The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-03-20
The Affair at New Orleans.

AaSe OStOuCi TIC COuutIy Was stdIueu ny
the announcement that there existed in this
country, among certain Italian citizens, Sc
cret society, called the Malta, bound together
by terrible oaths to execute vengeance upon
any one prescribed by its leaders David c.
Hennessy, Chief of Police in New Orleans,
who had been engaged in ferreting out the
Malta in order to bring the guilty to justice
for the murder of some of their own country
men, was prescribed, waylaid and shot to
death from ambush by men supposed to be-
long to this secret order.
Nine Italians were arrested for the murder
of Hennessy. A long trial was had, and on
Friday last six of the men were acquitted and
in the case of the other three the jury failed
TO agree. The verdict of the jury, it is said,
was against the evidence and the impression
was deep and widespread that the jury had
been bribed. The indignation of the people
at the perversion Of justice was unbounded.
The New Orleans newspapers of Saturday
morning contained call, issued by the citi-
zens' committee, urging all good citizens to
assemble at the Clay statue "to take steps TO
remedy the failure of justice in the Hennessy
case. Come prepared for action" This call
was signed by sixty well-known citizens.
Upwards of 5000 persons assembled at 10
O'Clock and were addressed by W, S. Parker
son, prominent lawyer, who denounced the
finding of the jury and the cruel, assassin Or
der of Malta, and melted the crowd to take
ha 1oyv infn bair
ed in the same strain, and half an hour after
wards the vast crowd, momentarily swelled
BY hundreds more, marched towards the pris-
on, where the italian assassins were still con-
fined. On their way they procured arms.
Arriving at the Jail the guards were swept
back, the doors battered down and the crowd
surged in. The terrified Italians took refuge
in the female department, from which they
were hunted. Their appeals for mercy were
disregarded and the doomed men, innocent
as well as guilty, unable to fly, were shot
down and killed as they crouched by the side
OF the prison walls. Two of them, after be-
ing wounded, were dragged out, hanged and
their bodies riddled with bullets
After wreaking their vengeance the crowd
marched back to the Clay statue, where they
disbanded.
The action of the mob is universally sus-
tanned by the citizens of New Orleans. J.
M. Seligman, foreman of the jury which &C
quilted the Italians who is merchant, was
expelled from the Stock Exchange, the Cot
ton Exchange, the clubs to which be belong
ed and even from the firm of which he and
his brother were members. Other members
of the jury are in hiding, dreading the wrath
OF the outraged people.
La Malta is secret organization of Sicil-
ians, founded by an Italian cut-throat at Pal
ermo hundred years ago. The members
are for the most part desperate criminals who
hesitate at no atrocity. So strict are its laws
and so terrible its vengeance that it has been
impossible to convict any member of the
murderous gang. When the verdict of the
jury was known, Friday evening, Italian YES
sells in the harbor raised the Italian flag with
the American flag union down beneath it and
loudly proclaimed the result an Italian vic
tory.
The people of New Orleans, naturally in
fammable, were unable to endure calmly the
perversion of justice and the exultation of
the friends of the assassins. The outbreak
was one which might have occurred in any
community, and it emphasizes the fact that
Notwithstanding our much-vaunted civiliza-
ton and refinement men are still at heart
what they have been in all past ages, and that
entire communities, like individuals, are sub
ject to outbreaks of uncomfortable passion
and commit deeds which in cooler moments
they would shrink from with horror.
The slaughter of these men has aroused the
deepest feeling among Italians in this country
and has led the Italian government to de-
mand reparation from the United States.
Much correspondence has taken place be-
tween Secretary Blaine and the admipistra-
ton in Italy, and the question is likely to be
a perplexing one. With regard to the slain
who were naturalized citizens of the United
States neither the Italian government nor
the administration at Washington can have
anything to say. Their slayers must be left
to be dealt with by the government of Louis
lana, and from public temper in that State
they doubtless have little to fear AS for the
others, 1t is difficult to see what Mr.. Blaine
can do. The United States has no power to
arrest the persons engaged in the killing, and
the italian government can not sustain any
claim against the State of Louisiana. 1t is
true the Italian government might declare
war upon the United States, but this is not
likely to ensue.
The affair has directed public attention
most forcibly to the urgent necessity for re-
stricting or at least supervising more rigidly
immigration from foreign countries. While
we have room for honest, industrious for
eigners who desire to make homes for them
selves and their families on American soil we
have no place for oath-bound, murderous as
sociations from any country.