Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-04-08
A HISTORIC TRAGEDY
EXECUTION OF JOSEPH LEsURoUEs
AND ITS SAD SEQUEL.
The Famous Legal Blunder That oc-
CURED In France tpon Which Was
Founded the Popular Melodrams
"The Lyons MsiI."


Founded the Popular ,ielodrams
"The Lyons SIsiI.n
The tragedy of the execution of Jo-
teph LesurQues, an innocent man, by
the legal machinery of France in the
eighteenth century is an incident re-
plete with pathetic phases.
Although Lesurques was executed as
far back us 1876, though his innocence
was established in 1901, though his
property was restored TO the family in
1921. the corps legislatif, after the fam
lily had tried for over half century to
have his memory judicially rehabilltat-
ed, definitely refused in 1860 TO per.
form this last remaining act of Justice.
The Dednntry OF French law forbade
The questioning of q jury's verdict by
any one save The person directly in
terested. But though the law has foil
ed to remove the stigma OH the name
OF an Innocent man. literature aud
the drama have made him a popular
hero. THE Lyons Mail" IN which his
honor is thoroughly vindicated, has
been ole of the most popular of ali
French nefuriramas; and the combined
genius OF Charles ileade and of Hen
~ irving made il one Of the great sue
cesses of the modern English stage.
Poor Lesurques. who, when be per-
ished on the scaffold. was. but thirty.
three years of age, was good hus,
band. q good father anu II good citizen.
He married in 100 Mile. Campion, q
Indy of respectable family In Douai
and possessed of handsome dowry,
Their children therefore were very
young, and il was In order to give
them The benefit of superior educa.
rion that he relinquished public mp
pointment nj DOuni and came to Paris,
there To live on his own private for
tune, which amounted 10 about 1900
francs year. He had but Just arriy.
ed in the capital and was superintend.
ing the furnishing OF his new home
when the thundcrboll fell
On April -. 1896. the mail coach be-
tween Lyons aud Paris was attacked
and plunilered. aud The position anu
courier were murdered. There were no
witnesses 10 tile crime. but II was re-
ported that party OF horsemen had
been seen in the vicinity AT about tile,
time it was committed. These horse.
men had taken dinner at an inn at
Montgeron. One of I.esurQues' friends
named Guenot was arrested on sus-
plcion, and his private papers were
SAiZnI
him OIL except that he answered the
description Of one OF the supposed
nurdcrers. and he was dismissed. Next
day he was told ro.call for his .papers
al the central bureau. He was ac
companied thitller by I.esuraues, an
act OF madness OH the pnrt of The lat
ter had he been guilty.
Ii happened that just nj that time the
judge was taking the dispositions of
witnesses who lived In the neighbo,-
hood of the scene OF the murder
Among these were two maidservanrs
Of MontSeron. who uttered simultaneA
GUS screams at the appearance of the
two friends. Ehey were put into the
witness box and sw0re positively thar
two OF the horsemen were present in
the, audience. When confronted with
LesurQues and Gnenor they positively
Identified them Both were arrested
and thrown into prison. AT the trial
-four other witnesses corroborAted their
testimony with equal emphasis as re.
garded Lesurques. but We're doubtful
about GuenO1. The latter succeeded in
establishing a satisfactory allbi ana
was released. The formers attempted
alibi seemed to break down badly
when the daybook of the jeweler, La
grand. 10 whom he swore he had sold
bill of goods on the very day Of the
murder. was produced in court anu The
dnte Of the charge was found TO have
been altered.
In vain the jeweler protested that
the first date was Il mistake. which lie
had immediately corrected. and he and
all the other witnesses for Lesiiruues
were looked upon as self convicted
perjurers. Lesurques was found guilty
aid executed. together with one of the
real murderers. named Coulliol, who
OH mounting the scaffold confessed his
own guilt. but declared the innocence
of LesurQues. Doubts began 10 arise
, as 10 the Justice of I.esnrques' SEN
tence, and finally 1t was discovered
that he had suffered through extraordl-'
! nary resemblance to one Dubose, theS
real criminal, who was brought to JUS
tice in 1901, convicted and executed.
This deplora BILE case had most de
plorable seIuels. The unhappy Nine.
LesurQues went mad on hearing the
news of her husbands condemnation.
The children We're as vet too young TO
understand their trouble, but as they
grew UP one thought alone possessed
them. that of vindicnting their dead
father. II Is easy TO understand how