2:4 
SINGULAR TRIAL. 
vvliich the malice of fortune seemed to have wrought together for the 
express purpose of crushing an unfortunate but guiltless man. Cour- 
riol, Lesurques, and Bernard, were condemned to death, and Richard 
to imprisonment in irons. Neither Richard nor Bernard had taken 
an active part in the assassination. The former had only received 
a part of the stolen goods, and the latter lent horses to the assassins. 
The condemned sued for a repeal, but their application was rejected. 
As soon as Courriel saw that death was inevitable, he w'as impatient 
to bear testimony to innocence ; he declared before his judges that 
he had never been in any way connected with Lesurques ; that this 
unfortunate man had taken no part in the crime; that in sentencing 
him to death they were immolating a victim unjustly ; he pointed out 
all his accomplices, and particularly described Dubosq, whose figure 
and features bore such a fatal resemblance to Lesurques ; in short, 
_he fortified his declaration with so many evidences, that the Directory 
thought it their duty to address a message to the Council of Five 
Hundred, in favour of the unfortunate Lesurques. Must then (said the 
Directory) the innocent perish for the guilty? 
The Council of Five Hundred ordered a delay, and named a com- 
mission to bring them a prompt account. Alas ! the same preju- 
dices which had induced the judges to pass sentence on Lesurques, 
assailed the commission. It was supposed that Courriol might have 
been persuaded by the offer of money to make his tardy confessions ; 
that the details which he had given of the assassination might be all 
a falsehood, concerted between him and his accomplice ; that the 
culprits whom he pointed out might be imaginary beings only, and 
that the proofs which were brought to fortify the declaration of 
Courriol might be only the work of Lesurques’ friends. And thus 
their decision rested on a simple probability. A second message 
from the Directory had no more effect than the first ; they added to 
the above-mentioned probabilities, the respect due to the decisions of 
the jury, and the inviolability of its judgments. Lesurques, Bernard, 
and Courriol were condemned to die. To the last moment Courriol 
proclaimed the innocence of Lesurques, and continued to desire that 
they would search for the men he had described. Lesurques died 
forgiving the judges, and all those any way concerned in his death. 
One of the artists who had given evidence in his favour, traced with 
his pencil his last adieu to his family. The murderer, and the man 
of worth and honour, were buried in_the same tomb. 
The day when all was to be discovered was not very distant. Four 
months had scarcely passed aw'ay, when they arrested one of the cul- 
prits pointed out by Courriol ; he made confession of his crime, con- 
firmed all the evidence of Courriol, and, like him, protested that 
Lesurques was innocent. Two other assassins were pursued and 
taken. One of them was that Dubosq, w'hom Courriol had described 
as resembling Lesurques in a singular manner. This fact was con- 
firmed when he appeared before his judges. The astonished wit- 
nesses w’ere struck with terror and remorse when they beheld him ; 
and the woman, who had so obstinately persisted in her accusation 
of Lesurques, asked Heaven’s pardon for her error. The judges 
themselves were dismayed. All France heard of this shocking event. 
