The Democratic advocate., 1891-03-21
ITALIANS LYNCHED In NEW
ORLEANS.
Eleven of the Nineteen Supposed 10 be I'm
plicated in the Murder Of Chief Of
Police Hennesy Killed in Prison.

Siciians charged with the brutal nssaSslna-
ton of Chief of Police David G. Hennessy
had been acquitted, and that the jury could
not agree as to the guilt or innocence of the
other three, brought the people face TO face
with the conviction that the same secret and
terrible power that decreed the murder of
the faithful officer had corrupted the orderly
administration of justice and defeated the
popular demand for their punishment. So
strong and general was this conviction that
ar n meeting of leading citizens quickly called
the same night it was at once decided that
the time for action had arrived, and n call
was issued for public town meeting at the
base of the statue of Henry Clay, in the centre
of the city, at 10 O'Clock Saturday morning.
The call was printed in all the city morning
newspapers. In response an orderly crowd
of about three thousand determined men
assembled. Mr.. w. S. Parkerson, leading
lawyer and president of the Southern Athletic
Club, and one of the signers of the call, made
an address saying that, courts and jnrles hay
ing failed in their delegated functions, ii was
time for the people TO act. AT the conclusion
of the speech the crowd started for the parish
prison. On the way guns, which had been
provided by the citizens, were handed to re-
sponsble men from an arsenal on Bienville
and Royal streets. The prison was reached
at TO- 80 o clock A. NJ. After slight resist
ance it was surrendered and the citizens
rushed in and shot to death eleven Of the
nineteen men charged with the killing of
Chief Hennessy. The men who had been
acquitted by the jury were still in custody on
minor charges i'll connection with the case.
Three of them were among those killed. The
other three were not harmed. Two of the
eleven were dragged from their cells and
hanged in the street and riddled with bullets.
The crowd quietly dispersed.
Incardono, Matranga and the boy Marchasl
were acquitted by the jury.
The coroner's jury presented simple lind
ing. They did not say who shot the men.
The leaders in the movement, representing
the best citizens, held Il secret meeting last
night and discussed the occurrences of the
day and the action to be taken in the future.
1t was decided that there should be no more
bloodshed, but the men who have not yet been
tried for the murder as well rs those who
suborned the witnesses and the jury shall be
vigorously prosecuted before the courts of
the city.
History of EIennessy's Murder.
New Orleans was startled on the night of
October 18th by the report that David e..
Hennessy, the popular Chief of Police, who
was only 81 years old and had been on the
force since he was u, had been shot down by
Italians in ambush. 1t was dark, rainy
night, and Hennessy was carrying his um-
brella raised. Just as he turned the corner,
near where he lived, volley from several
guns, which awakened the people for squares
around, was heard, and Hennessy felt himself
wounded in the chest. He drew his revolver
and fired at his assailants, but they fred from
where. they were hidden until he dropped on
a neighboring doorstep riddled with bullets.
hin, 1rOp, thnv from
cover and ran up the street. The other party
al the next corner joined them, and the gang
ran down the street. Hennessy was mortally
wounded and lived for only few hours, but
long enough to say that his murderers were
Italians.
The assassination was attributed TO an
Italian society in New Orleans, which ordered
assassinations and removed all persons who
stood in their way. Some months previous
a party of Italians were fired on as they were
returning home after midnight by crowd of
hired Italian bravos. Chief Hennessy at once
entered vigorously upon an investigation OF
this crime, and had secured evidence OF the
most sensational character as to the assasslna-
ton of dozen or more Italians in the preced.
ing 20 years. He announced his intention of
breaking up the band. He was warned to
stop his investigations, but, being man of
courage, he kept on seeking evidence. Then
it was decided by the murderers that he
should die, and the plan for the assassination
was arranged. Two parties of assassins were
chosen and stationed near where he lived,
one party on Rampant, the other on Basin
street, so that no matter which way he went
home on the night decided upon he could not
escape.
The crime occurred in a we'll settled neigh
borhood, and number of people saw the
assassination, but, with the exception OF a
Mr.. Peeler who lived opposite Hennessy' S
house, they were unable to identify any one
of the number of Italians who were soon
afterwmd arrested. Peeler identified three
men, who were Sicilian fruit dealers.
On October II Antonio Scailida, identified
as one of the assassins of the Chief of Police,
was shot down in prison by Thomas ii. Duffy,
aged %, Il newspaper carrier, who SAID that
if the Italian died he was willing to hang. II
only wish,n he said, 'there were about 70
more men like me-"
That night the police searched the house
of one of the men arrested for the murder,
and found what appeared to be a detailed plan
to assassinate ali city and State officers who
acted counter to the wishes Of the Malta.
The Chief of Police was slain on October
Is, aud that very night the evidence began
to accumulate, showing that his death had
been deliberately planned by a secret tribu-
nal and carried out boldly and successfully
by the tools of the conspirators. The trial
| lasted 25 days, and, though the evidence
seemed conclusive, the jury, currently charged
with having been tampered with, failed to
convict. The foreman of the jury has been
/ expelled from the different exchanges and
societies of which he was member. lie has
left the city.
| The La Malta is a secret organization com
/ posed almost entirely of Sicilians, and was
| founded by an Italian cutthroat named Malta
at Palermo a hundred years ago. The mem
/ bers are for the most part criminals aud hesi
tate at no atrocity. The inhuman cruelty o
some of the Malta agents is almost beyond
human credence, and savors of the brnta
barbarity of the middle ages.
Italy VehementIy Protests.
RouE, March l5.-The Italian government
has instructed Baron de Fava, the Italian
minister at Washington, to present a yehe
ment protest to the United States goyernmen
against the action of the mob in New Orleans
yesterday, and the United States government
has promised to make an investigation.
Baron de Fava in dispatch 10 Marquis d
Rudini, the Italian premier and foreign min
lister, states that he has protested against thu
inaction of the local officials in New Orleans
and that Mr.. Blaine, the American Secretary
of State. expressed horror at the acts of thu
New Orleans mob, promising that he woul'
Immediately take the orders of the Presden
in the matter, and that the decision would b'
communicated to the Italian government.
The Rome, Italy, Don Chisciotte DELI
Mdncid remarks that Italy ought to demand
that instant measures be taken to protect tn
Italian colony in New Orleans" adding
however, ''it is Just also to recognize the fac
tI,ot e;,,,;la. ;no;danfs ,vontd not ocpnr If th
towns on the Atlantic littoral were not inieste'
with the ex.galley slaves Of Europe