New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-17
he seems to consider his work

a public service.
II didn't take the initiative" he said. IN
answer to questions. II could not tell you WHO
did 1t was all done by others. was LII coui'
on Friday morning in a distant oullding a'on"
ing to some business, and came pacN Oo '"''
office after the verdict acquitting the Haiiahs'
When got here I found a large number OF clti-
zens awaiting me, some of them ola enough "
be nav grandfather. With those who came IN
afterward there were perhaps sixty or seventy
They were talking about the outrageous verdlc'
and told me they had come to ask me TO take
some measures to right it. After fifteen minutes
conversation we adjourned to meet again that
evening I had no connection with the case ne
vond taking good citizens interest In IL ana
draining into court while the trial was III
nrooress once or twice to see now IL
was getting along That evening we met LII
the rooms of a young man, whose name doh
care to give. There were about $50 OF us,
among them the men who were mere III
the morning. We stood up and were
hacked like sardines. They made me chair'n'h'
There was some more talking about the verdic.'
and was again appealed to- None OF us urahh
ANYTHING and there were no refreshments in the
room. We all signed call that was published
in the next mornings papers, asking the cl'izens
to assemble at 10 o'clock on Saturday morning al
the Clay Statue and saying we would be pre-
pared to carry out their instructions
Meaning that you would be ready TO STAY the
prisoners
That was the feeling, we understood. oil tie
public pulse. On Saturday ! came to my ONCE
at quarter to o. and at quarter to lo stdr"u
for the rendezvous at our trends rooih' WAS
n little ahead Of time. Four or live OF us "ehU
from there to the statue. where we louhu d
muttering mob of many thousands OF people we
walked around outside the ratings two or three
times to give our own people chance 10 fali In
Then went through the gate of the ratings ana
M the steps. As soon as | took OIL my haJ tie
proulc began to cheer. | don't remember eX-
actlv what I said. but | made little speech
telling them we had duty to perform; that 1t
was the most terrible duty had ever under
taken that the law had mscanied. and that we
were preparcd to do whatever they desired. They
shouted Come on.
What did you understand from that
That we were TO go to the prison
Did anybody say so in so many WORDS!
"Oh, il was known well enough. At the
meeting on Friday night they tried to get me 10
20 70 the prison them but refused to do anNthlhg
in the night time. From the statue we started
for the prison. | leading and the crowd following
lis We had to walk about a mile. and as we
walked people came out from tile slde-streels
and foil into the procession. The women were
crying and the men cheering. II was the most
terrible thing | ever saw the quiet determination
of the crowd. There no disorder. we
stoppcd on the way 10 the prison at our friends
rooms. where we found guns awaiting us. l
had my own gun there. There were about
$50 Winches,ers and shotguns, think
given ont. I never carry a revolver bht that
morning put one in my pocket took WIN
chester, besides. Al this moment am unarmed'
Al the prison gate Lem Davis, | think that l. ms
name. came 70 the door ] asked him for the
KEYS to let us in. lie said he couldn't give
them. 7 said if he didn't we'd break into the
prison. He still refused. Then I ordered the
crowd TO make ready to break in, sent for some
cunpowdcr and also sent detachment to break
in at the side door, which was about block
away. the building being immense one and
covering more than square of ground Mean
time we got some wood and used il TO batter the
main door That resisted but the side door
was forced Then | went around 10 the side
door placed three men on guard. one legal
officer of this municipality. telling them whom
10 allow TO enter and asking the crowd TO he
orderly The guards all had WinchcSters. The
crowd was composed Of lawyers. doctors. bankers
and prominent citizens generally. II was the
most obedicnt crowd you ever saw. They obeNed
me- implicitly. just as if ! was military COM
mandcr. If there was any riif-raff it was all
on the outside.
When we got in at first we couldn't find
the prisoners | saw only six of them shot The
other five were in another part Of the building,
long way or. The intention had been not to
,hco, any of them. but when my men were inside.
about fifty of them, they got very furious and
after the first taste of blood il was impossible
to keep them back The prisoners didn't make
noise or seem 10 be uneasy, excepting PollcZ. lie
fought Ike a wildcat and had To be handculcd
with handouts that We found in tho prison before
they could take HIM out 10 hang him.
If you didn't mean to shoot, why did you
take the guns?
Because we didn't know what resistance we
might encounter from the officers in chargc-from
ANYBODY We meant 10 lct into the prison, anu
We would have torn II down, oilck ny prick' II
necessary
Did YOU kill anybody with your own hands p
40. | didn't fire a shot In tact. at the meet
ing the night before had said that Matrango
and another should he spared. the two who were
declared 10 be innocent by Judge Baker. man
in whose integrity had perfect confidence. |
said / would defend those men with my own life
if necessary. and they were not harmed.
Didn't it strike you as not courageous TO
shoot the lot of unarmed men in a mole?'
Well" said the young lawyer. quietly. there
was no doubt about the courage of any man III
our party. OF course, 1t is rot courageous
thing to attacl; a man who is not armed. but we
looked upon these men as SO many reptiles
WHY. I was told that on Friday. after the vcr
t. ct the Italian fruit and oyster schooners along
the wharves hoisted the Sicilian flag over the
Stars and Stripes and the prisoners themselves
had a champagne supper.
After the execution came out again from the
prison The crowd checrcd. They knew what
had been done Then | made them another
speech. begging and commanding them as good
citizens TO disperse. They took away my rifle
while we were talking man brought in Parker
sons Winchester with the charges drawn and