The record-union., 1891-03-20
MURDERED JUSTICE. >
Why the Citizens OF New Orleans
Acted.

Why the Citizens OF New Orleans
Acted.
On the morning of March 18th. the day
on which the Sicilian assassins Were exc
cuted by the enraged people of New Or
leans. the Neac Delta, the most conserva-
tive paper III that city, published the fol-
lowing editorial:
On the night of October Is, 1890. the
Chief of Police of the city of New Or
leans was brutally assassinated by a hired
band of foreign bravos. In the broad
light of open day on March l3, 1891, pub
lie justice was most foully murdered by
purchased jury of native citizens. The
guilt of the men on trial for the assassina-
tlon, except the two whose acquittal was
directed by the Judge, was as plain as
day. Among those who heard the trial
from beginning to end there was but one
opinion as to what the verdict should be.
the only question being as to which of the
prisoners would be hung and which
would go to the penitentiary for life.
And when the infamous verdict which
turned the four assassins loose upon soci-
ETY. was read a thrill of horror passed over
the men who waited with bated breath
for the laws vindication, but who heard
instead trayesty upon justice and a
mockery of law.
What protection is there for the indi-
vldual when organized society, through
the machinery of justice, is powerless to
punish crime as plainly proven as was
the murder of Hennessy? When the
arm OF justicei is paralyzed by the venality
and corruption of the men who are Sc
lected as jurors, upon what does the
safety of human life depend? When
under the broad segis of the law there is
no longer protection for the citizen,
where shall it be sought? When bribery
tln In
of justice itself and rescue from the
sword of outraged law the murderer and
assassin, what recourse is left the citizen?
When the machinery constructed for the
purpose of protecting the lives of the peo-
pie proves inadequate to its task, what
then is left but for the people to protect
themselves ? When a delegated power
proves inadequate to the duty assigned it,
then should those who delegated it re-
sumo its exercise. The courts cannot
protect the people; the people must pro-
tect themselves.
The time to call halt has arrived. The
individual resigns to organized Justice
his natural right to protect himself. Or
ganiZed justice has failed to discharge its
functions. Human law is unable to hold
at bay or even punish the midnight muir
derer; there is nothing left save resort
to the law of God-self preservation.
Citizens of New Orleans! You are brought
lace 10 lace with Jne question whether
your city shall be ruled by orderly gov
ernment or by organized assassination
You are to-day to decide whether you are
to be governed by laws made by your
yourselves or by the edicts of the Sicilian
Malta. Before the setting of the sun to-
night it will be determined whether you
are to enjoy the security of orderly citi-
zens of a free republic, or to carry your
lives at the mercy of a band of organized
aSSassinS.
Your Chief of Police, the executive
head of law itself, has fallen before the
vengeance of band of criminals. For
four months you have patiently waited
for the law to act. A perjured jury has
brought the law to naught, and to-day
the officers who conducted the prosecu-
ton, the citizens who supported it, and
the witnesses who testified for it are liv-
ing at the mercy of the men who took the
life of your officer. At any moment any
one of you may become the object of the
Matia's vengeance and the target for the
murderous musket of the hired assassin.
VIII you hold your life at the mercy of
these law-proof murderers, or will you
protect it by the only means this fore
sworn jury has left you? Go to the Clay
statue this morning at 10 O'Clock, and an
swer the question for yourselves.