The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-19
THE hENNESSY ASSASSINATION.
Action of the Mayor and Council OF New
Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS, Oct l3.-The committee OF
fifty, who comprise leading men Of all pro-
fessiOns and business, will hold their first
meeting tonight in the Council Chamber.
In appointing the committee. the Mayor
advises immedi ite and determined action
to ferret out and help TO bring to justice the
members Of the murderOus elements IN our
midst that strike down the executive Of the
police, and threaten representatives OF the
municipality for no other crime than doing
their duty.
MAYOR sHAKESPEARE'S MESSAGE,
Mayor Shakespeare's message to the
Council reads as follows: ut Is with the
pr0loundest grief and indignation that |
make to YOU the official announcement Of
the death Of David {. Hennessy, superin-
tendent of police of this city; grief at the
loss of a true friend and an efficient officer;
Indignation that he should have died by
the hands OF despicable assassns. lie was
waylaid and ridded with bullets almost at
his doorstep on last Wednesday night, and
he died on Thursday morning ut . O'Clock.
The circumstances Of the cOwardly deed.
the arrests made. and the evidence collected
by the police department show beyond doubt
that he was the victim Of Sicilian ven
geance. wreaked upon him, as the chief
munity, because he was seeking
by the power Of our American
laws to break up the fierce vendettas
that has so often stained our streets with
blood Heretofore those scOundrels have
confined their numbering among themselves,
None of them have ever been convicted, he-
cause of the secrecy with which the crimes
have been committed, and the impossibilty
Of getting evidence from the people
Of their own race TO convict. Bold
indeed was the stroke that fell upon
their first American victim; sh ming
mark have they selected on which 10 write
with the assassn's hand their contempt for
the civilization of the New World. We owe
Il 10 ourselves and 10 everything that we
nOld sacred in this life TO see 10 il that this
blow is the last. We must teach these
people "A lesson that they will not forget for
all time. What the means are TO
reach this end leave 10 the
wisdom of the Council to devise. Ii is
clear TO me that the wretches who commit
ted this foul deed are the mere hreiings
and instruments of others higher and more
powerful than they. These instigators are
the men we must find at any cost. For
wears past the existence of stiletto societies
among the Siciliaus in this city has been
asserted. Appeal was made TO me by a
prominent Italian during my former ad-
ministratiOn 10 protect him iron black
mask and murder, but as he was afraid 10
Give any names | could do nothing for
MIN. Ii is believed that these hOrrid asso-
Citations are patronized by some OF the
wealthy and powerful members OF their
own race in this city, and that they can
point out who the leaders OF these assocla-
lions are. No community can exist with
murder societies in its midst. These
societies must perish or the COM
munity itself must perish. The sici.-
ian who comes here must become an
American citizen and subject his wrongs TO
the remedy of the law of the land, or else
there must be no place for him on the
American continent. This sentiment we
must see realized at any cost, at any haz-
ard. Tue people look TO you to take the In
itiatIye in this matter. Act promptly with
out fear or favor. Signed Jos. A. Shake
speare, Mayor"
THE MAYOR THREATENED.
Then the Mayor startled the Council by
saving that he was the next man TO be sub
iected to the vengeance OF the vendetta.
lie said: IL have been elected by thousands
OF citizens to enforce the law. and cannot
he deferred from doing my full duty
by any band OF assassins, be they VINO
they may. No matter what further threats
NAV come, will 90 down lighting In The
| xpnt ranks in the battle to bring to justice
| the foul murderers OF Chief Hennessy."
There was tremendous applause when
the Mayor expressed his determination to
fearessIy carry out the programme OF the
| Council,