The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-03-27

bushwhacking the Matrangas were &C
quilted.
The Maiia attributed it to Chief
Hennessy and his protection. 1t re-
solved ON his death. Hennessy felt it
coming. He never went home without
an escort.
On the night of October 80, 1890. just
as his guard had said Good by" and
the chief was turning into his home, a
half dozen guns exploded, shower of
bullets and slugs spattered the house
wall all about the chief and he fell to
die Of over dozen wounds.
THE DagOes Gid it!' he whispered
to friend who came at once TO his aid.
These were the last words of David C.
! Hennessy.
Some forty Italians we're at once ap-
pretended. a man Of the name OF
| Peeler saw the flash of the muskets and
the assassins fleeing in the darkness.
\ shot gun was picked up on the scene.
a policeman met several Italians near
the place at the time and all in a
breathless hurry. He asked them of
the shooting when they mumbled some
thing and fled onward.
The evidence did show that the plot
ting against Hennessy's life was carried
on, among other places at the house OF
Scafedi, who was wounded while held
in Jail by one Thomas Duffy, who at
tempted to kill him through the bars.
and the assassins are shown to have
been concealed in or near the house of
Mastero, another Of the ones held,
which was near-almOst next door to
Chief Hennessy's home.
The evidence as to who did the kill
ing was very obscure. the only sure
thing being Chief Hennessy's death.
The American portion OF New Orleans
was greatly excited, and many times
after the arrest of those suspected a
riot seemed imminent. A strong senti-
ment against the Italians was formed,
and it even went TO the extent Of a pro-
position to sack the Italian quarters
and run the dark-skinned citizens into
the river. A ship having 700 Sicilian
emigrants aboard was prevented from
landing them. The Americans had
more than they wanted Of that sort of
cattle as matters stood.
After the arrest Thomas Duffy.
newspaper distributor who was a great
admirer of the dead chief of police,
deliberately shot one OF the prisoners,
Scaffidi, as the latter stood looking
through the bars of the Jail Scaffidi
recovered from the wound which was
slight, the shooting points to the
way public opinion pointed at the time.
The Italian consul complained to the
state department at Washington. Moth
ing came OF it, Complaint was made to
Mayor Shakespeare of the city. but he
did not interfere. So matters stood.
when on st. Vanentine's day the trial
Of the Italians for the murder of Chief
Hennessy began. The public stood
watching and waiting. 1t was willing
the hangman should do the work if he
would. but fully determined that the
work should be done if the people had
to do it themselves. This is shown by
what came on after. The trial resulted
in the aequittal of six and the disa-
greement of the jury as to three. This
was enough. The public would stand
no mOre-would wait no further. The
result was the riots in New Orleans
which may bring the city into very bad
repute as summer or winter residence
for Sicilian5.
The Malta is strong and rich.
Branches of the bloody organization
WHICH pFOceeu on tue plan OF the
Chinese highbinders it would seem. are
said to exist in Chicago and New York.
Those who have shady knowledge Of
its workings say that, when complaint
is made Of any one to the order the
charge is conferred to acouncil of three
who hear the matter in great secresy.
The trio OF judges never meet twice in
the same place. Should they adjuige
death, they hire the assassins. They
generally pick poor and ignorant Sicili-
ans who have just landed, point out the
quarry to be killed and turn them
loose.
Thus. indeed, was Hennessy killed,
and the arch conspirators, or most of
them, were not near the scene Of the
murder at the time at all.