New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-15
LYNCH Law IN NEU- ORLEANS.

The murder OF Chief of Police IlennesSey in
New Orleans last October has been followed
BIZ the murder Of eleven Of the men supposed
20 be guilty of his death a scene like that
enacted in New-Orcans yesterday has not been
witnes sed in this country within the memory
of the present generation. 1t recalls the bloody
work Of the old frontier but whereas that was
done for want of legal means to punish crime III
communities practically destitute OF CIVIL gov
eminent and therefore subject TO the primary
law Of self-preSelvation, this wholesale lynch
ING is a defiance OF civilization, OF established
courts and Of the public peace. No doubt the
provocation was honestly esteemed to be very
great and the result is hailed with delght U!
thousands of citizens who are ordinarily beyond
the influence of murdeIouS passions; out we
cannot believe that calm reflection Will JUSTIFY
their horrible frenzy, or that the supremacy OF
social order and tranquility has been perma-
nently promoted by the action OF the mob
The facts. as commonly reported, are these /:
New-Orleans has long been cursed by the eX-
;stence of secret organizations of Italians, hating
each other with malignant hatred, Ignorant to
the utmost limit possible to humanity, and ilreu
by the instincts and passions OF wild beasts.
Mysterious murders have been frequent and
Justice has been often bafiled. Last June Il
fatal fight in the streets between two gangs oil
these brutes aroused the city to realizing sense
of its condition, and the authorities determined
to put an end to their work OF extermlnatoh'
The Chief of Police entered heart and soul upon
the task of breaking up the secret socetles'
lie was alert Jealous. indetatgable. Ills eNl-
dence accumulated rapidly, and the conSpra'orS
feared and hated him accordingly. They be-
lieved that he would soon be able to ruin them,
and they resolved to get rid OF him. On inc
night of October Is he was condemned to die,
and at midnight he was shot to death near his
own door, The city was thrown into tnmut
of grief and rage. The Mayor enrolled special
force of police, and official zeal was redoubled.
Arrest after arrest was made, until the jalIs
were full of Italians belonging to the secret So
cieties. and therefore, in the minds OF the au-
thorites, presumptivey accessory to the death
of Hennessey. When the evidence had been
sifted it was believed that enough remained 10
convict nineteen of these suspects. They were
indicted. and month ago nine of them were
brought TO trial the other ten remaining IN con-
iinement to await their chance
As the trial advanced public solictude grew,
and disquieting rumors spread, until az the end
though Ii was commonly felt that conclusive
case had been made out, the jury was dlStfuSt-
ed But evidently the people were not pre-
pared for the verdict which was brought in on
Friday acouitaing SIX Of the defendants and
disapreeing as TO the other three. The result Is
told in our dispatches. The newspapers de-
nounced the Jury. In response to call for a
Ic g oiti lsspfnb lp1
in a mood of grim determination around the Clay
statue yesterday morning. They listened u
speecbes which told them what was expected OF
them. and there was no dissent. They marched
10 the Jail. aiming themselves from gunShops
on their way They burst into the presence OF
the prisoners and shot six of them to death. This
was only beginning of revenge, and they set
ont in search or other vctms-the jury, pri-
vate detective whose conduct had displeaSed
them. and the untricd ten. OF these last they
murdered five. and with these at latest account,
they were sated.
We have no wish TO underTate the conditions
Of peril, Of disorder. and Of apprehension tc
which the people of NewOrleanS were subject
| ed bv the existence among them OF secret so
cieties held together by mutual hatred and muir
derOuS instincts. but the 1act feHidIhS ulau ihI'
mob of citizens has put to death men who haC
not been proved guilty Of the crime ALLEGED
against them. Guilty some Of them probably
were. and all of them may have been; but there
is no certainty that these avengers have no
| she'd blood as innocent rs that OF llennessey
And surprising that there were not even pos
siblty of doubt? What moral right will any,
one of them hereafter have to claim the protec
ton of the law which he has deiied? II is i'm
poSsible to believe that life will be safer il
New-Orleans because Of this revolving prooftha
thousands of its reputable citizens may be pos
sessed at any moment by an uncomfortable lus
| for clouOhtor