The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-15
VENGEANCE!
Visited by the Outraged People Of
New Orleans Upon Sicilian
Conspirators.
Eleven Of Them, Spared by a Cor
rupt Jury, Shot to Death
in Jail.
The Hideous Cancer, Malta, Cut From
the Flesh Of the Crescent
City.
Heroic Treatment Imperatively
Demanded by the Condition
Of Affairs

Of Affairs.
Leading Citizens Head the Avsngins
Throng and Actively Direct tho
| Weapons of Execution.
NEW ORLEANS. March 14.-New Orleans
struck Malta a death blow yesterday. 1t
rose in its might almost at midday and
wreaked horrible vengeance upon the Sicil.
ian assassns who relentlessly slew David
9. Hennessy, though there are eleven men
dead Tonight who were happy yesterday
over their victory in the greatest criminal
! trial the city has ever witnessed. The work
OF blood was accomplished without unneces-
! sary disorder, without rioting, without pill
laging and without the intiiction of suffer-
ing upon any innocent man, save one, and
he was only slightly hurt. 1t was not an
unruly, midnight mob. 1t was simply a
sullen. determined body of citizens who
took into their own hands what justice had
ignominiously failed to do. The
chief of police was slain on
October 15 and that very night
evidence began to accumulate showing that
his death had been deliberately planned by
secret tribunal and carried out boldly
and successfully bv tools of the conspira-
tors. The trial lasted twenty-five days,
and though the evidence seemed conclusive
the jury, currently charged with having
been tampered with, failed to convict,
mir hDI &c
yers, doctors, merchants and political lead
ers-all persons of influence and social
standing quietly met and decided tina t
some action must be taken, and the peo-
PIES justice, swift and sure, visited upon
fss'ssse nsboH the, jury had neglected to pun
ish. This morning a call for a mass meet
ing at Clay square, on Canal street, ap-
peared in the papers. which deprecated
violence. The significant closing sentence
of the call was:
Come prepared for action"
Down in a large room ON Bienville and
Royal there was an arsenal provided by
body of citizens. The call was answered
by the populace. At 10 o'clock there was
a crowd of several thousand anxious people
congEeRated around the statue. They
hardly knew what was going to happen, but
they seemed ready to go to any length and
while there were, of course, many of the
lower element in the throng, the large pro-
portion were leading people of the town.
There were three addresses, short and pithv
and business-like, and the assemblaqe, not
unwillingly. was keyed up to the highest
pitch. demonstrative in its denunciation of
the assassins. Each of the speakers SAID
there had been great mass meetin
months before which had met quietly and
dispersed peacefully SO the law might
take its course. The law had
failed, The time to act had
come. W.. L. Parkerson, the leader,
ia prominent lawyer here, president of
the Southern Athletic club and the man
who led the vigorous reform movement
three years ago. Walter ID. Denger, an
other of the speakers, is one of the leaders
OF the New Orleans bar. John G. Wioklitf,
also prominent attorney, and James ID.
Huston, one of the foremost men of the
state, spoke. After denouncing Detective
OMalley, who is alleged to have tampered
with the jury, the speakers announced
that they would lead to the Parish prison.
MIR. Wickliif concluded with these words:
'Shall the execrable Malta be allowed to |
flourish in this city; shall Malta be allowed
to cut down our citizens on the public
streets by foul means of assassination? |
Shall Malta be allowed to bribe jurors and |
let niurderets so scot free!"
Ey this time the crowd had swelled to |
5000 or more and before anyone could |
realize what had happened tho great; throng,
gaming recruits at every stop, wins tramp |
ing down the streets to the neighborhood |
ot the PRISON, stopping only once and that |
was at the arsenal, whero double-barreled ,
shot guns, Winchester rifles and pistols
we're handed out to the responsible and res
citizens in the party. The start
ng OF the crowd had an electric effect on
'he city. Soon the streets were alive with
people running i'll all directions and Joining
he main body, which moved down Ram
'art to the jail near Congo Square. Doors
IND windows were thrown open and rsieu,
women and children crowded on galleries
o encourage those who were taking part
md to witness the scene.
Wnen the main crowd from Canal reached
he prison there had already collected there
dense throng, ali eager to take u hand in
might happen. When the van
'uard of armed citizens reached the prison,
which IS many squares from Canal street,
hat grim old building was surrounded on
II sides. Sheriff Niler, when he heard
he movement was on foot to take the pris-
ners, armed his deputies and then started
II hunt for Mayor Shakespeare. The
taliau consul ana Attorney SeEofal Rogers
oined i'll the pursuit, but his honor does
ot reach his office until noon and he was
ot to be found at any of his regular
aunts. The governor had not heard of
he uprising and had no time to act, and
he police force was too small to offer much
esistance to the army of avengers.
Superintendent Caster had ordered IN
xtIa detail of officers to be sent to the Jail ,
nd the small crowd kept the sidewalks
round the old building clear until tho
reat multitude. swelling nll the time, like
mighty. roaring stream surged around &
40 door and crowded the little band of /
lue coats away. Captain Lem Davis was 8
II guard ut the main entrance with Il scant
,rce of depnties. They we're swept away
ke chaH before the wind, and in an instant {
le little nnte-room leading into the prison l
as Jammed with eager, excited men. ,
leanwhile the prisoners wore stricken with
'rror, for they could hear distinctly the
louts Of the people without, madly de !
'anding their blood.
Persons who were charged with crimes /
ther than oomplioity i'll the murder of the
aief, also shared in the general demorali-