The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1891-05-14
THE NEW ORLEANS Jury.

The report of the grand jury recently
having under consideration the matter
of the murder of a number of Italians
who had been acquitted of murder, was
a remarkable document. 1t is true pub
lie sentiment in the crescent city applaud
ed the unlawful killing of these men, for
no doubt of their guilt, or at least of
their completely in the assassination of
chief of police Hennessy was entertained
by any one. The jury acquitting the
Italians was bribed and intimidated-
there seems no doubt of that. But in
the face of even that fact the slaughter
of the acquitted prisoners in cold blood
is not in any way defensible. Leading
and influential citizens led the rioters, and
did the terrible work in the interest of
good government, so-called. If the courts
of New Orleans have arrived at condi-
ton where justice is impossible, whose
fault Is it? The courts never sprang at a
bound from purity to rottenness-such
evoiutions are gradual. The people clos
ed their eyes to the state of affairs until
a gross example became notoriously APP
parent, and then resortcd to unlawful
and revolutionary methods to connect an
evil WHICH never could have existed had
they given proper and patriotic atten-
ton to the matter in time. By inaction
they permitted state of affairs which
demanded heroic treatment, and by such
inaetion they became in a measure
particeps eriminis.
The grand jury could find no one to in
dist, nothing to reprehend in connection
with the outrage. But there is one fea-
ture OF the report which is commendable.
1t doesn't indict congress, but it indi-
Gates that it would like to. Waving all
cons Iteration of propriety in body like
local grand jury promhlgating such
sentiments. yet the sentiments are sound
and worthy of attention, so far as they
relate to the subject of immigration. The
following is an extract from the report:
no questionis more intimately connect
ed with the subject matter of this report
chan that of immigration. 1t deeply in
terests the people of our whole country
by reason OF the good results following
the landing on our shores OF large num-
bers of meritorious and law abiding for
eigners, or the damage attendant upon
the introduction of a vicious class who
1eaye their native country for the coun-
try's good. seeking au asylum here, soon
again to follow in their footsteps of the
past.
We know that this question more deep
" concerns the city of New Orleans than
1t does any city on the Atlantic seaboard.
The great Importance is forcibly ex-
pressed in columns of the public press till
there seems to be an awakening to the
danger that threatens the situation and
the necessity for radical reformation.
That past immigration laws were sadly
deficient or badly administercdis indicat-
ed by recent legislation of the national
congress, and even these new regulations
will not be effective unless strictly en-
forced by the proper officials charged
with such duties. That is the inteation
at present and for the future. yet by some
design or. other the details of the law
may be GRADED.
ION HStS1uSSs ~ HlSu du dutHOIlly DIS
the Italian consul, this city, in his sworn
statement before the grand jury, charges
that nine Italians were recently landed
from the steamship Entella, whose
names were not on the passenger list.
This point has been referred by him to
the Italian government and is being in
vestigated, the steamer being due at Pa
lermo about this time. The consul claims
that 941 persons were landed, while the
passenger register showed 932 names.
1t is finally shown that these nine Ital-
ians were SO landed, in violation of the
laws of both nations, they should be re-
turned whence they came and the steam
ship Entella heavily fined.
We have stated in our remarks about
the Malta that several hundred Italian
criminals are in the city to-day who
should not have left their native land
without the endorsement of the Amer1-
can consul as to character, and should
not have been permitted to land here.
The time has passed when this country
can be made the dumping ground for the
worthless and depraved ofevery nation,