The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-05-09
T AVENU
NATE
PARK HOTEL BLOCK
PARK HOTEL BLOCK

knowledge that "A large part of the Ital
ian colony in this city is recognized as q
worthy class. In the presentation
OF the main features given tc
us as evidence, it is condensed as far ms
possible by the selection of the most i'm
portant parts of inquiry. We have re-
ferred mainly to the evidence bearing
upon the trial of the accused in section
b of this honorable court: but directly
connected with all those circumstances
are the terrible events Transporting on the
! llth day of March last: events which in
themselves may be charged as directly
traceable to the miscarriage of Justice as
developed in the verdict rendered on
March 13.
we are deeply impressed with the
serious charge delivered by your honor
to this body on the subject. and at no
tlmc since have we lost sight of the ne
ccssity Tor a thorough investigation of
all the conditions antccedcnt to it. We
nave engaged ourselves most assidiOusly
with the examination of a large number
OF witnesses embracing those who were
present at the meeting on Canal street,
IN the vicinity of the parish prison. as
well as several hundred of our fcllow-cit-
liens taken from every rank and class of
society. 1t is shown in evidence that
the gathering IN the morning of March
IL embraced several thousands of
the first. best and even most law-abiding
citizens of this city. assembled as is the
right OF American citizens. to discuss in
pubic meeting questions of grave i'm
portance. We find the general senti-
mcnt among these witnesses and also in
our intercourse with the people. that the
verdict as rendered by the jury was con
trary to law and the evidence and was
secured mainly through designing and
INSCRIPTIONS agents employed for the
special purpose of defeating the ends of
justice. At that meeting a determine
non was shown that the people would
not submit to the surrender of their
rights into the hands of midnight as
sass,,ns and their powerful allies.
The assassination of the late chief of
police shows the elimination of a con
slir cy. His death was deemed nccrs-
sary to prevent the exposure and punish
mcnt of criminals whose guilt was being
fast established by his diligent pursuit.
II condition of affairs in this com
munIty as Ia Il certain class of vi0latcrs
81 the law had reached such Il state that
the law itself was well nigh powcrlcss to
deal with them. so far reaching was their
power and influence. in the trial
of criminal cases. Good citizens were
profoundly impressed 10y repeated and
signal failures Of justice. The arts of
the pcrIur"r and bribcr seemed to domi
male IN the courts. paralyzing and rem
ucrlng powcricss the ends of Justice.
Certainly this was Il desperate situation.
In TN" public meeting above referred to.
General and spontaneous in character as
truly indicating the uprising Of the
MASSES. We doubt if any power at the
command Of the authorities would have
been sufficient to overcome its
intentions. Evidence is before
us from official sources that eleven per
sons were killed in the attack ON the
parish prison. In a careful examination
t- to the citizenship of those men we
iihd that eight of them were beyond
question American citizens. and another
hat "dccIarcd his intentions" in this
court. which act carried with it the re-
nunciation Of allegiance To- his native
country. II Is Il noteworthy fact in con
hcctlon with the uprising that no injury
whatever was done to either the person
or property beyond the one act which
seemed to have been the object of the
assemblagc at the parish prison.
We have referred to the large number
OF citizens participating in this demon
estimated by Judges at from
to 5000, regarded as the sponta
ncous uprising of the people. The mag
nitude of this affair makes it a difficult |
task to fix the guilt npon any number of
participants-in fact, the act seemed TO
involve the entire people of the parish
and city of New Orleans, so profuse is
SymDathy and gu pyton6nl ic tbo;r