Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-03-05
THE NEW oRAT1Ns VENDETTA.


One OF tHIeE i1enhtsstgs tNshSHhiN DC
lieved to Have Confessed.
NEW ORLEANS, March 2.-'The testi-
mony elected in the Henncssey case on
Saturday seems to have been quite as
startling to the prisoners as it was to the
public. When the prisoners were
brought to the bar Manquel Politz, one
Of the men who has been identified as
doing the actual shooting, was found TO
be greatly excited lie talked in loud
tone in his native language and refused
20 take his seat. lie was finally forced
into his chair by two deputies.
He arose again and addressed the
Judge in rapid tones. He grew more
excited in manner, and finally Matranga
was requested by the court to ask him
what was the matter.
Politz answered in Sicilian, and said
that lie wanted an interpreter, as he had
decided TO say something to the court.
This announcement created intense eX-
citement, not only among the spectators
in the court room, but among the pris-
oners.
There being no interpreter in court
one had to be sent for Meantime, a
consultation between counsel was held.
When the interpreter arrived Judge
Baker ordered Politz to be taken into
| his private office, and himself, the inter-
prefer, and counsel for both sides fol
lowed, and whatever Politz had to say
was said in private.
When the party re-entered the court
room Folitz was CHASTITY pale. After he
| had taken his seat on the bench Mr.
Semmer of counsel for the defence an
nnuneed that they could not longer rep
resent Politz. The court thereupon APP
pointed counsel to defend Politz.
When the pris onersrwere remandcd
back to the dock Politz was afraid to
walk with them. lie also did not want
to 20 into the same room with the others
but he was assured by the sheriff that
no harm would befall him. He went in
very reluctantly, however. While the
counsel will not divulge what Politz
said, it is understood that he made a
confession Of a startling character. This
will be produced during the trial.
Polit2 only made partial statement
in the trial to day, saying principally
what he could tell, but his words and
manner intimated that he desired q
| promise that he would not be punished.
| lie is said 10 claim that he was not pre-
sent at the shooting but knew of the
conspiracy and the causes that lei TO 1t.
The men who did the shooting were
only tools, the real leaders and instiga-
tors not appearing on the scene. He
did not give the names of the leaders,
hut is said to have implicated some of
the accused and some Italians not yet
arrested as participants.
Politz Is tonight confined in sepa-
rate part Of the prison and in separate
dock from the others 1T his own request.
The witnesses Tonight were Mary
Wheeler, colored woman, residing at
the corner Of the killing, who saw man
at the corner in an oil-cloth coat firing a
gun across the street; also a negro named
James Poole, who went out Girod street
half a square behind the chief, and
plainly saw the killing. He could not
identify the parties under the shed, but
he saw Marehezi jump into the street
and fire at Hennessey while he cav
Scaffedi at the corner also firing In the
same direction, He did not know the
men by name, but picked them out from
the accused, and was positive in each
case. Ills evidence created q sensation