Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-03-20
Hot Wrath in New Orloan s.

NEW ORLEANS, March 14.--Eleven Of
the convicted and indicted Scllian assas-
sins of Chief OF Police Honnsssy were
lynohed, shot or hanged, by indignant
citizens here today, in and about the
Parish prison. This action was the
outgrowth of mass meeting of citizens
who assembled early this morning near
tho Clay Statue.
The New Orleans Ne,c Delta of Satur-
day morning contained the following
double loaded editorial, and there is no
doubt this appeal was what aroused the
citizens on Saturday noon to take the as
sassins out OF custody aud lynch them.
The N,w Delta says:
"On the night of Oct. l.. 1890, The chief
of police of the city Of New Orleans was
brutally assasslnated by hired band
of foreign braves. In the broad light of
open day on March -, 1891. public justice
was most foully murdered by purchased
Jury of natIye citizens. The guilt of the
men on trial for the assassination, except
the two hose acquittal was directed by
the Judge, was proven as plain as day
Among those who heard the trial from
beginning to end there was but one opin-
lou as to what the verdict should be, the
Only question being as to which Of the
prisoners would lie hung and which would
90 to the penitentiary for life. And
when the infamous verdict which turned
the four assassns loose upon society
was read a thrill of horror passed over
the men who waited with bated breath
for the laws vindication, but who heard
instead travesty upon justice and mock
cry of law.
"What protection is there for the in
dividual when organized society, trhongh
the machinery of justice, is powerlcss to
punish crime as plainly proven as was
the murder of Henhessy ? When the arm
of justice is paralyzed by the yeDality
and corruption of the men who are select
ed as Jurors, upon what does the safety Of
human life depend When uuder the
broad eggs Of the law there is no longer
perfection for the citizen, where shall 1t
be sought When bribery and corruption
invade the very temple of justice itself
and rescue from the sword of outraged
law the murderer and assassin, what re-
course is left the citizen When the ma
chinevy constructed for the purpose of
protecting the lives of the people proves
inadequate to its task, what then is left
bnt for the people to protect themselves
When a delegated power proves made
quate to the duty assigned 1t then should
those who delegated it resume its exer-
cise The courts cannot protect the peo-
pie ; the people must protect themselves.
"rhe time to call halt has arrived
The individual resigns to organized justice
his natural right to protect himself.
Organized justice has failed to discharge
its functions. Human law is unable to
hold at bay or even to punish the mid
night murderer ; there is nothing left
save resort to that law of GOd-self
preservation. Citizens of New Orleans
You are brought face to face with the
question whether Your city shall be ruled
by orderly government or by organized
assassination. You are to decide today
whether yOu are to be governed by laws
made By yourselves or by The edicts Of
the Siciian Mafl. Before the setting of
the sun tonight 1t will be determined
whether you are to enjoy the security of
carry your lives at the mercy of a band
of organized assassins.
your chief of police, the executive
head of law itself, has fallen before the
vengeance of band of criminals. For
four months you have patiently waited
for the law to act. A purged jury has
brought the law to Iiaught, and to day
the officers who conducted the prosecution,
the citizens who supported it and the wit
nesses who testified for it are living at the
mercy of the men who took the life of
your officer. At any moment any one OF
you may become the object of the Mafa's
vengeance and the target for the murder
GUS musket of the hired assassin. VIII
you hold your life at the mercy of these
law pro # murderers, or will You protect
it by the only means this forswOrn jury
has left youl Go to the Clay static this
morning at 10 O'clock and answer the
question TOR yourselves"
The appeal was answered by the killing
of eleven Of the gang and then the posse
dispersed to their homes.