The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-25
rae New Orleans InvestIgatlon.


Mr.. Walter Rogers, the attorney general
Of louisiana, talks as il he intended TO
spare no efforts to have the leaders OF the
uprIsingin New Orleans on March II IN
dicsed. he says that he has no sympathy
with mob violence, aud that If the grand
jury now in session will help him he will
fight TO tbs bitter end TO have those who
were chiefly instrumental in killing the
eleven Italian prisoners punished.
He has undertaken very hard task, and
II is doubtful if, ne will receive much en-
enlargement He will find it a difficult
matter to get anybody TO appear as wit
nesses against the leaders OF the uprising,
and it will be stIll more difficult to get a
jury that would convict the accused per-
sons. The killing Of the eleven prisopers
was approved virtually by the entire com
munity, and, even if it should be
admitted that grave mistake was made,
there would be no sentiment in favor OF
furnishing those who were instrumental in
causing the mistake to be made. However
energetic and determined the attorney gen.
eral may be, therefore, there is no proba-
bility that the leaders of the uprising will
suffer any punishment. Indeed, the senti-
ment in New Orleans seems to be that the
wiser course is to let the whole matter drop
to lower the curtain, as it were, and shut
out from public view the events Of March IA.
But it is noticeable that there are grave
doubts in the minds of many in New Or
leans whether those chiefly responsible for
the assassination Of Hennessy were among
those who we're killed in the parish prison.
The New Orleans Rcdyttne, IN its issue of
Sunday, says: THE Picayune has always
held that the miserable fruit peddlers and
cobblers who have been made TO bear the
brunt Of the crime we're only the ignorant
and ignoble tools Of parties high up in in
fuence and foremost in guilt. So far as
knowledge has come to the public there has
never been any effort to 90 behind the visi-
BILE and obvious accomplices, and to dis
cover whom they served and whose murder
GUS will and bloody edicts they wrought out.
We have no idea that the principals in this
case will ever be brought to punishment,
but il the blood which has been spilled in
the interest of the real murderers could only
cry out what terrible arraignment there
would be.n
The Italian consul, In letter to the New
York Tribune several days ago, said that
there were about one hundred Italian GRIM
inals in New Orleans, some Of whom were
high in favor with the local politicians and
who had been given places of profit in the
city government. If this be so it is q
curious condition OF affairs, and shows that
character doesn't count for much among
the local political bosses. The consul
further said that he furnished a letter to
the prosecuting attorney in the Hennessy
case, written by a convict at Baton
Rouge, in which it was stated
that Hennessy was killed by the
Detective OMalley and three or four
other notorious characters whose names
were given. This letter was not intro.
duced at the trial Doubtless the prescott
ing attorney thought that it had been writ
ten in the interest of the accused Italians.
II he had introduced that letter be would
have virtually admitted that the guilt of the
Italians was doubtful.
Attorney General Rogers is doing, Of
course, just what it is his duty to do. 1t may
be safely stated, however, that his efforts
to have the leaders in the affair of March
IA punished will prove TO be fruitlese.
Those who took part in that affair thought
they were right, and the community ap-
plauded them. IL was believed that there
was a condition Of affairs with which the
courts and constituted authorities could not
deal. That was the excuse for mob
violence, which is not to be approved and
which the second sober thought, nine times
out Of ten, condemns.