St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-16
Protest That Innocent Men
We're. Among the New Orr
- leans Victims.
A. BPothep-in-Law Of Bagnetto
Talks to a Globe Repre-.
- sentative.
No & Meeting in st. Paul Be-
cause Such Would Be Mis-
understood.
Italians Insist the Mafia Ex-
ISIS Only in Public Imag-
90. .. = ination.

~ TuinOf WAS SlafteU yesterday lllOfI-
ing that the Italians and Sicilians resi-
dent in St, Paul intended holding
/ mass meeting at Gray's halt in the aft
T erloon.. for the purpose of protesting
against the summary execution ofeleyen
of their. eeuntrymen in New Orleans.
Saturday. Carlo PietZo, a West st.
Paul Siclian, is said to be 81 brother-in-
law of Bagnetto. one of the men killed
by the mob, and it was generally
understood that he was to be
the principal speaker. Whatever
the original intention may have
been, no meeting was held at
Gray's hall, and so far as can he discov
cred there was no unusual demonstra-
ton among the Italian or Sicllian resi-
dents. A representative of the GLOBE
found Piet2o. who resides on Fairfield,
avenue. in West st. Paul. He speaks
but little English. and is a railroad
labOreF. Bagnetto. he said, married his
sister III Palermo seven years ago, and
brought her to New York, removing
thence to New Orleans within a
few months. Bagnetto was ma
is unknown, and if he was
in any way Implicated in the murder of
Hennes3y. it was only through having
ignorantly associated with dangerous
characters.
Il am stranger in hostile country"
said PietZo. land can gain nothing by
talking; but. nevertheless, the men who
killed Bagnetto have murdered an limo
cent man..
When asked whether a meeting of
Italians had been called to protest
l,t IL
that there had been talk of meeting of
the several working societies, but it had
been abandoned in tic belief that
it might be misunderstood. The
Italian was hated simply because
lie was an Italian, and no ma
tive of that country could count on inn
partial treatment either in a court of
law or by a newspaper.
do you belong to the Mafia?" asked
the reporter.
''Did you ever meet member of the
Mafia"' was the retOrt.
No." replied the interviewer.
'Weli, you never will"
Joseph Frediana, one OF the most in
l. telligent of the Italian residents in st.
Paal, conducts confectionery store at
395 Wabas!la street He was seen last
night, and when asked whether there
was any intention of holding a meeting
to discuss the New Orleans trouble, he
stated that there would be no such
meeting.
1.-The truth is said Frediani. THAT
the people mixed up III the New Orleans
affair are SicilianS mostly. and have
nothing in common with the Italian
residents of st. Paul. 90 per cent of
whom are natives of Tuscany, Central
Italy. Most of them are from the prov
! inceS of ArreZ0 and Florence. L believe
that fully half the st. Paul Italians are
from Legiiorn, the capital of Florence.
and not Il man of them ever heard of
the Malta except as legend,
before coming TO America. There
are about forty Sicilians IN
the city. They live III West
st. Paul. most Of them. The people of
Tuscany who have come to America are
superior class mentally to the immi
grants from Sicily.
DO you believe the Malta inspired
the New Orleans murder?'
mo, SIT. The Malta stories are lies.
All Sicilians laugh at them because
they are ridiculous. but when the publ
cation of bloodthirsty stories about the
Malta arouSeS a mob to deeds of viO-
lence like that just witnessed, it be-
comes anything but a laughing matter"
Emanuel Cecina, another well-knoWn
Italian, mas been IN New orleans Tor
several years, and knows something
about the condition of things there. He
stated. when questioned, that the band
of murderers existing in New Orleans
had no connection with the old Malta.
It-was purely local eXcresence, and
had been named the Malta gang by the
newspapers of New Orleans. This
| had given rise 10 false i'm
preston all over the country, that
the Malta covered the United States,
| and was prepared TO assiS,inate or muir
der on the slightest Droyocation. Cecina
said that there was no probability of
any demonstration in ST. Paul. because
the maSSacred eleven were not Italians.
but SicilianS, and there was but small
representation from the Island here.
Prof. CeptelIi. Greek Instructor at Mac
alaster college. persists in stating that
there. is not, nor ever has been. an organ
lied Malta in the nited States. and chat
acterixes all statements to the contrary
as sensational lies. The Italian resi-
dents unanimously condemn the
slaughter in New Orleans. and express
belief that at least some innocent men
have done to death. They unite in a
desire to see the murdertrs of Hen
messy hanged. but object to the indies
criminate killing of Italians and Sicil-
idnS SimnIV because they are Such