un-
fortunate man fell dead, whereupon Berges con-
tinued his homicidal progress, and some 200 yards
further on. perceived a grocer named Vergnes shaving
himself before his window. Berges di,charged his
piece full in the man's face, and wounded him so
severely that his life was at one time despaired of.
Berges then tried to kill himself, but the neighbours
seized his gun. "I have killed four," said he to the
crowd, "and only regret that I have not killed
Laurent." He next tried unsuccessfully to get posses-
sion of a, knife belonging to Casac' a blacksmith, who
had disarmed him. Berges then fled, and going into
another house, seized a knife, with which he attempted
to kill himself in a back street by pressing the haft of
the knife against the wall and plunging the blade into
his abdomen. Despite his severe wounds, he left this
spot, after hiding the knife, and soon after was arrested,
without making the least resistance. All this, it must
be remembered, happened within two hours, in a
thickly populatedneighbourhood and in broad daylight.
Berges, on his trial, said that he was induced to kill
Naudy because he sent evil spirits to annoy him. He
killed Lasbax because he found him talking with
Naudy. Caussinius had once accused him of indecent
behaviour towards a neighbour's daughter; and
Vergnes had interfered with his poaching pro-
clivities. He described his having been spell-bound
by a beautiful woman, radiant as a princess, and
said the night before he committed the murders he
heard noises round his house, and heard the voice of
Naudy as he dug with a pickaxe outside. He had,
to cure himself of his malady, shaken hands with all
his friends, in order, he said, to get rid of the venom.
Forty-eight witnesses were examined, most of whom
stated that Berges was not considered out of his mind,
but that he was very passionate. Some, however, gave
evidence that Berges had complained of violent head-
aches, and that he declared Naudy had sent evil spirits
to torment him. Others testified that Berges shook
bands with them in a strange way, and afterwards
asked them what sensations they had felt. Five
doctors accustomed to deal with lunatics declared
Berges to be out of his mind, and recommended his
instant removal to an asylum. A sixth, who had
examined him, sent an affidavit stating that if Berges
was not mad, he had, at least, committed the crimes
of which he was accused while in a state of high fever.
Despite this evidence, the jury found Berges
without extenuating circumstances, and he was con-
demned to death.