The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-08

blanched and ghastly race was seen a1 'ne
bars of the door.
THAT'S Scaffedi," shouted one excited in
dividual, and Immediately several shots
were fired at his cell. The prisoner, whoever
he was quickly disappeared. Several mora
shots were fired at the door.
'They are in the female department.
shouted shrill voice. Where is the keyT
sBring us the key" yelled another. and
rush was made for the door separating the
two divisions The door was found securely
locked.
"Batter it down." said one.
Hold" said young man with a Winches'
Ter rifle. "I've got the key" and he held
long kew over his head. This announcement
was greeted with cheers. The door was
opened and the crowd made break to get
ssHold on, gentlemen" said Mr.. Parkerson.
1--WE do not want to shed any innocent blood.
Who knows the asSasSinS"
II do" land l." shouted dozen mon
"Iet me in. know them, said one deter
mined man, and he was admitted. seven
men entered, and the corridor was found de-
serted with the exception OF ono person.
This was an old colore1 woman.
"Dey are up stairs, boss" shc said, in an
swer to . question. The seven men ran up
stairs. Before they got half way up door
was slammed and footsteps were heard run
ming along the gallery.
"There they arem yellei one enthusiast.
"Hurrah, tigerr' said another, and the cry
was taken up by those in the lobby. Inc
door leading to the gallery was thrown open
and the backs of the assassins were seen ais
ing into the yard Of the colored female de-
partment. Not word was spoken then, out
a half dozen men quickly ran the length OF
the gallery and quietly descended the stairs
These six men did all the shooting. They
found the prisoners crouchlng IN the
woman's department. Sunseri and one or
the other Italians saved their lives IN dog
house, where they escaped attention. Sunserl
weighs over 2O0 pounds but managed 10
make himself small for this occasion. Gas,
pardo Marchesi the boy prisoner, was savei
by some of the mob, who took mercy on his
tender years. He was concealed between
two mattresses. The other Italians were
scattered around the yard. When they saw
the mob they set up yell for mercy.
Suddenly voice said: ''Give it to them!
and instantly three guns and pistol belched
forth rain of leaden bullets:
Gerachi, who was lame and was the lastot
the fleeing men. received one load IN the
hack of the head, and, turning a complete
somersault, fell on his face and never moved
again. Then Monasteri and Jim Caruso fell;
Their backs and heads were literally riddled
with bullets. Romero, with cry OF anguish,
croucbed down on his knees, with his head
almost on the ground.
He was killed in that attitude. He was the
only one who had his hat on, and, notwIth-
standing that 1t was riddled with bullets, it
never left his head. His black frock coat
was torn to shreds by the bullets.
The crowd on the outside heard the fil1og
and cheered without knowing what had been
G0Or
and announced that most Of the men had
been killed, but that Macheca, Marchesl the
elder and Bagnetto would be brought from
the prison and hanged.
Tt had been intended to take Macheca, who
was regarded as the leader Of the Italians,
outside and hang him, but in the meanwhile
another section Of the mob had broken into
the cell where Macheca 6as confined. he
heard the men coming, rushed from his cell,
which was open and toward the chapel, but
was finally cornered in a gallery Of the con-
demned prison.
Here a Young man hit him over the head
with rifle, which made him insensible. 1t
was reported that he was dead, and the crowd
was about to leave him when some one sug-
gested as an extra precaution that he be dis
posed Of. A bullet was fired through his
BRAIN 1t being impossible to hang Macheca,
it was decided to lynch Polizzi and Bagnetto.
The mob on the outside had grown i'm
patient and demanded victims. The streets
for squares around were filled with people,
among whom were large number Of women
and children The angry crowd wanted
vengeance on all the nineteen Italians and
showed some opposition when it was an
nounced that only four had been killed,
according to the first information
given to the mob. A loud demand
was then made that the promise to lynch
some Of the prisoners should be kept. AT
| IL o'clock, q few minutes after the shootlnS,
the side door on Marais street was
pushed open and several Of the armed men
appeared pushing before them Polizz the
| half-crazsd Sicilian who offered to turn
States evidence, but who went crazy while
attempting to do so. He was aghast with
| terror and was evidently mad. He was
! without coat or hat, wore red flannel
shirt and his black hair was dlshevelled
| The crowd called to the armed men to
lynch him. and he was dragged down to the
corner of Marais ana st. Anne streets.
The crowd was so dense that it was diff
cult to force passage through it. From
| the balconies near men and women watched
the scene with opera glasses. At the corner
was a lamp post; some one threw rope
across the heads Of the men who were push
| ing the prisoner, and when the corner was
reached man scaled the post and threw
the rope around it.
There was already moose at the other
end, and this was hastily and imperfectly adj
justed about ths neck Of the Italian. Then
willing hands at the other end tugged at the
! line and the man was hoisted into the air,
bright sky. The rope did not hold at first,
and Polizzi slipped down to the pavement.
1t was only for an instant, however
In a couple Of seconds stronger hands drew
the rope taut, and soon the body Of the un-
fortunate man was dangling from the post.
As soon as the man was high enough to make
the range Of shots over the heads Of the peo-
pie dozen loud reports rang out and the
blood gushed from Polizzis face.
Many shots had riddled his body. Then
the rope with which he had been hanged was
wrapped securely about the post, and Poliz-
zi's body was left hanging.
The body was still quivering when the cry
went up that they were lynching another
man on the other side Of the prison in front
Of Orleans street, whereupon the entire mob
surged in that direction. 1t was found that
the man who was being brought out was An
tonic Bagnetto, one of those acquitted.
He was suffering from a wound, and was
probably dead when he was lynched, or
nearly so. Two men carried him to the
park in the centre Of Orleans street, on which
| are several rows Ol GTeSS. OOlue O1o dSColiuc0
tree and threw another rore around con-
venient limb. When Bagnetto was swung
up it was seen that he was shot through the
head and already dead.
The mob wanted the others, but they were
told that enough had been done.
The whole affair occupied barely forty
! five minutes. 1t was 1920 when the mob
reached the parish prison; it was los when
Bagnetto, the last victim, was strung mp.
OF the eleven men killed four had been ac-
quilted by the jury, three had had mistrial,
and four had not been tried. The mob liu-