The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-15

Of the Bodies Are Passed Out to the
Populace and Hanged-Pablic 0pin-
ion Approves the Decd wrath of
the Italians.
NEW ORLEANS, March 14.--New Orleans
struck the Maiia q death-blow today. It
rose in its might almost at midday, and
wreaked horrible vengence upon the ST.
Gillian assassins who reientlessly slew
David c. Hennesy, and there are
eleven men dead tonight who were happy
yesterday over their victory in the great
est criminal trial the city has ever Wit
messed. The work Of blood vas accom-
plished without unnecessary disorder;
without rioting; without piilaging, and
without the inhictiou of suffering upon
any innocent man, save one. and he was
only slightly hurt. It was not an unruly
midnight mob; it was simply a sullen, de-
termined body Of citizens who took into
their own hands what justice had igno-
miniously failed to do.
The chief of police was slain on October
10, and that very night evidence began TO
accumulate showing that his death had
been deliberately planned by secret
tribunal and carried out boldly and sue
cessfully by the tools of the conspirators.
The trial lasted twenty-five days, and,
though the evidence seemed conclusive,
the jury, currently charged with having
been tampered with, failed to convict.
Last night body of cool-headed men,
lawyers, doctors, merchants and political
leaders, all persons of influence and local
standing, quietly decided that some action
must be taken, and the peoples justice,
swift and sure, visited upon those whom
the jury had neglected to punish. This
morning call for mass-meeting at Clay
square, on Canal street. appeared in the
papers, which editorix1ly deprecated vio.
lence. The significant closing sentence ot
the call was: "Come prepared for action. y
Down in large room at BienvilIe and
Royal streets there was an arsenal provided
by body of citizens. The call was
answered by the populace
At 10 O'Clock there was crowd of sew.
eral thousand anxious people congregated
around the statue. They hardly knew
what was going to happen. but they
seemed ready to go any length, and
while there were, of course, many of the
lower element in the throng, large pro-
portion were leading people of the town.
There were three addresses, short and
pithy and business like, and the assem-
blage, not unwillingiy, was soon KEYED IN
to high pitch, demonstrative in its de-
nunciation of this assassins. Each of the
speakers said there had been q great mass
meeting month before, which had met
quietly and dispersed peacefully, so that
tho iaU yt,iuhf to Ec.5 It's l.
had failed, the time to act had come. w.
s. Parkerson. the leader, is prominent
lawyer here, president Of the Southern
Athletic Club, and the man who led the
vigorous reform movement three wears
ago. Walter ID. Denger. another Of the
speakers, is one of the leaders of the Rev
Orleans bar. John Wickliff is also prom
inent attorney. and j. D. Houston is one
OF the foremost men of the state.
After denouncing Detective O'Malley,
who is alleged to have tampered with the
jury. the speakers announced they would
lead to the parish prison, Mr.. Wickliff con-
Guiding with these words: s.Shali the ex-
ecrable Mafia be allowed to flourish in this
city? Shall they be allowed to cut down
our citizens in the public streets by the
foul means of assassination Shall the
Maaa be allowed to bribe Jurors and let
murderers 60 scot-free ?"
to 5000 or more. Before any one could
realize what had happened, the great
throng, gaining recruits at every step, was
tramping down the street 10 the neighbor-
hood of the prison, stopping once. and
that was at the arsenal. where double
harrelled shotguns, Winchester rides and
pistols were handed out to responsible and
respectable citizens.
The starting Of the crowd had an electric
effect on the city. Soon the streets were
alive with people running from all direc-
tlons and joining the main body. which
moved down the rampant 10 the iail. near
conger square. Doors and windows were
thrown open. and men. women and chill
dren crowded on the galleries 10 encourage
those who were taking part. When the
crowd from the canal had passed there had
already collected there dense crowd. all
eager to take hand in whatever might
happen. When the vanguard of armed
citizens reached the prison, which
is many squares from Canai street.
that grim old building was sur
rounded on all sides. The sheriff
when he heard a movement was on foot to
take the prisoners, armed his deputies and
then started on hunt for Mavor shake
speare. The Italian consul and Attorney
General Rogers joined in the pursuit. but
his honor does not reach his Office until
noon. and he was not to be found at anv of
his regular haunts. The governor had not
heard of the uprising. and had no time to
act. and the police force was too small too
offer much resistance To the army of ayeu.
gers. Superintendent Caster had ordered
an extra detail of officers TO be sent to the
Jail; and the small crowd kept the side
walk around the old building clear unf;l
the great multitude, swelling all the time
like a mighty, roaring stream. surged
around the door and crowded the little
band of bluecoats away. Captain Lem
Davis was on guard at the main entrance
with scant force Of deputies. They were
swept away like chat before the wind and
IN an instant the little anti-room, leading
INTO the prison was jammed with eager
and excited men.
Meanwhile the prisoners were stricken
with terror. for they could hear distinctly
the shouts of the people without. madIy
demanding their blood. Prisoners who
were charged with crimes other than COM
piicity in the murder of the chief Also
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