St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-18
HATRED OF HENNESSy
Original Cause Of the Great
Series Of New Orleans
Tragedies.
The Murdered Chief of Police
Captured Bandit Es-
posito.
Judge MARI Charges the
Grand Jury to Look Into
the Tragedy.
Ex-Secretary Bayard Says
Italy Has No Claim for
Indemnity.

NEW ORLEANS, March 17,-RemlnlS-
cences OF the late Chief of Police Hen
messy, and what he knew about the
Malta. are related by his secretary,
George W. Vondervort: He says that
the late Chief HenneSSy was probably
the beSt-poSted man in America with
regard to the Malta society. Besides his
fearleSsness, an intimate acquaintance
with many Italians gave him opportu-
mites to learn much of the secret work
ings of the murderous league. Several
arrests he made were upon Ital-
ian information, and if he had
succeeded in Inspiring Italian wit
nesses with enough courage to come
to court, he would have secured several
convictions. The Malta knew this.
Hennessy himself said that several
Malta asSassinations were based upon
the suspicion that the victims had given
him information, Esposito's capture
being avenged in that way. and finally
the worried villains sought relief in the
removal of Hennessy. This evening
George w. Vandervort, Hepnessy's
private secretary and confidential
friend, made statement of the history
of Hennessy'S connection with the Ital-
ians. MIR. Vandervort begins with the
opposite case. A price was set upon
the head Of the famous bandit, and
Hennessy joined in the chase.
EspOsitO Was Captured
on the street. Hennessy kept him con-
cealed until the New York ship was
ready to leave, Struggled him on board,
and then walked out boldly into a crowd
of Italians who were watching on the
wharf. opposite was taken to New
York, and Italians went on to swear
that they had known the man here for
twenty years, and he could not there
fore be bandit. Among these wit
nesses were John Caruso, spared by the
people last Saturday, and Rocco Ger
rarei, who was killed i'll the attack at the
prison, besides several Italians still
prominent here. The Identification
of opposite was completed, and he
was taken to Italy. The Italians were
bent upon saving the great bandit and
Malta chief offered Hennessy $4,000 to
swear opposite was not the man. The
chief refused and was marked man.
Hennessy did not confound the Malta
and the vendetta. The vendetta was
the instrument OF private vengeance.
The Malta was organized for robbery.
blackmail and murder, as we'll as for
revenge. HenneSsy pursued the Malta.
In Hennessy'S opinion the heads of
The Local uaha
were Tony Matranga, Jim Caruso,
Frank Romero and Rocco Gerricci.
Hennessy also Thought Joe Macheca a
member. Macheca was not the mans
real name. His father had been sent to
the penitentiary in company with two
others, it is said, and wrote to his wife
that he was virtually dead and that she
should marry again if she got chance
She married Macheca, and her son
adopted Macheca's name. Some twenty
years afterwards her first husband
got free III some way and called
upon his wife. The shock is
supposed to have shattered her
health and reason, and the man, her
husband, was silently Lremoved a few
days later. The stiletto or poison did
the work. Hennessy regarded Macheca
as bad man.. Macheca was once cap
tain OF the Innocent, SiciiIan political
body, charged with many dark crimes.
Hennessy traced up Macheca's past,
and when there came break between
them, the chief unwisely blurted out
what he knew and threatened to land
Macheca in the states prison. That was
one of the motives for Hennessy's doom.
1ICiuSSSN CldCcu Oul tu0 ldcl IUdG The
Malta met i'll the Italian quarter. Ro-
nero was
Master at Arms,
hung around the courts, kept track of
green" dagoes, land picked out the man
for assassination. Gerracci was the
bulldOZer of the society, and HenneSsy
attributed two murders to that blood
thirsty Matian. In the PrOvenZano-
MatrangO feud HennesSy was friendly
to the PrOvenZanoS, considering them
AmericanIzed and not in the Malta.
Bad blood arose and trouble was
imminent. HenneSsy sent for both
sides, told them no Malta would
be allowed while he was chief, that
them shake hands and take drink,
and they all left seemingly on good
terms. One night the Matrangos were
fired upon. Before morning Hennessy
had all the ProvenZanO party in Jail.
The Matrangos said they did not
know who did the shooting. In the
evening, however, the MatrangOs held
a council. and decided to break the
usual vendetta custom, and to point out
the ProvenZanos as their aSsailants.
The Matrangos secured the conviction
of the ProvenZa nos. The police. how
ever, swOre that they had seen the Pro-
venzanos in Royal street concert sa-
looms at the
Time of the Shooting.
The prosecution insinuated that the
chief had connived with his men to save
the ProvenZanos. Hennessv chafed
under the imputation. Judge Baker
granted new trial. Hennessy an
nounced that he would go on the stand
and show the jury how much credence
could be placed in Macheca, Matrango
and some of the others by re-
vealing their past. He Sc
cured the Esposito affidavits and
other af1idavits. He got a letter. WARM
ing him that he would be attacked either
at the window of his Office or on his way
home. Hennessy did not prepare against
the possible carrying out of the warning.
Meantime the Monesterio shanty was
rented, the guns provided and the Malta
had decided by lot upon the men to do
the firing. Oct 16 was only few DAYS
before the date set for the secouG trial
of the Provenzanos. Hennessy died with
his threatened exposure untulfilled.
Hennessy always thought that O'Mal-
ley directed most Of the enmity against
him. He refused to work in the Ma
trango case with O'Malley. OF the men
mentioned above, Gerracci. Jim Caruso,
Macheca and Romero were killed, John
CarusO escaped death by hiding in the
prison, and O'Malley hasn't been seen
for several days, no doubt through fear
fafa -f-yir To-,