The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-15

ieHu tEsmsolVeH, ana When they cOuId no
and these they sought hiding places. IN
q rnse, transferred the nineteen men to th
female department, and there the miser
able Sicilians trembied in terror until th
moment when the doors would yield to til
angry throng on the outside. Capt. Davi
refused request to open the prison. an,
the crowd began the work of bnttering il
tho doors. Around on Orleans stree
door which had bee been Iul ciose
barred, in anticipation of the coming o
the avenging mass. This the crowd select
ed as their best chance of getting in
Neighboring houses readily supplied axe
ana battering rams. and willing hand
went to work to force an opening. Ihii
did not prove difficult task to the tremb.
was a crash. the door gave way, and in Al
instant armed citizens were pouring through
the small opening, while mighty shou
went up from ton thousand throats in glat
acclaim. There was resistance for the in.
truders, however, but it, too was soon over
come with huge billet of wood which thu
men carried. Then the turnkey was over
powered and the keys taken from
him. BY that time the excitemen
was Intense, none the less s.
when patrol wagon drove up with de.
tachment of policemen, who were driver
away under fire of mud and stones.
When the leaders inside the prison 90
possession of the keys the inside gate Was
promptly unlocked and those in the lobb
rapidly got out of harm's way. The aveng
ers pressed into the yard of the white prIs
onors. The door of the first cell was open
and group of trembling prisoners stooe
inside. They were not the men who wer.
wanted, and the crowd very quickly, though
with remarkable coolness, burst into the
yard. Peering through the bars of con
demned cell was terror-stricken fac,
which some one mistook for Scaffedi.
volley was fired at the man and he dropped
but none of the shots struck him, and i,
was subsequently found that he was no
one of the assassins. The inmates of thu
jail were ready to direct the way to where
the Italians were.
Go to the female department" someone
yelled, and thither the men with their Win
chesters ran, but the door was locked. In
a moment the key was produced. Then the
leader called for someone who knew the
right men, and volunteer responded, ane
the door WAS thrown open. The gallery
was deserted, but an old woman said
the men were up stairs. A party
OF seven or eight quickly ascend
ed the strircase, and as they
reached the landing tho assassin fled down
at the other end. Half u dozen followed
them. Scarcely word was spoken. Il
was time for action. When pursued and
pursuers reached the stone court yard the
former darted toward the Orleans side Oh
the gallery and crouched down beside the
cells. Their faces blanched, and, being
they were absolutely defenseless.
In fear and trembling they screamed TO.
mercy, but the avengers were merciless.
Bang. Bang! Bang! rang out the reports of
murderous weapons, and a deadly rain of
bullets poured into the crouching figures.
Gerachl. the neare st man, was struck in
the back Of the head and his body pitched
forward. Romero fell to his knees with his
face in his hands, and in that position was
shot to death. Manastero and James Car
uso fell together under the fire of half a
dozen guns, leaden pellets entering thei,
bodies and heads. The bloody execution
ers did their work we'll, ard beneath a CON
tinuing fire Conetex and Trahinia. two OF
the men who had not been tried
but who were charged jointly with the
other accused, fell together. Their bodies
we're literally riddled with bullets and
they were stone DEAD almost before the
fusilade was over.
When the group of assassins was discov-
cred on the gallery, Macheca, Scatfedi and
old man Marchesi separated from the other
six and ran up stairs. Thither a haIf-dozen
men followed them, and, as the terror
stricken assassins ran into cells
they were slain. Joe Macheca, who
was charged with being the arch-conspira-
tor, had his back turned when shot struck
him Immediately behind the ear and his
leath was instantaneous. Scatfedi, one of
the most villainous of the assassins dropped
ike a dog when n bullet struck him in the
,ys. Old man Marchesi was the only man
who was not killed outright. He was
struck on9 the top OF the head while he
stood beside Macheca, and though NOR
ALLY wounded, fingered all evening. Pol
ize, the crazy man, was looked up
open, and one of the avengers taking aim.
shot him through the body. He was not
killed outright and in order to satisfy the
people on the outside, who We're crazy to
Know what was going on within, he was
ragged down stars and through door
way by which the crowd had entered.
ialf carried, half dragged. he was taken to
lis neck and the people pulled him up to
he crossbars. Not satisfied that he was
lead score of men took aim and poured
olley of shot into his body, and for sew
raj hours the body was left dangling IN
he air.
Bagnetto was caught in the first rush up
tairs. and the first volley of bullets
ierced his brain. He was pulled out by a
lumber of stalWart men through the main
ntrnnce to the prison, and from the limb
a tree his body was suspended, although
fe was already gone.
just rs soon as the bloody work was done
lr. Parkinson addressed the crowd, and
sked them to disperse. This they CON
snted to do with u ringing shout, but first
ley made rush for Parkinson and. lift
lg him bodily, supported him on their
loulders while they marched up street.
he avengers came back i'll a body to Clay
'atue and then dispersed. I'M
tense crowds rushed from all llrec-
ons to the neighbprhooa of the tragedy,
lille the streets i'll front of newspaper
Ifices were blocked with people anxious
} 500 the latest bulletins. There was in
'nse suppressed excitement, but from one
Id of the city to the other tho actions of
le citizens were applauded.
O'Malley, the detective, who would have
lared the fate of the assassins If he had
zen caught, has disappeared and is not ex
'cted to return, and tho members of she
ry are iii hiding. The atmosphere has
,en considerably purged, and though
ere Is big crowd on Canal |
rect tonight, trouble seems all over. The
allan consul declines to say what action, |
any, he will take. The prison was sur |
unded until dark by motley multitude. !
IT the police found no difficulty in main
ming good order. The bodies of some of |
@ slain were removed this evening. |
lruso was married. but leaves no chill
on. Romero has wife and children,
d Macheca u wifoSand family. Comitez
,ves wife.
n