The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-03-20
Further Particulars Of the Ital-
ian Lynching Matinee at
New Orleans.
The Dagos Accused Of Chief
Hennessy's Murder Shot
Down Like Dogs.
A Storm Of Indignation Among Their
Co1lntrymen Throughout the
World.

of New Orleans have avenged the cow
ardly murder Of David G. Hennessy,
chief of police, who was slain on the
night of Oct. Is last.
The names of those who paid the
death penalty for the crime were Manuel
Pohetz, Pietro Monastro, Antonio Scat
fedi. Joseph P. Maeheca, Antonio Mar
chest, Antonio Bagnetto, Frank Romero,
Jim Caruso, Rocco Gerachi, Charles
Trahine and Comitez.
The verdict OF the jury in the cases OF
the eleven Italians on trial for the mar
der, having been read in court, meet
ing of lawyers, doctors, merchants and
political leaders-all persons Of influence
and social standing-was quietly held,
and it was decided that some action
must be be taken, and the peoples JUS
tice, swift and sure, visited upon those
whom the jury had neglected to punish.
Saturday morning call for mass
meeting at Clay square on Canal greet,
appeared in the papers, which editorially
deprecated violence. The significant
closing sentence of the call was. Some
prepared for action"
Answered by the Populace.
The call was answered by the pop
ulace. At 10 o'clock there was crowd
of several thousand anxious people con-
gregated around the statue. They hardly
knew what was going to happen, but
they seemed ready to go any length, and
while there were, of course, many of the
lower element in the throng, alarge pro-
portion were the leading people of the
town.
There were three addresses, short and
pithy and business-like, and the as
semblage, not unwilling, was soon keyed
up to high pitch, demonstrative in its
denunciation of the assassips. Each Of
the speakers said there had been great
mass meeting months before which had
met quietly and dispersed peacefully so
that the law might take its course. The
law had failed. The time to act had
come.
w. S. Parkerson, the leader, is a
prominent lawyer here, the president of
the Southern Athletic club, and the mai
who led the vigorous city reform move
ment three years ago. Walter d.
Doneger, another of the speakers, is one
of the leaders of the New Orleans bar;
John G. Wickliffe, also a prominent at
torney, and James D. Houston, of the
foremost men of the state. After de-
nouncing Detective O'Malley, who is
supposed to have tempered with the
jury, the speakers announced that they
would lead the way to the parish prison.
The crowd by this time numbered
Fully 5000 People.
There was just the slightest momentary
lull in the storm. Then some one yelled:
"Shall we get our guns. yves, get
your guns" said Mr.. Parkerson. sect
your guns and meet us in Congo square
Immediately" Loud cheers We're given
as Mr.. Parkerson and the other gentle
men moved down the steps. Then an
ominous silence reigned and the steady
tramp, tramp, tramp of men falling into
line and marching along was heard.
The parish prison was reached at 1890
o'clock. The
Wooden Door Was Broken in
by large billet of wood used as cata-
pult, and heavy rocks were also poured
against it. The door yielded and there
was wild rush for entrance The door
leading into the white prisoners yard
was open and the avengers crowded
through. A cell just at the door was
opened and it was crowded with prison
ers who were trembling in every limb.
A deputy stood in the door and informed
tho oTpytv1 hot of fhncn II, th ~ coll
were the prisoners wanted. Then the
mob filed out into the yard. When the
armed men got on the inside of the Jail
the prisoners ran down into the yard
below. They begged and pleaded for
mercy,
But Their Avengers Were Merciless,
and deadly rain of bullets poured into
the crouching figures. Gerachi, the
closest man, was struck in the back of
the head and his body pitched forward
and lay immovable on the stone pave
ment.
Romero fell to his knees with his face
in his hands and in that position was
shot to death.
.Moastero and James Caruso fell to-
gether under the fire of half dozen
guns, as did also Cometez and Trahinia.
w ucu Gu0 group Ol dSSdSSlIlS was us
covered on the gallery, Macheca, Scot
fedi and old man Marchesi separated
from the other six and ran up stairs.
Thither half dozen men followed them
and the terror-stricken assassins
Were Slain as They Ran.
Old man Marchesi was the only man
who was not killed outright. He was
struck on the top of the head while he
stood beside Macheca, and, though he
was mortally wounded, he fingered all
the evening.
Pollitz, the crazy man, was locked up
in cell up chairs. The doors were
flung open and one of the avengers, tax
ing aim, shot him through the body. He
was not killed outright, and, in order to
satisfy the people on the outside, who
were. crazy to know what was going on
within, he was dragged down the stairs
and brought through the doorway by
which the crowd had entered. Half
carried, half dragged, he was taken
to the corner. A rope was pro-
vided and tied around his neck. and the
people pulled him up to the cross bars.
Not satisfied that he was dead. a score
of men took aim and poured volley of
shot into his body, and for several hours
the body was left dangling in the air.
Bagnetto was treated in a similar man
ner.