St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-25
NICHOLS TO BLAINE.
The Governor of Louisiana An
swers the Secretary of State.

SwerS the Secretary of State.
WASHINGTON, March 24.-Secretary
Blaine received letter from Gov. Mich
OILS, of Louisiana, in regard to the re-
cent killing of eleven Italians in the
Jail at New Orleans,of which the follow
ing is copy:
Sir: At a late hour on the 18th inst. re-
ceived dispatch from you having reference
TO the forciUle breaking, on the 14th of this
month, of the Jail in this city. and the killing
of eleven persons confined therein under in
dictments found in the criminal district
courts for the parish of Orleans. You stated
to me that it had been represented to the
president by the minister CT Italy, accredit
ed to the government Of the Unit
ed States, that among the killed on
that occasion were three or four subjects Of
the king of Italy. The telegram disclosed an
apprehension on the part OF the minister,
evidently shared in by the rest that the dis
turbance was continuous and swelling dis
turbance which might involve the Italian
subjects in New Orleans. l have reason to
believe that the hope expressed by the presi-
dent that l would cooperate with him in
maintaining the obligations Of the United
States towards Italian subjects who might be
within the perils of the excitement. and that
further violence and bloodshed might be
prevented, was based upon that belief. The
president further expressed the hope that all
offenders might be promptly brought to
that there was no excitement in the
city ut that time, and that l saw
no reason ito anticipate further trouble. l
also stated that the action taken was directed
against particular individuals, and that the
race or nationality of the parties did not
enter as factor into the disturbance. A
week has passed since the date Of my dis
patch,an the opinion then entertai ned as to
the termination of the trouble has proved to
have been well founded. The men killed,
as l have stated, were confined in prison,
under indictments found in the criminal
district court for the parish of Orleans; the
sheriff has made his return of the facts 10
that court: the judge thereof has charged
the grand jury, now in sessian, in regard to
the matter, and the whole subject is, l assume
now under Investigation by that body.
am satisfied that most of the persons
killed we're American citizens. but 1t is prob
albe that two or three were Italian subjects.
have the honor to be very respectfully,
FRANCIS T. NICHOLS Governor.
Gov. Nichols letter is written on Of
fetal paper, and is dated at the capital
of the state. 1t is evident, however,
that it was written in New Orleans, as
it speaks of the killing as having oc-
CURED at The Jail in this Uhat) city.
Secretary Blaine has sent letter to
Baron Fava, the Italian minister. The
department of state will not take fur
ther action in the matter of the New
Orleans tragedy until the Italian min
lister makes some further cOmmunica-
ton upon the subject. He has cabled
the substance of Gov. Nichols letter to
his government, and the impression at
the state department is that he viii!
await the action of the New Orleans
courts before making further represen-
tationS to the state department..