Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-06

tion and punishment for crimes. Others
were escaped convicts and bandits, out
lawed in their own land, seeking the
city of New Orleans for congenial COM
panionship of their own class. These
men knew the swift retribution of the
law in Italy, for hundreds have been
shot down at sight by the military in
the mountains of Sicily, without second
thought. Today there is recorded in
the Office of the Italian consul in this
city, the names of some eleven
hundred Italians and Sicilians landed
here during several years past, showing
official records of their criminality in
Italy and Sicily. Hundreds of them are
among us today. We doubt not that
the Italian government would be rather
rid of them than be charged with their
custody and punishment.
sit cannot be questioned that secret
organizations whose teachings are op-
posed to the fundamental principles Of
government of the United States must
of society and the material welfare of
the people. The law is the safeguard of
society its just execution expresses the
crime, but when this lofty principle is
condemned by the practice OF assassina-
| ton for revenge or spite, and the crime
concealed under the most binding oaths,
rendering powerless the efforts OF the
| law to reach the chief actors and secure
witnesses, 1t becomes the duty OF the
people, in the exercise of their sovereign
| rights, to issue their decree of condem-
nation. .a.4tt
"That verdict has been rendered.
The power of the Malta is broken. 1t
must be destroyed as an element OF dan
ger, a creature of leprous growth in this
| community"
The report goes on to severely reflect
on the action of some of the jurymen in
the trial "Some of the Jurors testified
in most emphatic terms that had it not
been for the persistent and we'll directed
efforts Of three jurymen, conspicuous
from the first, the verdict would have
been materially different. 1t is certain
that the special efforts of the counsel
for the defense was to select for service
such as were well under O'Malley's in
fluence. What can be thought, when
three jurors were accepted with only
some unimportant question, or the
clerk told to swear them without ques-
ton! This is a proceeding almost un-
heard of, but it has its meaning as we'll
as other instances"
The grand jury goes on at great length
to talk on the immigration question,
setting forth the evils of the present
methods, instancing the recentintroduc-
tion of Italian emigrants without any
examination whatever, and whose
names, even, were not on the passenger
lists of the ships. 1t declares that
crisis is reached, and on the magnitude
of the issue it becomes the duty of the
next congress to quickly enact such Wig
orous laws that complete protection
shall be afforded.
The grand jury says it has at no time
lost sight of the necessity for thorough
investigation of the whole affair. They
examined large number Of; witnesses,
embracing those who were present at
the memorable meeting on Canal street,
in the vicinity OF the prison, etc. IT ID
shown in the evidence" says the report,
"that the gathering on Saturday, March
14th, embraced several thousand of the
first, best and even most law-abiding
citizens of the city. We found general
sentiment among the witnesses, and also
in our intercourse with the people, that
the verdict rendered by the fury was
contrary to the law and the evidence,
and secured mainly through designing
and INSCRIPTIONS agents, employed for
the special purpose of defeating the ends
of justice. At that meeting determin-
alton was shown that the people would
not submit to the surrender of their
rights into the hands of midnight assas-
sins and their powerful allies. The as
sassination of Hennessy was deemed
necessary to prevent the exposure and
punishment of criminals whose guilt
was being fast established by his
diligent pursuit. The condition
of affairs in this community,
as to certain class of violators of the
law, had reached such state that the
law itself was well-nigh powerless to
deal with them, so far-reaching was
their power and influence. In the pub
lie meeting on Canal street, general and
spontaneous in character, as truly in
dicating an uprising of the masses, we
doubt if any power at the comand of the
authorities would haYe been sufficient
to overcome its intentions.
Evidence is before us from official
sources that eleven persons were killed
in an attack on the prison. We find
that eight of them were beyond ques-
tion American citizens, and another had
declared his intention, which act carries
with it remuneration of allegiance to his
native country. The magnitude of the
affair at the prison makes it difficult
task to fix the guilt upon any number
of participants; in fact the act seemed
to involve the entire people of the par
ish and city of New Orleans, 81 profuse
was their sympathy and extended their
connection with the affair. In view of
these considerations thorough exam
ination of the subject has failed to dis
close the necessary facts to justify this
grand jury in presenting indictments"
WORLD OF SPORT.