The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-15

Report of the Committee Of Fifty Appointed
by the Mayor To Investigate IL.

NEw ORLEANS, La. May 1.-THE commit
tee Of fifty appointed by the Mayor on the
18th of October last under the resolution OF
the city council TO investigate th> matter of
the existence of the secret societies
or bands of oath-bound assassins which had
taken many lives in the city, and 10 devise
means and the most efectual measures Tor the
uprooting of these assassins. to-day submitted
its final report, which in substance.is as fol-
lows:
The first work of the committee was TO OBJ
tain a report of ninety-four assassinations by
Italians and Sicilians, and where the accused
escaped for want of evidence. The re-
suits of the Hennessy trial demon
strated to the people that no one
was safe from the mysterious band that was
operating regardless of the law. IL was only
when this fear grew into absolute conviction
that the people themselves rose in their might
and took the law into their own hands With
the occurrence of that day the committee had
no connection, nor did they have any know
ledge of it,
The report then goes TO show the existence
of the Malta here and says that the Italian
consul admitted the existence of that society
10 q subcommittee which called on him, and
promised 10 furnish the names of its leaders
and other information regarding II, but at the
last moment declined TO do so. claiming that
as it was an extra judicial body he did not
feel warranted in giving the promised infor-
nation.
The committee then suggests the following
as possibly being the needful requisite TO stamp
out the evil
First The regulation of immigration.
Second Reform in the criminal laws and
the administration of criminal justice.
Third. law recognizing the existing OF
bar association. and endowing il with full
powers to try and disbar any attorney whose
evil practices render him unworthy of being
an officer of the court
The report concludes: THE only radical
remedy which suggests itself to us is the en-
tire prohibition of immigration from Sicily
and lower Italy. IL was found necessary 10
prohibit Chinese immigration and Congress
passed the necessary law. The danger TO
California from Chinese was no greater than
the danger TO this State from. the .Sicilians
and Southern Italians We have had long
experience with these.people and that expert
ence has been a sad one They are undesira-
BILE, and there is no reason why they should
be permitted TO participate IN the blessings or
freedom and civilization, which they are not
only unable to appreciate, but which they re-
fuse TO understand or accept"
committee of the grand jury called on
Consul Corte to-day and asked him for the
names of the plotters whom he alleged had
intended 10 assassinate the mayor and others.
but whose lives were saved through his me-
diation. The Consul Informed the COM
mittee that he had been misinter-
preted by the newspapers He had said that
there was a strong feeling among the Italians
here as in all other places in America, and he.
like other consus. had used his best efforts IN
the interest of peace.
The committee will report to the grand jury
in the morning.
Consul Corte will take his departure from
this city tomorrow.