The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-06 00:00:00

AN INNOCENT MAN EXECUTED.

Several of the Paris journals publish textually the
very long and able report of M. Lahoulie, in the name of
the committee on the petition to the National Aseembly,
praying for 11 legal declaration of the innocence of M. 1..-
.argues, who, in 1795, was executed on a charge of robbery
and murder. The facts stated in this report are unknown
to most of our readers, and will be read with interest. In
the month of April, 1795, the Paris and Lyons mail was
stopped at Mongeron, by five men on horseback, who, after
murdering the courier and driver, plundered it of its (en-
tente. Among the arrests of persons suspected of has in 4
been engaged in this crime was a man named Gucno ;
but, after undergoing an interrogatory and being
confronted with witnesses, the Commissary of Po-
lice declared that there were no grounds for further
proceedings against him, and he was met at liberty.
The conumsaary having seized the papers of Gueuo,
promised to return them. On the day following the libera-
tion of (hien° the commissary was engaged in hearing fur-
ther evidence, when he was informed by one of his agents
that two women, of the locality where the crime was com-
mitted, were in the room adjoining the cabinet of the com-
missary, and had there recognised among the persons
present two of the murderers. The commissary had the
' women before him, and after reminding them of the gravity
of their statement, desired that one of the men pointed out
should be introduced. This person, to the astonishment of
the officer ofjustice,was Oueno. The commissary had a strong
conviction of the innocence of this man, hut, as the women
more positively that they had seen him at the place of the mur-
der immediately after its perpetration, he was compelled to
ceder that he should remain in custody. When Gueuo was
asked why he came to the office of the commissary, he re-
plied that it was for the purpose of claiming his papers, and
that he was accompanied by a friend named Lesurques.
This was the other man spoken of by the women. Le-
' enrques was then confronted with his accusers, and they
swore positively to his identity. The respectability of Le-
worries, great as it was, did not suffice, after such direct
testimony, to induce the commissary to leave him at liberty.
The women said they recognised him ;perfectly, and even
described the plated spurs which they said he wore at the
time of the murder. Lesurques, therefore, was also arrested.
Subeequently other persons were arrested, and brought to
trial with Lesurques. Guino was acquitted, and Lesurques
would also have escaped but for an unfortunate fatality.
Several persons of the highest respectability estab-
lished a clear alibi. They swore that at the time of the
murder Lesurques was with them in Paris. Among
these witnesses was M. Legnuad, a wealthy jeweller of the
Palais Royal. This gentleman, who was an intimate
friend of the prisoner's, swore that on the Bth Floreal, the
day of the murder, Lesurques passed a great part of the
morning at his house, and he mentioned as a proof tl.at he
was not mistaken as to the day ; that he had made, whilst
Lesurques was with him, a sale, an entry of wh eh was in
his books. When the books were produced, however, it
was found that the entry was under the date of the 7th, but
that the figure 7 had been altered into 8. This unfortunate
circumstance, which subsequent events have shown to
have been en cresr of the clerk in first putting • 7
for an 8, was regarded by the jury as a proof of perjury
on the part of Legrand to servo his friend, and the
witness was ordered into custody on a charge of perjury.
From this moment the jury paid very little attention
to the defence. The witnesses for the prosecution, misled
by the strong resemblance of Lesurques to a man named
Debosq, who really was one of the criminals, and was after-
wards tried and executed, swore positively to his guilt, and
he was found guilty. After his condemnation, many cir-
cumstances transpired to demonstrate his innocence, and he
petitioned the legislative body for relief from the verdict
ofthe jury. The petition was referred to the council of
state, but eventually the Law was suffered to take its course,
sad Lesurques was executed. After his death, a man
named Beuldi was arrested as one of the criminals; this
man confessed his guilt, but refused to declare that Le-
sarques was innocent. Previously, however, another
of the criminals had solemnly, and up to the mo-
ment of his execution, proclaimed the innocence of Le-
marques, and given the names of all the murderers, who were
Ave in number. This number had been sworn to by all
the witne•ses but, including Lesurques, six persons wets
convicted of see,
crime and executed ; so that one must have
been innocent. The silence of Beuldi still left doubts in
' some minds as to tile innocence of Lesurques; but six
months after the death of Beuldi, the priest, who had acted
as lie confessor, gave up a papa which had been placed in