The record-union., 1891-03-15

Infnriated Populace and Eleven
Italians Charged With Completely
in the Crime Put to Instant Death
Detailed. Account of the Terrible
Tragedy.
Special TO the SUNDAY UNION.
NEW ORLEANS, March 14.-New Or
leans struck Malta death-blow to-day
1t rose in its might almost at midday, and
wreaked a horrible vengeance upon the
Sicilian assassins who relentlessly slew
David G. Hennessy, and though 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 was accom-
plished without unnecessary disorder,
without rioting, without pillaging and
without the infiicting of suffering upon
any innocent man, save one, and he was
only slightly hurt.
1t was not an unruly midnight mob; it
was simply a sullen, determined body of
citizens, who took into their own hands
what justice had ANONYMOUSLY failed
to do.
The Chief of Police was slain on October
18th, and that very night evidence began
to accumulate showing that his death had
been deliberately planned by secret tri-
bunal, 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 So
clal standing-quietly met and 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 q masS-meeting
at Clay Square, on Canal street. appeared
in the papers, which editorially depre-
Gated violence. The significant closing
sentence Of the call was:
COME PREPARED FOR ACTIoN.'
Down in a large room on Bienville and
Royal streets there was an arsenal pro-
Yided by body of citizens.
The call was answered by the populace.
At ii O'Clock there was a crowd of several
thousand anxious people congregated
around the statue. They hardly knew
what was going to happen, but they
seemed ready to go to any length and
Nullc lHtIG WeTe, Oi course, many OF the
lower element in the throng, a large pro-
portion were leading people of the town.
There were three addresses-short,
pithy and business-li<e-and the assem-
blage, not unwillingly, was soon keyed
up to the highest pitch, demonstrative in
its denunciation of the assassins. Each
of the speakers said there had been n
great mass meeting months before. which
had met quietly and dispersed peacefully
so that the law might take its course. The
law had failed, and the time to act had
come.
LEADERS IN THE MOVEMENT.
w. S. Parkerson, the leader, is promi-
nent lawyer here, President of the South
ern Athletic Club, and the man who led
the vigorous reform movement three
years ago. Walter ID. Deneger, another
OF the speakers, is one of the leaders of
the New Orleans bar. John c. Wicklitf'
Is also prominent attorney, and James
ID. Houston, 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 that they
would lead the way to the parish prison.
Mr.. Wickliff concluding with these
words: Shall the execrable Malta be
allowed to flourish in this city? Shall
Malta be allowed to cut down our citizens
ON the public streets by foul means of as
sassination? Shall Malta be allowed to
bribe jurors and let murderers go free? I"
THE MARCH TO THE PRISON
BY this time the crowd had swelled to
5000 or more. and before anyone could
realize what had happened the great
thrOng, gaining recruits at every step
were tramping down the streets in the
neighbOrhood of the prison. stopping
only once, and that was at the arsenal,
where double -barreled shotguns, Win
chester rifles and pistols were handed out
to the responsible and respectable citi-
zens in the party.
The starting of the crowd had an cleo
tric effect on the city. Soon. the streets
were alive with people running from all
directions and joining the main body
which moved down to the Jail, near
Congo Square.
Doors and windows were thrown open.
and men, women and children crowded
on the galleries to encourage those who
were taking part and to witness the
scene.
When the main crowd from Canal
street reached the prison. there had al
ready collected a dense crowd, all eager
to take hand in what might happen
When the vanguard of armed citizens
reached the prison, which is many squares
from Canal street, that grim old building
was surrounded on all sides.
THE JAIL GUARD PowERLEss.
movement was on foot 10 take the pris-
oners armed his deputies, and then
started on hunt for Mayor Shakespeare
The Italian Consul and Attorney-General
Rogers joined in the pursuit, but his
honor does not reach the office until noon
and he was not to be found at any of his
regular haunts.
The Governor had not heard of the up
rising, and had no time to act, and the
police force was too small to offer much
resistance to the army of avengers. Super
lntendent Caster had ordered an extra
detail OF officers to be sent to the jail. and
the small crowd kept the sidewalks
around the old building clear until the
great multitude, swelling all the time
like mighty roaring stream. surged
around the door ana crowded the little
band OF blue coats away
captain Lew Davis was on guard at the
mann entrance with Scant force of depu-
tles. 1ney We're swept away like chaff
before lne WIND, and in an instant the
little ante-room leading into the prison
was iammed with eager, excited men.
Meanwhile, the prisoners Were
STRICKEN WITH TERROR.
For they could hear distinctly the
shouts of the people without madly de-
manding their blood. The persons who
were charged with crimes other than com
plicity in the murder OF the Chief. also
shared in the general decentralization.
Some of the Drawer among the ranro-
sentatives of Malta wanted to die fiohtino
for their lives, and pleaded for weapors
with which TO defend themselves. and
when they could not find these thev
sought hiding places.
The deputies. thinking to deceive the
crowd by ruse, transferred the nineteen
men to the female department., and there
the miserable Sicilians trembled in terror
11,,+iJ +l,o ,,,opnaJ,t ~ hen the doors would