Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-03-31


and 9Th Forcal.
| No further doubt of his innocence now remain.
Ell the nttbi was so distinctly proved, and such
unquesuohahe testimony, that the Jury showed in
Their manner that they were ready TO acqut him,
when iaIa circumstance suddenly changed the
whole face of the matter.
| The jeweer Legrsnd, who had manifested such
zeal in lhe establishment Of his friends innocence,
had, with an anxiety to avail himself of every
trne, declared, that to prove the sincerity of his
declaration, he would cite fact which prevented
| his being mistaken. On tho 9th Fioresl he had
made an exchange Of Jewellery with the witness,
Aldenof He proposed that his ledger should be
sent for, as its entry there would serve to fix oil
recOllections.
As a matter of form the ledger was sent for
Al The first glance, however, II was evident, that
the dale of the transaction, mentioned by Legrandi
had been altered The exchange had taken place
on The 9th, and an alteration, badly dissinulated
by an erasnro, had substituted the hgure Tor the
original figure g.
Murmurs OF surprise and indignation followed
this discovery, and the President, pressing Lee
grand with questions, and unable TO OBJ ain from
him any satisfactory answer, ordered his arrest
Legrand then, trembling and terrified, retrscied
his former deposition, and declared that he was
not certain he had seen Lssurques on the 9Th
F'oreal, hut that he had altered his book in order
10 give more probability TO the declaration he had
determined 10 make in his friends favor of whose
innocence he was SO assu ell, that it was only the
conviction that lie accused erroneously winch
made him perjure himself 10 save that innocent
head.
From this moment, the jury received the demo.
sillons IN favor OF Lesurques with extreme prelu-
dice ; those already heard seemed little better than
connivance, and those yet 10 be heard were lis
tened to with such suspicion to have no effect.
The conviction OF his guilt was fixed ~ every
mind. Lesurques, despasng to get over such
inal appearances, ceased his energetic denials,
Jury retired.
At this moment a woman, agitaied with the
most violent emotions, demanded to speak 10 the
President. She said that she WAS moved by The
voice OF conscience, and wished 10 save The Grim
ina tribunal IRON a doubtful error. Il was Made
lane Brehan, the mistress vi CourioI. Brought
before the President, she DECLARED that she knew
positively that Lesurques was innocent, AMI that
the witnesses, deceived by an nexpiicnble resen-
blauce, had confouned him with the real culprIt,
who was called Dubosq.
PreJudiced rs they we're agains Lesurques, and
suspicious of all testimony after the perjury they
had already detected, the tribunal scaIreiy listened
. to Madelaine BreIan; and the jury returned with
heir verdict, in consequence OF which, COurIOl,
| Lesurqnes, and Bernard condenue TO death;
Richard TO tour aud twenty years Imprisonment
Guesno and Bruer were acquitted.
No sooner was the sertence passed, khan Lesur.
u ques calmly, and addressing the Judges said,
5 4" MN innocent OF the crime OF winch am &C
"
the hghroads, it is not less to murder by the
!. !"
l. Couriol condemned 10 death, rose and said,
J. Yes, | am guilty | avow IT, Bot Lesurques is
: innocent, aud Bernard did not participate IN the
r murder
n Four times he reiterated this declaration and
n on entering the prison, he wrote to the Judge a
l. letter full of SORROW and repentance, IN which he
D said, have never known Lesurques; my &C
l. completes are Vidal, Rossi, Durochai aud Dubcsq.
70 The resemblance Of Lesurques to Dubosq has de-
D. ceived the " illnesses"
d To this declaration Of Couriol was Joined that
8, of Msdelane Brehan, who, alter the Judgment,
l. turned TO renew her proteslaton, accompanied by
y TWO individuals, who swors that, before the trial,
Y she had told them Lesurques had never had any
r. relations with the cuprns bu, he was n victim of
ID his iutal likeness to DubOsq. These testimonies
III threw doubt in the minds OF the magistrates, who
g. hastened to demand a reprieve from the Drecto-
I'd ~, which, terrified the idea Of sesiDg limo.
H. cent man perish through Judicial errol had re-
H. to the Corps Legisat for every other re-
Ut source was exhausted The message of the Di-
Ii rectory TO the Five Hundred pressing its
ce aim 10 demand reprieve, and decision as
no TO what course to pursue. il ended thus: Mus
TO Lesurques perish OH the scaffold because he re
ed sembles a william ?"
OF The Corps of LegislaiiE passed 10 the order o
IS, the day, as every condition had been legally fol-
ISL filed that particular could not justify in
e" fraction of decreed laws; aud that, too, on such
BY Indications 10 do away with condemnation 10
IT. gaIly pronounced by jury, would be TO overse
nj all ideas OF justice and equality before the law.
o. The right Of pardon had been abolished ant
'lr Lesurques mad neither resources nor hope. II
ey bore his late with irInness and resignation, an
er wrote on the day OF his execution, this note 1
er his wife,
n L" Ma bonnie .4mie: There is no eudng one
r. destiny was taled to be judically murdered.
IS shall at least bear il with proper courage. sen
nf hnir yhan chit ar
IL grown up you will divide it among them it
IT the only heritage can leave them"
n He addressed also letter to Dubosq ,hrous
OF the newspapers. You, in whose place ! am d
Ia bout 10 perish, content yourself with The sacrhc
- OF nv lite. Should YOU ever be brought to jus
ed lice, remember my three children covered WI
ng opprohriun- remember my wife reduced to dies
OF pair and do not longer prolomg their msfornnes.
Vita. EXECUTION
The 10Th of March, 1917, Lesurques was lie
to the scafod. Tie wished to be dressed cuu
pleteIy in white, as II symbol OF bis iInocence.
He wore panialoons and irOck coat OF white col
ton, and his shiri-colIar turned down over hi
7. shoulders II WAS the day before Good Fnda,
h and he expressed regret ihs, he had not to die q
M the morrow. In passing from the prison de
m Conclsrgerie TO the Pace de Ia Grere, where I'll
as execution took place. Courio, placed beside Ia
ng surques in the cart, cried out 10 The people in
,ss loud voice, Ciloy ems am guilty | am guilty
an. but Lesurques 10 innocent"
az On arriving at the platform OF the guoIin
y slrr ahy stained with the blood of Bernard, Lrsu
as ques exclaimed, 81 pardon my judge ! pardo
Bur the witnesses through whose error die; pa
of don Legrand, who has not little contributed
roc my judicial assassination die protesting my il
a. nocence" In another instant he was no more.
an. CourioI continued his declarations of Lesul
"a ques innocence 10 The foot OF The scaftold All
alter fna appeal, he, too, delivered himself
as. the execuloner. The drop fell on guilty nee
81
ron ha'i"e pe'ore oee" s'"'s' WV" '"' o'0ou VI '"
ub, innocent men.
~ The crowd retired with q general convctiC
i,b. that Lesurques had persisted guIess; and seye
lie al of the judges were seriously troubled by II
ich doubts which this day had raised in their mind
had Many OF 'heiury began to repent having rei'
49, IL IL L..