New-York tribune., 1891-05-15
THE MAFIA IN NEW-ORLEANS.
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF COM
MITTEE OF CITIZENS APPOINTED

BY THE MAYOR.

New Orleans, May 14.-On october 16 last, under a
resolution of the City Council, the Mayor appointed
committee of fifty mvre citizens thoroughly 10 IN
yestgate the matter Of the existence OF secret so
ceties or bands of oahbound assassins in this city
and TO devise necessary means and the most efecuai
ana sneedy measures for upr0oting and totally an
Initiating them also to suggest remedies TO prevent
lha Introduction here Of criminals or paupers from
Europe The committee to-day submitted Its maj re
mort OF which the following is synopsis: Inc hrsI
work Of the committee was to obtain rom the oiei
Of police a report of nnety-four assassnations Dy
italians and Sicans and where the accused men eS'
eaped for want of evidence. Then followed inc US
sassnatiOn Of the chief OF police -
The report at considerable length goes on to snow
the existence here of the Maa which for years h"u
frorized the Italian population OF this city, levylhs
tribute at pleasure under penalty Of death II refused
The report goes Oh 10 say in substance
4 subcommittee called upon the Italian Consul and
assured him that the purpose OF that DoHy was
legally TO rid the community OF criminals ny Oolis M
stated that he satisfied Of this ana was READY 10 co
oneate with the committee 10 this end ana ne Wonlu
Immediately prepare and send II report I'M
all the Information in his possession lie stated ual
be- Ta convinced of the existence Of the Mafia In TINS
ctv and brought out the registration papers OF bds
neito and pulled out the imprint Of seal which ne
Informed tbe commttee was the seal Of the Malta. lie
said he had strong suspicion which anontu W ot th
society in this city and he furnished the committee
With the names lie stated that prior to the
Hennessey assassination he had in some way uncon,
sciousIy incurred the dspleasure OF c0tene
Icomposed prime paly of the men who met their death
AZ the Parish PrsOr or March Ia that they ndu lll
yed him 20 supper, and, although he paTtOOk spaHHgy
Of oyster soup only, when he returned home he was
taken desperatey i'll suffered intensely all night. and
lis symptoms bore all the evidence of poisoning, ana
he was satisfied his life had besn attempted. Inc
written information promised the committee never
came The Consul sent word first that he had teIe
gaphed to Washington for authority TO give IL, ana
extraudical body" he did not feel warranted III gv-
ing 1t the promised Information.
During the interview Lad with the Consul, the com
nittee called bis attention. TO his published statement
In The New Yolk Tribune 70 The effect that the Mayor
has appointed an extra-iudical body which had held
0 meeting in october last. having in view the
objects that OF last saturday tat Clay Staue)
but its object was frustrated, owing 10 his earnest
protests and the oppOrtune intervention OF Mr. Blane
The report says:
we reminded him that and prominent Italian
citizens lad called on the committee before the mass
meeting was held and when the object of the meeting
vas explained he approved the pacific course Uustlneo
h the sequel and asked him how lie recOnclled MS
published statements with this. His reply was that
had been made By COrte an individual, not C0rte
Is Consul and that the reporter mad greatly eXaS-
serated his statements
As TO the remedies, the committee suggests nrSI
The regulation Of immigration second. reform in the
criminal laws and administration OF criminal justice {;
hlrc, law recognizing the existence OF bar assO-
eiatiOn and endOwng il with full power 10 try ana
disbar any attorney whose evil practices render nm
unworthy of being an officer Of court radical
remedy suggested Is the entire prOhDltlon Oh lmSrd
uon from Sicily and lower Italy.