Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-16

Secret and oath-bound societies of assassins.
holding in contempt the government andflaw
OF the land. will not be tolerated in America,
either IN Chicago or New Orleans, either north
or south or east or west. The matter OF regret
IN the New Orleans tragedy is the method by
which the universal American sentiment on
this subject has been expressed. 1t has been
thought necessary TO check conspiraeies to
murder by lavless killing of certain Of the
conspirators. The Malta has been stamped out
in blood. The Mana, considered with regard
to itself alone secret society to promote
violence and assassination. deserved no better
fate. B,,. 1t remains TO be seen What civiliza-
ton in that quarter is to gain by q subyerson
OF its fundamental principles 81 safety and
order. It was well to have stamped
out the Malta. II was the duty
Of the authorities and Of public
opinion To have done so long ago.
II is charged. apparently on good grounds. that
the Jury that tried the Maia assassins was
either bribed or inundated both, that the
fountain Of justice had been poisoned at its
source and gave forth only bitter waters. The
people Of New Orleans who have remedied out
side OF the law the failure of the machinery Of
law TO work effectively are themselves rcspon-
sible in part through negiect for the condition
of the local courts and juries. and it is very
clear that mob homicide mast be followed by
radical reforms in the city's legal machinery if
life and property are to be reasonably secure
there hereafter. II this reform had preceded
the trial of Hennessy's murderers mob pro-
ceediugs would probably not have been neces-
sary. However. it is hardly worth while to
mors,ize now about the best method of crush
ioD- he Navv (trIs
and Louisiana will suffer from the fact tina; the
people have departed from legal procedure and
in effect declared vendetta. The secret
society assassins themselves have little ground
of complaint Outside of the law they have
murdered deliberately selected victims. When
the law attempted to perform its functions by
detecting and Furnishing them they shot down
the chief of police. a fearless Trustworthy and
capable officer. They intimidated and cor
rupted jurors. and threatened the lives Of off,
Gals In self-preservation and retaliation a
part Of the people of New Orleans have re-
sorted for time to the murderous methods,
though not 10 the secret methods. of the Malta
The latter has held the Law in contempt 1t
has resorted to the sword, and it cannot COM
plain that the sword has been lawiessly drawn
against it In the break down of the machinery
Vi lustict III view Oritdlls lcdultg ptOpit Vi
the city find themselves confronted with a
murlerous band Of conspirators, who have
killed with IMMUNITY an officer of the law and
who have threatened their lives. The men
threatened see that the law did not protect and
has not avenged Hennessy. Feeling that their
lives are in danger. they strike as they fear to
be struck. The act may in its results hurt
New Orleans. but it was natural, and murder
ers and conspirators to murder have special
grievance II their own weapons are turned
against them 1t is said to be impossible to
conceive the terror which dominated New
Orleans caused by the Mafia murders. the i'm
potence of the law. and the threatening letters
from the Malta to those in authority and those
active IN any way In public affairs. There
should be no serious interna tiOnal phase to the
tragedy. The American feeling of deadly hos
tility to mnrderous conspiracies has had moth
ing anti-European in it either in Chicago or
New Orleans The sentiment has been anti
criminal without regard to the nationality of
the criminals There is something incon-
gruous in invoking law and the intercession of
government in tehah of the Malta. which re-
cognized neither government nor law except
its own.