Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-05-21
NEW ORLEANS MAFIA.
Report or,he COMMITTEES of FIFTY.


The committee OF fifty lawyers OF
New Orleans made its report TO tho
mayor, 1t says, in part: ",rhe first
work of the committee was to obtain
from the chief of police report OF
ninety-fow transformations by Italians
and Sicilians. where the accused es-
capped for want OF evidence. Then
followed the assassination Of Chief of
Police Henuessy. The result of tho
trial demonstrated to the people that
no one was safe from the mysterious
band that was operating regardless of
law. II was only when this fear grew
into absolute conviction that the peo-
plo rose in their might and took tho
law into their own hands. Then fol-
lowed the events OF March nth. Tho
report thon goes on at length to tell OF
the existence OF the Malta. IL tells OF
the visit to the Italian consul for evil
dence. He said he was ready TO co
operate with the committee and woul
prepare statement containing all tho
information in his possession. He
was convinced of the existence Of the
Malta in the city, and had strong
suspicion as TO who were the leaders.
He furnished the committee with their
names. He stated that prior to tho
Honnossey assassination he had in
some way incurred the displcasure Of
n coterie composed principally Of tho
men who met death at tho parish pris-
on. They invited him TO supper, and
although he partook of only oyster
soup he was taken desperately i'll that
night with symptoms of poisoning and
was satisfied his life had been at!emp-
ted, The written information he
promised, however, never came. AT
ter some delay, he notified the com
mittee that, IL being I'm extra judicial
body he did not feel warranted in Civ
ing the information. During an inter-
Wow with him tho committee called
his attention to tho published state
ment in Il New York paper to tho
effect that the mayor had appointed
an extra judicial body, but It's object
was frustrated owing TO his (Couo's)
earnest protests and the intervention
Of Mr.. Blaine. We reminded him that
prominent Italian citizens had called
upon the committee before the mass
meeting last fall, and approved II paci-
iic course, and asked him how he re-
conciled his published statement with
this. He replied the statements he
made in the New York Tribune were
made as I'M individual, not Us consul,
and that the reporter greatly eXagger-
ated the statements. Tho committee
in pointing out the remedies in the
existing trouble suggests the regula-
ton OF immigration, reform in tho
criminal laws and administration Of
criminal justice. A law recognizing
the existence OF n bar association and
endowing it with full power to try and
disbar any attorney whose OWL prac-
tees render him unworthy of being IN
officer Of the court The only radical
remedy which suggests itself 10 us IL
the entire prohibition Of immigration
from Sicily and lover Italy. II was
found necessary 10 prohibit Chinese
immigration, and Congress passed the
necessary law. The danger TO Califor-
MIA from the Chinese was no greater
than the danger to this state from
Sicilians and Southern Italians. They
are undesirable citizens and there IS
no reason why they should be permit
ted to participate in the blessings OF
freedom and civilization, which they
are not only unable TO appreciate, bu'
which they refuse to understand and
accept.