Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-02-16
the minds Of the iury. IIis olrorts we're

pronounced guilty of highway robbery
and murder. Richard was found guilty
of receiving stolen property. Guesno,
and Bruer were acquitted. - ~
Lesurques turned pale with horror
when he heard the unexpected verdict,
and raised his hands rs If in depreca-
ton. Then, conquering his emotion, he
stood up, and with the calmness and dig
nifty that characterized his bearing to
the end said; Enthusiastically the crime
of which am accused is n terrible one.
and deserves to be punished with death;
but II murder on the highway is crime, J
the abuse of law to strike an innocent
man is no less criminal. The day
will como when my innocence shall
be established; then my blood be on the
heads of the jurors who have convicted
me without due reflection, and on the
Judge who has Influenced them to do
so.n
Courriol now made his first effort to
save Lesurques. He rose from his seat,
and cried out: "Lesurques and Bernard
are Innocent Bernard only lent the
horses. Lesurques had nothing to do
with the matter" These remonstrances,
of course, availed nothing. Lesurques,
Courriol and Bernard were condemned
to death; Richard to twenty-four years
imprisonment The property, real and
personal, of all four was contiscated.
Courriol had two interviews with the
authorities, in tho hope of saving Lesur-
ques. He gave the names Of his accom-
plices as Durochat, Vidal, Dubosc and
Roussy. 2 He said that Durochat, under
an assumed name, had taken his place
on the coach beside the courier, and
that the rest of them had met at the
Barriere de Charenton, and proceeded
on horseback to Lieursaint, dining on
the way at Montgeron; and declared
that the spur found on the ground be-
longed to Dubosc, who resembled Ie-
surques, and was confounded with him
by the witnesses. He appealed to his
mistress in corroboration of his state
ments as to the resemblance between
Dubosc and Lesurques. nr
She affirmed that there was strong
likeness between them, which was much
heightened by a blond wig worn by
Dubosc on the day of the murder, and
confirmed all the other particulars given
by Courriol, SO far as she was acquaint-
ed with them. 49,.
These Developments melted Lesurques
and his friends to renewed eXertions,
and they succeeded in bringing the case
to the notice of the Directory. The
Directory referred it to the Council of
Five Hundred, and the Council referred
it to q committee. .''l |if tAt
But all was in vain. The committee
reported adversely to Lesurques, and
nothing now was left for him to do
but to prepare for death. He took leave
of his wife and children the day before
his execution, and on the evening of the
same day cut off his hair with his own
hands, and inclosed it in packet for
his wife, which he touchingly addressed
"a Ia cheyenne Veuve Lesurques.
At the same time, he again bade her
farewell in the following pathetic
lines: aIjt. ..1t.. isi'a : 80
when you read this letter shall be no
more; the cruel knife will have. cut short my
days-days so happily consecrated to you. l
am to be judicially murdered. 1t Is my fate.
and thsre is no escape from 1t. have endured
my lot with all the constancy and courage of
which human nature is capable: May hope
thatyou will initiate my example? Your fe
is not yours; it belongs to your children and
to. your husband if he was dear to you.
"This is all have to ask. '
"a little packet of my hair will be handed to
you. Keep it carefully, and when my chill.
dren nre grown share 1t with them. It is all
that have to leave them for inheritance.
Farewell forever. My last sigh shall be for
you and my unfortunate children"
He wrote, also, to his friends in these
words:
"The truth could not manifest itself, and !
am about to perish, the victim of mistake.
MAY hope that you will entertain for my
wife AMI children the same friendly feelings
that you have always shown for me, and aid
them under all circumstance2 l thank NJ.
Gninier, my defender, for the pains that he has
snow receive, one and all, my last fare
WELL"
Lastly, he addressed an open letter
to Dubosc, for insertion in the news
papers:
"You, in whose stead am about to die, rest
content with the sacrifice of my life. II ever
| you fall intn the hands of justice, think of my
| three children, covered with infamy, and OF
| their mother. prey to despair, and do not pro
long the misfortnnes caused by the fatal like
ness that bear to you.' itfE|f.l q
Lesurques, Courriol and Bernard
were executed on the 3Oth of October,
1876:
AS soon as Lesurques mounted the
cart that was to carry him to the place
of execution, Courriol pointed him out
to the crowd, and cried in loud voice
"I am guilty, but Lesurques is limo
cent" and he continued so doing un.
til they reached the foot of the guillo
tine. .... -
Iesurques, clad all in white, in toker
of his innocence, never for moment
lost his self command. When his turr
came, he assembled the scaffold with {
firm step. and uttered few words o.
forgiveness for his Judges, then he laiC
his head upon the block. and so passet
into the presence of the never-errine
Judge.
Four months after these events, th,
police succeeded in arresting Durochat
He was fully recognized as the pretended
traveller on the LYONS coach, ant
eventually made full confession, sus
tanning in every particular the accoun
given by Courriol. He declared tina
Bernard not only lent the horses, bu
had share of the plumber. With rel
erence to Lesurques he said: II hav
heard that man named Lesurques wa
condemned for completely with us
Truth compels me to say that | neve
knew the man, neither when W
planned the job nor when we did II
I did not know him and / never sa,
! him."
, Vidal and Dubosc were captured bt
! fore Durochat was executed, and h
identified them both; but they escape
from prison before they could be brougl
! TO trial. Vidal was soon recapturet
! tried, condemned and executed. ID,
: : bose remained at large for some tim
but at length he was retaken, and col
: fronted with the ten witnesses who ha
sworn against Lesurques. One of IL
ten maintained and one retracted h
evidence given at the first trial; the +
naming eight declared that they coul
: not say whether Dubosc or Lesurqu
9 was the man whom they had seen. ID
n bose, for his part. denied everything,
s Vidal had done before him, and SEIZE
Q every advantage offered by his reser
Q blance to Lesurques, and the latter
d conviction and execution; but all
u vain. He was guillotined on ihe 20
of December 1900
u Roussy, the last of the five assassin
. was arrested in Madrid. toward d
y close of the wear 1903, and executed &