Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
ITALIANS DID IT.
Ignorant Italians Sent to AssaSSinate
New Orleans Chief of Police.
Society Supposed to Exist Which ORDERS the
Murder of All Persons Who stand In the
Way OF Its Members.
Special to the Gazette.

Special to the Gazette
NEW ORLEANS, Ii. Oct. l6 The as
sassination at midnight last night of
Chief of Police David C. Hennessy has
created the profoundest excitement
known in New Orleans for years, and
called forth threats of lynch law, vigil
lance committees, etc. The assassination,
which was the worst ever known here,
has aroused the people of this city to
the fact that there is an Italian society
in existence which orders assassination
and which removes all persons who
stand in its way by murder. Some
months ago party of Italians were fired
on as they were returning home about
midnight by gang of hired Italian
braves. The tIial of the case was
to come up in few days. Ever SINCE
the crime was committed Chief of Police
Hennessy has been investigating the Ital-
ian vendetta in New Orleans, and had
secured evidence of the most sensational
character as to the assassination of sixty
or more italians III the last twenty years
He declared his intention of breaking up
the vendetta, and putting an end to
these murders. He was warned to desist
from his Investigations, but he
was a man of undaunted courage,
whom nothing could deter. it was
decided yesterday that he should die,
and all the plans for his murder were
arranged. Two parties of braves, or as
sassins, were chosen for the crime.
These were stationed near where he
lived, one party on Rampant, the other
on Basin street, so that no matter which
way he went home he could not escape
do mir
and Hennessy was carrying an umbrella
raised. Just as he turned the corner
where he lived a volley of several guns,
which awakened the people for squares
around was heard, and Rennessy felt
himself wounded IN the chest. He drew
his revolver and fired at his assail-
ants, but they fired from the
alleyway where they were hid until
he dropped on neighborlng door step
rlddled with bullets. When they saw
HIM drop they came from cover and ran
up the street. The other party at the
next corner joined them and the gang,
six or seven in number, ran down the
street.
Hennessy was found with six serious
wounds, three of them through the
lungs, a half dozen other skin wounds,
nine other shots through his coat and
hat. He was mortally wounded and
died a few hours afterwards, but lived
long enough TO say that his murderers
were "Dagos, - or Italians.
The ASSASSINATION occurred in a we'll
settled neighborhood, and number of
persons saw the assassins, but were, ex-
cept Mr.. Peeler. unable to identify
them. Orders were at once issued
20 arrest ell suspicious Italians found
in the neighborhood, and before
daylight nine of them were in
jail. against whom several discriminating
evidence was found. Three OF the ar
rested men were identified by Mr.. Peeler
the only witness of the murder, who
lived opposite Chief Hennessy, and saw
the assassination from q side window.
All the arrested men are Sicilien fruit
dealers of the very lowest type-men only
recently arrived in this country and who
can speak scarcely word of English.
They did not even know Hennessy,
and were evidently sent to murder
by some higher authority. The police
think that they have the assassns,
but the authorities are specially anxious
to get at the men who planned and Or
dered this crime IN order to cover up
their many other crimes, which Hen
messy was about to disclose.
The feeling here to-day has been very
strong against the Italians. Hennessy
was only thirty-two years of age, and
had been O member of the police force
since he was twelve. 1t was he who
the famous Italian Ongand
Espireto in this city some years ago and
turned him over to the Italian authori-
ties, and this may he in some way con-
nected with the assassination last night.