Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-03-20

prison. Before any one could realize what
had happened, a great throng, gaining
recruits at every street, was tramping
down the street to the neighborhood of
the prison, stopping only once, and that
was at the arsenal, where double bar
relied shotguns, Winchester rifles and
pistols we're handed out to responsible
and respectable citizens in the party
The starting of the crowd had an electric
effect on the city. Soon the streets were
alive with people running from all direc-
tions and joining the main body, which
moved sullenly down Rampant to the
Jail, near Congo square. When the main
crowd from Canal reached the prison,
there had already collected there a dense
throng. When the vanguard of armed
citizens reached the prison, which is
many squares from Canal street, the
building was surrounded on all Sides
Sheriff Viller, whel. he heard of the
movement on foot to take the prisoners,
armed his deputies. The police force was
too small to offer much resistance
to the army of avengers, Capt. Lew Davis
was on guard at the main entrance with
a scant force of deputies. They were
swept away like chat1 before the wind
and in an instant the little ante room
leading into the prison was jammed with
eager, excited men. Meanwhile the
prisoners were stricken with terror, for
they could hear distinctly the shouts of
the people without madly demanding
their blood. The innocent and guilty
alike were frightened ont of their senses
and prisoners who we're charged with
crimes other than completely in the muir
der of the chief also shared in the gener
al decentralization. Some of the braver
among the representatives of the Malta
wanted to die fighting for their lives, and
THEY PLEADED FOR WEAPONS
with which to defend themselves and
when they could not get them they
sought hiding places. The deputies
think & to deceive the crowd, trans
ferre, tie prisoners to the female depart
ment and there the miserable Sicilians
trembled in terror until the moment
when the doors would yield to the angry
throng on the outside. Captain Davis
refused the request to open the prison
and the crowd began battering in the
doors. The neighboring houses
readily supplied axes and battering
rams and willing hands soon forced
them open. Then the turnkey was over
powered and the keys taken from him.
The patrol wagon drove up with de-
tachment of police who were driven
away under fire of mud and stones
When the leaders inside the prison
got possession of the keys the inside gate
was unlocked and the deputies in that
lobby rapidly got out of harms way.
The avengers pressed into the yard
OF the white prisoners. The door Of
the first cell was open, and a group
Of trembling prisoners stood inside.
They were not the men wanted, and
the crowd very quickly burst into the
yard. Peeping through the bars of the
condemned cell was terror stricken
face, which some one mistook for
Scoffedi. A volley was fired at the
man, and he dropped, but more
Of the shots struck him, and it was
subsequent y found that he was not
one of the assassins. The inmates of
the Jail were ready to direct the way
to where the Italians we're. go to
the female partment," some one
yelled, and thither the men ran.
The leader called for some one
who knew the right men, and a
volunteer responded. and the door
was thrown opel. The gallery was
deserted, but an old woman said the
men we're up stairs. A party OF seven
or eight quickly assembled, and as they
reached the landing the assassins
fled down at the other. A half dozen
of the men followed them. Scarcely a
word was spoken. 1t was time for
action. Whom the pursued and pur-
suers reached the stone court yard,
the former darted toward the Orleans
side of the gallery and crouched
down beside the cells. Their faces
were blanched, and, being unarmed,
they we're absolutely defenseless In
their fear ana trembling
THEY SCREAMED FOR MERCY,
but the avengers were merciless. Bang,
bang, bang, rang out the reports of the
murderous weapons and the deadly rain
of bulle;s poured into the crouching fig
ures. Gerachi, the closest man, was
struck in the back Of the head and his
body pitched forward and lay immovable
on the stone pavement. Remero fell to
his knees, with his face in his hands, and
in that position was shot to death. Mo-
nastro and. James Caruso fell together
under the fire of half d, zen guns. The
executioners did their work we'll and be-,
meath the continuing fire, Cometez and
Trahina, two of the mon who had not
been tried, but who we're charged jointly
with the other accused fell tOpethar The
bodies we're riddled with bullets. When
the assassins discovered on the gallery
Machesi, Scoffedi and old man Marchesi
separated from the other six and ran up
stairs. Thither half dnzen men fol-
lowed and, us the terror stricken assas-
sins ran, they were slain. Joe Macheca
charged with being the arch conspirator,
was summarily dealt with. He had his
back turned when bullet struck him
behind the ear and death was in
stantaneQus. No blood came from the
wound and when the body was picked
&