Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-05-30
A HISTORIC TRAGEDY
EXECUTION OF JOSEPH LEsURQUEs
AND ITS SAD SEQUEL.

Cured In France Upon Which WINS
Founded the Popular. MeIodrnmn
"Thc Lyons Mall"
The tragedy Of the execution of Jo
scph Lesurqucs, an innocent man, by
the legal machinery of France In the
eighteenth century Is IN incident re-
plete with pathetic phases.
Although Lcsurpucs was executed as
ear back rs 179G, though his Innocence
was established IN 1901, though his
property was restored to the family liz
1921, the corps lcgslntif, after the fam
lily had tried for over half century TO
nave his memory jndicially, rehabllitat
ed, definitely refused in 1869 10 pet.
form this last remaining act of justice
The pcdantry Of French law forbade
The questioning of jury's verdict by
any one save the person directly in
terestcd Put ILL Ugh the law has fail
ed to remove The stigma OH the name
of an innocent man. literature and
The drama have made him q popular
hero. THE Lyons Mall" IN which his
honor is thoroughly indicated, has
been one of the most popular Of all
French melodramas, and the combined
genius OF Charles Rcade and of Hen
ry Irving made II one of the great sue
cesses of the modern English stage.
Poor I.csurqucs, who, when ho per-
tshcd OH the scnfrold, was but thirty
three years of age. was good hus.
band, good father and good citizen.
He married In 100 Mile. Campion, q
lady of respectable family In Douai
and possessed Of Il handsome dowry,
Their children therefore were very
young, and 1t was In order to give
them the benefit of n superior educa-
ton that he rclinluishcd public ap-
pointmcnt at Douai and came to Paris,
there to live on his own private for
tune, which amounted to about 1900
francs year. He Ind but just arrlv-
ed IN the capital and was superintcnd.
ing the furnishing of his new home
when tllr thundcrbolt fell.
On April ~, 1896, the mail coach be-
tween Lyons and Paris was attacked
and plnndcred, and the position and
courier We're murdered. There were no
witnesses 10 the crime, but it was re-
ported that party of horsemen had
been seen In the vicinity at about tlie
time 1t was committed. These horse.
men had taken diuner mt an Inn Mt
Montgcron. One of LesurQucs friends
named Gucnot was arrested OH sus-
picion, and his private papers were
seized. There WAS no evidence to hold
hin OH except that he answered the
description Of one Of the supposed
mlrdcrcrs, and he was dismissed. Next
day he WIS told to call for his papers
at the central bureau. He was nc
companed thither by Lesurques, an
act of madness on the part of the lat
ter had he been guilty.
1t happened that Just Mt that time the
Judge was taking the dispositions Of
witnesses who lived in the neIghbor-
hood of the scene Of the murder.
Among .theseS were two maidservants
of Montgcron, who uttered simutane-
GUS screams ut the appca rance of the
two friends. They were put Into the
witness box aud swore positively that
two Of the horscmcn were present in
the audience. When confronted with
Lcsurques and Gucnot they positively
| Identified them. Both were arrested
| and thrown into prison. At the trial
| four other witnesses corroborated their
, testimony with equal emphasis rs re-
garded I.esurques, but were doubtful
about Guenot. The latter succeeded In
| establishing n satisfactory alibi ana
| was released. The formers attempted
| alibi seemed to break down badly
| when the daybook of the jeweler, LII
grand. to whom he swore he had sold
| bill of goods on the very day Of the
murder. was produced In court and the
! dnte of the charge was found to have
been altered.
In vain the jeweler protested that
the first date was n mistake, which he
Ind Immediately corrected. and he and
all the other witnesses for IesurQues
were looked upon rs self convicted
perjurers. Lesurques was found guilty
and executed. together with one Of tho
real murdcrcrs. named Courriol, who
OH mounting the scaffold confessed his
own guilt. but declared the innocence
OF Lesurques. Doubts began to arise
as to the justice of Lesurques' SEN
tence, and finally 1t was discovered
that he had suffered through extraordl-
nary resemblance to one Dubose, tho
real criminal. who was brought to JUS
tIce in 1901, convicted and executed.
This deplorable case had most do.
plorable senuels. The unhappy Nine.
1.esurques went mnd on hearing tho
news of her husbands condemnation.
The children were rs yet too young to
understand their trouble, but MS they