Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-03
NO TEARS TO SHED.
The People of New Orleans Still
Firmly Approve the Lynching.
NOT AN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIR.
Instead Of Indemnity They Would Pay to
Ship the Italians Away.
INTERVIEWS WITH PROMINENT MEN

the things that constantly impress one here
are the matter-of-fact quietness and unruf
q ed temper of the people in discussing it.
One visits the scenes and hears the tale a.
though it were history of like antiquity
as Madam Delphine" and "Old Creole
Days" But let no one suppose the spirit
is one Of careless indifference or bold. rash
defance; there is no want Of seriousness, for
here 1t seems most vitality serious, and It ID
not hotheadedness, for there IL no passion
manifest-the deed was committed with the
utmost care and precision and the utmost
conviction is with the people.
| To-day started from the Clay statue,
whence the people started, traced the steps
prison, which is an old, weather-beaten
structure near Congo Square, the scene of
many midnight orgies in former days, saw
the door where. the leaders entered, since
bricked up, beheld the lamp-post on which
| Polizzi was hanged and riddled with bullets,
| looked upon the tree in the street on which
| another was hanged, and from " hich every
| particle of bark was stripped in ten minutes
after the lynching, and then went to inter-
view the jail warden. Lol he is the same
He willingly showed me along the halls
and into the yard, even calling attention to
the dog kennel. by means Of which two
escaped death.
Very Cautious in His Remarks.
Question as might, the warden, like
every good Inbound officer, would not
commit himself or speak sympathizingly,
yet every act revealed that his official
power was not exerted to its utmost, and 1t
was evident he knew beforehand of the in
tent of the people. Stepping to the side
walk, he raised his hand with evident rel
ish, and said: "Imagine anywhere between
1000 and IL, 900 people facing Us with per-
feet order; the appointed ones enter; the
command goes forth that not prisoner is to
escape and no one is to be touched except
the Italian criminals. With perfect order
a sentry takes his place at each entrance;
the work done, the people quietly disperss
to their homes and the city is as quiet az
though it simply had dreamedi tell you,
sir, it was the most orderly piece Of work
on record"
With pride he emphasized the great order
that prevailed-as though that were amply
sufficient justification OF the unlawful pro-
cedure. A leading physician said to me In
admiration of the procedures: "Ahi it was
wonderful; though there we've 80 italian
fruit venders on the route of the procession
and hundreds in the city, yet not one peanut
was disturbed. The people had purpose;
the object accomplished, peace reigned."
The Mayor of the city met the lynchers
as they returned, and said: "Well, boys,
it is serious work. but it's the only way We
can teach these rascals that they can'r walk
all over US and frighten or bribe our people,
You have done your work well"
Tbo C,tw H6n,x rr,,.h rx..,S
To bring the perpetrators to punishment
would seem a serious and almost anomalous
act. for the city would have to punish itself.
1t was not an act OF insurrectionists, or even
of few bold leaders; it was an uprising Of
the people. Ere word was spoken the
people had copgregated and were of one ,ae-
cord. readyefor action; they did not even
wait for the speeches to incite them. Peo-
pie of every class were in the crowd, and
now, Instead of keeping secret, they speak
with evident pride Of the part they per-
formed in the affair. Lawyers, doctors,
druggists, leading merchants, men of prom
inence in moral as well as in social and Off
cial circles. and even clergymen speak with
a sense of patriotic pride of their sympathy
and connection with the affair.
At the scene Of the lynching one dares not
be hasty in his judgment What provoca-
security from a worse orderl What other
means Of justfcel In the light of events it
seems to have been the natural and newt
able outcome. A sedate and highly-re-
spected Judge of court here, on the morning ]
alter the affair, going into the Office of his
son said: "Good morning, soni We noticed
you were not at home last night and YOU
were not at your Office. do not care to Dry
into your affairs and ask where you were,
but want to say I sympathize with you
and would not have been ashamed had I
been there myself"
Will Stand BY the Leaders.
Such is the prevailing sentiment One
finds not a word of condemn lation, and If
the remark is ventured that one "wouldn't
consider the life of Mr.. Parkerson very
safe, several quickly respood, 'if anything
should happen to Mr. Parkerson there |
wouldn't be left in New Orleans an Italian |
to tell his name"
The question here is not discussed, nor |
is it open to discussion; the universal i'm |
pulse of thought and action is that there was |
only one side, and that was the inevitable
side. The suggestion Of international COM
plications provokes the people to almost
amusement interviewed a prominent
man who once was Mayor OF the city and
State legislator, and in answer to a question
he said: "It is not an International, nor
even national question; we approve the in
delicate contempt expressed by
the Secretary Of State when he informed the
Italian powers that it is question for the
State of Louisiana to settle. In fact,
it is New Orleans affair, and
New Orleans has settled It and settled it
and settled it in the only way
it could ever be settledl They talk Of de-
manding the punishment of the criminals
and the payment of indemnity. New Or
leans has this to say and says it coolly but
firmly and positively: 1t has thoroughly
punished the only criminals in the case, and
will make every effort to do the same Justice
to every other criminal of the kind who
dares to cowardly assassinate an American
in the performance of his official duty, or
pervert the ends of justice. As for in
demnity we are only too glad to give them
in kind. We stand wait
ing to ship to their shores every Italian on
bur soil. Unsought they came. undesired
hey stay. unwept they will gop'
No One Talks Indemnity.
This sentiment is echoed by men whose
counsel and judgment In other matters Of
lie one would feel to be precious and judi
,ious. A leading merchant said: "Monop-
,lies may buy legislation to rob our purses
md fill their own Golfers; parties and
'liques may scheme to get power and en-.
lave body and soul; and we can bide the |
process OF time to right us. But when an
Individual or body of men conspire to
ecretly and cowardly take away our lives,
md by the same cowardly process prevent r
Is from finding security in recognized