Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-03-19
AN UNPOPULAR VERDICT,

The Murder of Chief of Police Hennessy
of New Orleans to Go Unavenged, Ac-
cording to the Verdict of the jury, which
Practically Acquits the Entire Gang
Popular Indignation Assuming Form. -4
NEW ORLEANS, March 13.-The Hen
messy case-the trial of nine Sicilians
for the assassination of Chief of Police
D. c. Hennessy at 11:25 o'clock on the
night of October Is. which has occupied
the time OF section E, Judge Bakers
division OF the criminal district court,
since the tn Of February was con-
cluded this afternoon. The i1ry stood
unanimously for the acquits.2l of Ma
checa, the two Marchesis. Incardona,
Bagnetto and Matranga, nine to three
for the conviction of Scaffedi, and six
to six for the conviction of Monasterio
and Politz
When the verdict was handed in
Judge Baker looked at it for some
| time before he handed it over to Min
| ute Clerk Screven. There was appre-
hensive silence while these prelinina-
ries were going on. The prisoners stood
up and there was a look of infinite woe
| pictured on the face of Macheca and
some of the others. OF course Matranga
and Incardona were disinterested.
| They knew that they had been saved
and their only interest in the matter
was to see that their friends or partners
| escaped the fate which had threatened
them for SO long.
! The jury looked more concerned than
anyone present in the room except the
prisoners. Their faces We're CHASTITY,
| and they showed the effects of their
long siege and their protracted deliber-
atoms in the jury-room. Chief Clerk
Screven did not keep the verdict long.
AS soon as Judge Baker handed him
the document be began to read in firm
voice that could be heard in every cor
ner of the silent court. When he spoke
the words that freed six men, as far
as the present case is concerned. and
virtually acquitted the other three
| each person in the courtroom turned
to the person next to him and there was
an audible expression of surprise and
dissatisfaction. The deputies, how
ever, immediately suppressed the noise,
and then Judge Baker ordered the jury
to be discharged and the prisoners to be
remanded, as there was still another
charge against them in connection
with the same case. The court was
adjourned.
The news of the verdict has produced
the widest excitement here, which may
eliminate in a serious demonstration
either against the men charged with
the crime or against the entire Italian
population. The jurymen explain that
they did not believe most of the wit
nesses for the state. and that the fail
,>f+1 Tot, {I> nf4ia
on the stand, one of whom picked
up Hennessy when he fell and the
other who pursued the murderers and
was wounded impressed them very I'M
favorably, as they were the first on the
scene of the murder.
The large crowd in front of the court
building hooted at the jury as it left the
court house, and the jurors seemed very
much frightened by the popular mani
festations against them.
Several secret meetings have been
held tonight. 1t is understood that a
band of determined and armed men
was organized, who will attempt to-
night to break into the parish prison
where the men who were acquitted
are still confined on other charges
against them and give them lynch law.
The prison is not particularly well
guarded, and large body of men
could easily break in.
At midnight it is thought that no
trouble over the Hennessy affair is
likely tonight. A call has been issued
by a number of citizeas, including many
leading merchants, for a mass-meeting
to be held at Clay statue tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock to right the fail
ure of justice. The call requests that
all come prepared for action, and it is
feared that, in the absence of cooler
counsel some unfortunate excuses
may be INDUCED in by the indignant
populace.
All the italian schooners and luggers
in portland they are numerous-are
decorated with flags tonight in honor
OF the verdict in the Hennessy case.