Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-02-16
lheN perceived lhat II had ro!erence to

|
tions in presence of the two women,
who now scrutinized them even more
attentively than before. They were
then requested to withdraw, but had
hardly recovered from their astonsh-
ment at this strange proceeding ere
they were again summoned, and in
formed that they were positively identi-
fed by the women rs two of the four
horsemen who had beon seen hang
ing about the neghborhood of Lieur-
saint on tho day of the robbery of the
| Lyons mail, and must consider them
selves under arrest. They were next
ordered to produce their papers. Le-
surques, unluckily, had never taken the
trouble to provide himself with carte
dc surete, and, more unluckily still he
/ had'in his pocket two cdrteS, one bear
ing the name of his cousin Andre and
the other blank.
The case was set for trial at Melun,
early in july but just rs it was about
to begin. the accused exercised their
right Of removal, and il was referred to
the Criminal Court Mt Paris, presided
over by Jerome Gohier, conspicuous,
three years later, as member OF the
Directory. The accused were now six
in number; namely, Courriol, Richard,
Guesno, Lesurques, Bernard and Bruer.
Richard had been arrested before the
memorable visit of Lesurques and
Guesno to Daubanton's Office.
The trial began on the I'd of August.
Ten witnesses living on the Lyons road
testified against Lesurques, and swore
that they recognized in him tall, light
complexioned man, who had been q no.
table figure in the little cavalcade of
the 29th of April. Seven OF these ten
positively and unhesitatingly recognized
Lesurques; the other three qualified
their recognition somewhat, and said
that they betieued him to be the man
whom they had seen in the party. Two,
an inn-keeper and his wife, swore that
Lesurques had mended his spur at their
house with piece OF cord, which they
identified as the spur and string found
near the dead bodies of the courier and
position. A third declared that he had
dined ut Montgeron in the same room
with the four highwaymen, and that
Lesurques was one of the four, and
wore long boots, with spurs like the one
shown in court. ss
The examination OF Lesurques is in
teresting as showing the theory of the
prosecution. Much abbreviated it is
in substance as follows: n
Q. Where did you sleep on the. night
of the sth FlorealP
n. At home; that is to say, at my
cousins, Andre Lesurques's 81
Q. Are you sureP It seems to be
pretty we'll ascertained that you did
not.
r.. l am sure. | had not slept out
of the house single night for several
months. .Ttn.s;1 -tfr'Tr
Q. Why did you go with Guesno to
M. Daubanton's Officer .s......
R. Simply to accompany my friend,
M. Guesno. t ay9IGt bT-
Q. Did you not &c, in behalf of Rich.
+ ard and CourriolP g..
! r. No, did not go in anybody be-
half, and have no acquaintance with
Courriol.
Q. How do you account for the fact
that these witnesses identify you as one
of the four horsemenP
r. Granting their testimony to be
honest, can only account for it on the
ground that ear q strong resemblance
: to one of the four. .1H
Q. How does it happer that you have
no carte de Surete, but carry your
! cousins and blank onep
r. / have never provided myself with
a carte dc surete, because | am peace
able and law-abiding citizen, with plenty
of friends, and have not had particular
occasion to use one. Any man of decent
reputation can get one at any time.
! My Cousins carte happened to be lying
on my mantelpiece, and when l wen
out | picked it up and put it in my
pockel, for safe-keeping The blank
: carte was one of several odd scraps OF
! paper that l happened to have about
me, and rs it bears no seal is worthless
= for any criminal purpose. Of course, il
/ were guilty, should not lack plaus-
! ible papers
:. Q. What kind OF spurs are you in the
. habit of usinge
: R. / haye not used any spurs fol
:. more than year. Those that l OWL
!, are old-fashioned ones, and not like the
q spurs used nowadays.
n Lesurques' defense outside of test
a mony to his good reputation, with whicl
n he was well provided. was of course al
J. abb. He brought fifteen witnesses tc
|. prove his presence in Paris on the Stl
d Floreal.
II whom he had dealings on the day il
j. question; four, Legrand, Aldenhof
e Ledru and Baudard, were persona
% friends; and his own wife and his cousil
e Andre and wife COMPLETE the list lie
10 grand and Aldenhof were jewellers; lie
r dru and Baudard, artists. All four wer
d well acquainted with each other, as wei
h as with Lesurques. Aldenhof and LIE
20 dru were both from Douai, and &C
q quainted with Guesno. BY these las
IS seven witnesses alone Lesurques YER
reasonably expected to prove his case t
IN the court beyond the shadow of doubt
T. His doings on the sth Floreal, as gath
s, cred from their evidence, were brief
ID as follows: a-
III He passed part Of the morning q
N Legrand's shop, in the Palais Roya
IN home to dine with him. Arrived at til
s. house, they found Ledru. All thre
IN dined together, and then went out
us walk. Met Guesno on the Boulevar
lit des Italiens at about half-past six an
ut returned to the house at about half-pai
ne seven. Soon thereafter Baudard al
IN peared. Then they separated, and Ii
70 surques passed the evening and I'll
lls night at home.
~ az Legrand was the first witness calle
81 for the defense. He testified that l.
~ surques had passed part of the mornin
ha of the 9Th Floreal in his shop. Whe
ie asked what made him remember tn
=" fact SO distinctly he replied that whi
yyt Lesurques was there Aldenhof had con
ad od in, and had bought soup ladle al
ra ,a sold him par of earrings; and tn
~ he was confident that this transactio
nc NO took place on the 9Th Floreal. In pro
"a of the correctness of this statement
~ appealed to his books, and unfortunate
'ro !, laid great stress upon the entry mat
no at the time. He was told to produ
~ the book containing the original entr
bhe and accordingly passed it up to Gohie
M, inf On looking at the page indicated, Il
~ latter started with surprise, and G