Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-03-17
The Mafa's Work

The story of the Mafia's long and bloody
reign In New Orleans has been frequently
told. Under its black band murder has
followed murder until the list of victims Is q
long and terrible one.
Palermo and Messina have been the
Montsgues and Capulets Of the New Or
leans vendetta. L. was always noted by the
police of the city that when a Paier'
mo man fell by the s!ietto Messinist soon
followed him and no one was the wiser. The
murder might be actually witnessed by one
or many, but when the case came up for
trial dumbness would fall upon the Wit
nesses and not shred of evidence was clio
tied.
In 1873 q characteristic case occurred.
Two young SiciisDs qusrrelled 10 the frenon
market and one of them whipped cut hls
knife and completely dieemboweiled mis-
companion. The wifs OF the latter saw the
act and went wild with grief. In her HAT
paroxism che pointed out the murderer TO
the police, but two days later she positively
swore at the preliminary examination tnet
che did not know who stabbed hsr husband.
La Mafis had whispered In her ear that
knowledge was dangerous. There were
many other witnesses. but all testified 10
ignorance, and the priaoner was dlsobarge
for iack of eliminating evidence. blot
upon the courts escutcheon you Ti!l say.
Yet what else could the court do?
La Malta works 20 alone for blood, bnt
for money also. There are number OF
hourishing associations in New Ofleans
which livs by blackmail, tempered With
murder They are covered by councils oil
three, which meet irreguiarly. IN secret
places, and give orders to the memba's
They never meet twice in the same place.
When murder Is the work 10 bend it is done
with the utmost quietude. The stiletto is
the instrument used. The victim does not
cry out. The prophecies are not outraged
The law is not appealed to by the friends oil
the deceased. 1t is easier to bide their time
and when opportunity offers to hold their
own council of three and play the game OF
turn about
Twenty nine persons had been murdered
in thirty.fiee years under this terrible sys-
TEN. -Four of them were natives, the rest
Italians. One murderer was brought to
Justice. and he by mob and not court Of
law. Ooe murderer was convicted, but &C.
capped death, and 20 bis conviction was null
the record of silence and laid the foundation
for the murder of Chief Hennessy.
For several years there had existed two
rival stevedoring ftms-tbe Proven zlnos
and the Matrapeos-whch were 70 compe-
ton for the business of discharging and load
Ing the vessels engaged In the Central Amer
lean trade, The ProverZ mos controil' d
the business for some time, but their services
proving unsatisfactory for some reason II was
transferred to their riva 8. Then the trouble
began. The Proven zaDos charged that their
services we're dispensed with because the ship
owners were held 10 terror By She Matrsn-
COS. who threatened them with the Mshs.
The Matrepgos responded that the other
side had themselves used threats to coerce
the ship owners. and that they bad lost the
business simply becauee they did net attend
to it properly.
The Chief had got the business we'll in
band ard the Malta knew It..
Thoroughly alarmed By the sharp way it
was being pursued. La Malta determined to
make another bold stroke for liberty, or
ra her license to kill at pleasure, and Saper-
intepdent Hennessy was marked out as Its
victim. he bad long expected such fate,
and had always gone accompanied at night
ever since he took uD arms against the mon
ser. But be did not for an instant psuse In
his good work.
A few minutes before midnight OF o otober
Is. 1890, ne met his cruel fate, dying game,
it ia true, but most fouly aesassinsted. He
was going home from the Central Police Sta
tiop, and was accompanied by one of his
captains, whom he had parted with only
minute or two before the shooting. Two
charges from q double-barreled shotgun
were fired in,o the Chief, one of which
ploughed through his stomach. Hennessy
fred four ehota from his revolver at three
fleeing men who had shot him, but without
bringing either OF them down, before he fell
himself. Capt. OConnor, Hennessy's com
panion of an instant before. hearing the
shots and the calls OF his Chief, hss.ened to
him and found him sitting upon doorstep.
The Chief whispered that the 'Dagoes." had
shot hp, meaning the Italians. The next
morning he was dead and the city was in
terror.
Tho detectives hunted like bloodhounds now,
and many suspected mon were gathered into
prison. One of them Antonio Scaffadi by name
was shot while in the parish prison by 1hos. ID.
Duffy one of tho Dead Chiefs friends. While be-
Loving that he would die, Scatfadi asserted his
own innocence and said that the Matrsngss did
the Decd The people said that they would never
be convicted ana the people were rlsht, as Ine
shameful regults Of the trial have proved.
Now the people have taken the law iuto Their
cwn hands and Row Orleans is stepped in blood.
W. 3. Parkerson, chairman Of the Committee OF
Safety received the following note, purporting TO
come from member of tho Malta Society:
You domed man and God Am;ty can't save
you. We have it sworn. Our comrades you MUIR
dered snd We kill you and you family. You will
be poison The s,yleto will do for the wrcst.
Neither Mr.. Parkerson nor his friends are at all
concerned about the threats.
Mr.. SCHooLCRAFr SEBKs A DIVORCE
Mr.. Oliver J. Schoolcraft has instituted suit
10 Richmond for an abeolute divorce from