Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-05-14
NO INDICTMENTS
xne orleans Parish Grand Jury
on the Late Tragedy.
THE Action of the Citizens Justified in
View of the Evident Guilt of the
Victims and the Expedients
Used to Thwart Justice.


oNerss, March IA, was presented late last
evening to Judge Mari 1t iustifies the
ciEf&ens and presents no indictments.
The following are the important points
embodied in the report:
GRAND JURY Room, Nay s. 1881
10 kfSE- Robert H. Mari. Judge of the Criminal
District Court Of the Parish of Orleans
Section, 4:
vixen this grand jury entered upon its
7cera1 of service there was pending in sec
eioa a. OF this tribunal, the trial of nine men
indicted for participation in the assassna-
ton OF the late superintendent of police ID.
Z Hennessy, on the night of October I5 1890.
The enormity of that crime, executed at the
shitfu Ight hour, created unusual interest
throughout the whole country, while in our
own city. vitality concerned in the admins
Grafton OF justice, as deeply affecting her So
ctal- political and material welfare the SEN
Siuient of the populace had crystaIzed into
ctats concrete form of expression that Justice
DE rendered through the recognized chan
ne E OF criminal Jurisprudence; that the per
petSatOrs. whoever they We're be tried by an
smnarttai jury of American citizens and meet
with righteous conviction. One fact
stood out in awful prominence above
and beyond dispute or question by
ANY man-the fact that a crime of unparal-
aeied atrocity had been committees, evil
dchecd by the five terrible death dealing
weapons, the numerous slugs and bullets
ao'f'sa Embedded in the fences and house at
ztie scene. besides the missiles that struck
down the solitary man, who would never
bave been marked as the victim had he not
niieS the responsible position of chief of pO-
lice of the law. 1t is not to be wondered at
that attention should be directed to the trial
during the many days of it's progress: in the
selection of jurors the evidence of witnesses;
Ihe arguments of counsel; the charge of the
Judge. and finally concentrated on the twelve
Ksea- who. by virtue of their solemn oath,
sat IN awful Judgment on their fellow men.
The verdict is now officially recorded bear
4og date March IL, 1891. We can not be mis-
taken in the assertion that the verdict was
startling, amazing. bitter disappointment,
shocking to public opinion, provoking the
repeated accusation that some of the jury
had been unfaithful to their high office.
We feel that we do not transcend the linn
Ets esf our duty the grand inquest to refer
so the strong presentation of the case as
made by the state through counsel asSo-
GATED in the prosecution. clear, continuous.
complete, convincing, in the direct testi-
zhOny and the material circumstances 1t
appeared more than sufficient to convince
the most unwilling listener with its truth
and convey the full measure of its power to
'tiEnse who ventured doubt. As the trial
usAtfsd its termination, it not possible
for observer to fail to realize the COM
nHeZ1fs made on every side touching the
zion OF some members of the jury when the
case should be submitted. Charges and
speculations abounded, coupled with the
well known connection of certain parties of
uneESv liable notOrety. shown by their pres
once daily in the court room, and arousing
the suspicion that the most subtle, danger
Gus and powerful influences known to the
practice of criminal law were ueing exer-
ciset an behalf OF the defense. These con-
Tst5egaeions have led US to investigate the
ssahiect embracing all its attendant condi-
tinus and incidents.
The inquiry has been conducted with the
utmost diligence devoid of fear partial
atY, with the single purpose of fastening
sfhn guilt upon the proper persons and pre-
-seziir them under Indictment to this tribu-
'naA Each one of the twelve jurors of the
:srfSi was summoned and asked to make a
statement. None objected, but all rather wei
>coused tie opportunity 1t was a notable
fcaga1xe of these sworn statements that they
primarily sought to justify their verdict by
attacking the line of evidence presented by
tho state and attaching much weight to the
arguments of counsel for the defense. 1t was
freely admitted by the jurors that the
marks had been made in the jury-room as
eEpiy as the first day when the testimony
-Eas offered, and repeated a number of times
afterwards, that the state making
p0ur case" And this was positively re-
peated at the close of the states
evidence. One quarrel at least was
reported arising from the accusation by one
juror OF another with the expression: 'You
talk like you were fixed before you came
here" They formed no conception of the
tension to which the public mind was
terest shown each day by the crowds of
people in the court room. 1t was clearly in
Dictated that the necessity for secresy
urged as the several jurors were selected
ami Joined the company of their fellows. 1t
was Impressed upon them at various times
and, finally, before the verdict was rendered,
brought forward again with the injunction
To destroy every yestige of evidence they
had, and leave every thought and act be-
mind. Surely the urgency of this was
most cunningly devised to conceal the
peculiar events that tran5pired in the jury
--uoRa- Careful observers testify with spe-
ctI reference to the marked inattention of
che jury as the witnesses submitted their evil
dc1ce-as conduct most unbecoming and
fraHght with the gravest consequences when
: che momentous import of the issue is con-
sidered. We are led to conclude that the
Jury undertook to try the case when it was
submitted, by their own estimate of the
value of statements made by parties not
called as witnesses; with strange unanimity
they dwelt upon what they knew by reading
and hearsay of certain incidents of the as
SIszination prior to the trial. and made those
the basis of the powerful persuasion for Civ
sing the accused the benefit of the doubt and
concluding the deliberations in their favor.
We must take occasion to say that it was
rsUs expected to obtain any evidence of I'M
due influence from members of the jury, for
Shose who were interrupted had nothing to
reveal, while the others would but make
themselves particeps criminis; yet in their
numerous statements much was obtained,
having a direct connection with and sup
ported by the great volume OF testimony
,eItcited during the course of the inquiry. 1t
rs clearly brought out by the evidence of the
jurors, that, as affecting three of the accused
,Y0sitZ, Scaffedi and Mon asterio the Jury en-
gagged in the deliberation on their cases
some four or five hours. attended with in
tease excitement and repeated bal
lots. the jury's vote stood: Six guilty;
six not guilty. This is clearly defined in
dtcatiGn OF the cow lotions of the jury, as to
,the three accused and impresSes us deeply.
IL must every one to whom the fact is CON
-seYed- and forces the conclusion that the
evidence was sufficient to justify the six
jurors who stood resolute and determined
for II verdict of guilty, making it well nigh
impossible to reach any other conclusion
EMan mis- trial. The tlrec accused named
sbove were probably the unwilling actors
designated by the leaders of the conspiracy
to execute villainous part, in which they
tiad neither personal motive or interest
Following this investigation it was quickly
learned from various sources that taleSmen
had been approached. Every clew offered
WIS taken up. AS a rule the talesmen, who
had been previously marked out, were seen
~S6cn alone, or invited away to some Sc
s1cIncied and unsupported place. well designed
pretexts guarded the real meaning of the
tSaiks, but quickly leading up to the great
.Ar5zi. One favorite expression was that "big
wnaaey snight be made by going the jury
and doing right There is no possible
doubt that such attempts were made by var
fs,sis parties in the service of the defense
entertained by some of the talesmen and
-zsornfully rejected by others These are
sasss given on the evidence of talesmen
vito, quickly discerning the true meaning of
els. ss,en who addressed them, Indignantly
.rrsssied any attempt to control their line of
conduct by these enissaries