The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-08

dates pacK 70 last June, Wnen parry OK
Italians shot down in the street SIX members
of an Italian organization unfriendly to
them. Forty murders of similar nature
had been committed by Italians in the
city during the preceding few years.
end the authorities, with the undivided
support of all Engish-speaking citizens, de-
termined to make all possible efforts to stop
this incesssnt slaughter by the Malta. Hen
nessey took active charge of the resulting in
yestlgation. He did this with full knowledge
that his life would be in constant danger from
the moment the Malta societies learned his
intention.
was notified by dozens Of anonymous letters
that every step in his investigation was
nail in his coffin. At the Instance of his
friends he protected himself with small
body guard Of detectives, who accompanied
him all day and took him to his house
at night. Despite this precaution, he,
as we'll as all his friends, real
lied that he was constantly in lmmlnent dan
ger of assassination. The June murderers
were brought into court; Six men were trleo
and convicted. Before the case was hnlsned,
however. the principal witness against the
nrisouers was killed by tho Malta. Then
new trial was obtained With renewed energy
Hennessy set about collecting more evidence
against the Stopaliagieri and other ltalian
associations Of assassins in the city. BY taxing
advantage of feud among the members, ne
secured an immense amount OF sensationai IN
formation which, he promised, would nave
weight enough to crush all the Mana socleties
in New Orleans.
His success was his death warrant. Mem
bars NJ societies against which he had evil
dence decided he must die. :.
On the evening of October IS gang OIL
hired italian murderers con cealed them.
selves in a vacant house at the corner OF
an alleyway near his home. Hennessy,
unwarned and unsuspicious, left
his Office at the usual time, ac-
companied by Police Captain OConnor
About two blocks from his house Hennessy
ceeded homeward. Although in the most
populous part of the city, Hennessy. was
alone in the street for the night was black and
wet, He turned the corner near his house.
and came into the glare Of an electric
light. A volley flashed from the house
in the alleyway. Hennessy sank wound
ed, but raised himself, drew his revol-
yer, and began firing back. He vas answered
with scattering shots from the Italians. AS
! Hennessy went down with score OF WOUNDS
O'Connor, who had heard the firing, came
rnnning up the street. The assassins ran
from the house and scattered. Three OF them
in their terror threw away their firearms
As they fed they were Joined by four other
armed men, who had waited apparently to
kill Hennessy in case he escaped the hrst
gang. .,u,
and buckshot. He lay gasping in his blood
at the foot Of a doorstep, his revolver
clutched in his right hand. At his home
! medical examination showed that his lungs
and stomach had been perforated. and thae
two shots had been lodged in his legs. A
bullet was also found close to bis
heart. Nine other bullets had passed
through his clothing. He was rational
to the last but was too weak to say more
than that he had been killed by "Dagos., ,
Additional conclusive evidence Of this fact
was found in the weapons thrown away by
the fleeing assassins All OF them were
sawed muskets, such as are used only by
Italians. The barrels were cut on snotI
and the butts were on hinges, 50 that th'
guns could bs folded and carried In ths
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