, 1891-04-15
CONFESSION.
The Sicilian's Statement Made
Public at Last
Chief Hennessy's Assassination
Ordered by the Malta.
Scafedi the Actual Murderer
of the Officer.

New ORLEANS, La, April l4-The
grand jury in its forthcoming report upon
the Hennessy murder, the subsequent
miscarriage of Justice and wrecking of
popular vengeance upon the italian sus-
poets in the parish prison. will for the
first time give to the public the confession
OF Manuel Poltz. POLITE was one of the
most interesting studies in the case. OF
medium height. slender, but wonderfully
strong, swarthy, with f%eroeity, passion
and dread making strong lines in his face,
he was calm and stormy, cool and nervous.
reasonable and raging in such quick and
lnexplicable succession that the city won
dered at what manner of man he was
Sometimes he seemed to liuger on the
very border of insanity. But, however
that may be, he was quicker than any of
the others to see the rising tide of popular
Indignation and feeling that its demand
of blood for blood would prove irresistible,
early in the case he evidently made up
his mind to turn traitor to his comrades
aud earn some clemency by betraying
them. lie held aloof from them in prison
and in court, brooded much in solitude,
and soon after the trial began clamoring
wildly for thc~ privilege of unbosoming
himself of the secret which weighed upon
him. The statement he made never
reached the jury. The state claimed that
while Polite incriminated others he pro-
fpgfgh hnE nun 1nuaaanaa and haarI.a
there were contradictions in his own con-
fession which would destroy its value.
There was strong evidence against Politz,
and it was preferred to hold him prisoner.
POlitz's confession was made to the
district attorney. About the same story
was told 10 his attorney, and portions of
1t were told at various times to those who
came IN contact with him. Said he:
Il bad joined a secret society Of my
countrymen, the president Of which was
Chas. Matranga. This society | sup
posed was formed for the benefit of my
countrymen. Macheca, Matranga ami
others were prominent members.
SELECTION OF THE AssAssINs.
On a Saturday night | vas at a meet.
ing of the society at which MatrsDga,
Macheca and Others were present. 1t was
there stated that the purpose of the meet
ing was to decide who were to do Chief
Hennessy. The names of the members
were placed in a box by numbers, and ten
we're drawn therefrom. These ten men
were notified to meet and arrange the
manner and means of carrying out the
work allotted to them. The men met in
a room over a place owned by Duffee.
The money was then distributed among
six men, each one receiving about 5000.
| was asked TO carry a sack of guns from
the meeting room to the house of the
shoemaker, Monasterie, on Girod, near
Basin. | refused to do so, not knowing
at the time why the guns were to be taken
there. Matranga was there, and SAID he
would carry the sack. Two later meetings
were held near the Poydras market. |
am not sure whether the money was dis
tributed at these meetings or at Duffee's.
The plan agreed upOn was that on the
night of Oct. Is everyone was to meet at
MONSTERS place. MarchesI's boy was
instructed to be on the look out and watch
the approach of Chief Hennessy. He
was TO wait on Rampant street, and when
he made sure that the chief was coming
he was to pass Hennessv and run rapidly
out Girod street, and when opposite Mon
a%sterlo's was to give the peculiar Italian
whistle.
II SIGNAL OF HENNEssY's APPROACH.
When the whistle was given by the boy
on the night of the 18th of October
Monasterio opened the door and said to
the others, The chief, the chief" The
rest then stepped out through the side
door OF Monasterio's shanty and through
the large gate into the street, and i'm
mediately opened fire upon the man on
the opposite side, who was quietly walk
ing along. Scaffadi, Marchesi, Bagnetto
and Monasterio killed the chief.
4 was not there and did not know any
thing about the killing until the following
Sunday morning. | heard of Hennessy's
shooting for the first time on that Sunday
morning when my landlord, John, was
reading the paper
In answer to a question how he could
know any of these things il he was not
present, he replied that Monnsterio told
him all about it.
Il took no past in the shooting, ~ he
said, ''and did not know that there was
any intention on the part of anybody to
Kill Mr.. Hennessy. On Sunday morning
| q arose and did not go any place in
particular. remaining around the house
all day. | could not work because | had
a sore arm. | am innocent, and my
conscience is as white as the wall.
About the time OF Mr.. Theard's ap
pointment as counsel the great change in
Politz had commenced, and he was sus-
picious Of everybody, and particularly of
the defendants and their counsel, who bad
laughed at his confession. Mr.. Theard
did not escape Politz's unjust distrust,
and when he sat down among the other
defense. Politz was convinced in his mar
row mind that Mr.. Theard was against
him. Politz's actions resulted in Mr..