The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-03-16
DOWN WITH THE ITALIAN MALTA
New Orleans is a Unit for its
determination.
A Graphic Pen Sketch OF the Causes which
Gave Rise to the Tragedy of Saturday.
Chief Hennessy's Observation-Disclosures of
Intimidation Cow tho Jury-what VIII
the Outcome Be?


Chief of Police Honnessy, says the Post
this morning. A brief resume of the
case from its beginning may be interest
ing. New Orleans is always an excita-
BILE city. This is because of it's polyglot
population, mainly of Latin blood. But
never has there been period of such
angry excitement as has existed since
October Is of last year.
AT 9:45 that evening Chief of Police
David Hennessy left his office at the
city hall, on Camp street, and proceeded
to make an inspection tour of police
precinct No. 1. The evening was rainy
and very dark. AS he passed by an
alley on Girod street, near the corner of
Basin, Chief Hennessy was fired upon.
Six heavy reports were heard, almost
simultaneous in their occurrence. Per-
sons living near and others passing
along ran toward the flashes of the gums.
They found him lying where he had
fallen, absolutely riddled with bullets
| and heavy shot.
David c. Henncssey was few months
passed his thirty-third birthday. He
stood five feet ten and one-half inches.
and measured forty-two inches around
the chest. AS ''gun fighter" he was
deadly. He had five notchcs on his fav-
| or1te gun" The weapon in which he
most trusted was an English Tranter
six-shoG revolver. The Tranter is per-
haps the best revolving pistol mado in
Europe. 1t is certainly tho most ex-
pensive, costing about S30 It's manipu-
lated with the first and second fingers.
1t has two triggers. like double
fingered rifle. With the middle finger
the hammer is raised by gentle. pull
on the rear trigger. Then touch on
and crack goes the bullet to it's mark.
There are in New Orleans and the
sugar-growing parishes of Louisiana
perhaps 10000 Italians.
They never forget q kindness nor an
injury. They are not drunkards nor
spendthrifts, and will live and get rich
on what an American would consider
poor wages. But you must not excite
their jealousy nor compliment, too ad-
miringly, the wife or the daughters
pretty eyes. The stiletto is the national
weapon of the Sicilian, Calabrian and
Neapolitan. North Italy and the
Genoese affect the cuchillo, or two
edged knife.
the Italians at home and here. They
are the Camorra and the Malta. They
both had their origin in the times when
the people were tyrannically ruled, and
had to unite for self-protection. The
Camorra is the more aristocratic of tho
two, and its membership are from the
higher social ranks. Both orders arc
simple enough in their creeds. They
stand by each other to the death, and
will not hesitate to commit perjury to
save a fellow member.
OF late the Malta have been using fire.
arms in their vendetta. In the past
two years there have been fiftvttwo
assinations in and near New Orleans,
the killed being Italians in every case
but HennesSey.
Tho feud by which Chief Hennesey's
death was caused began last spring On
the night of May 5, 1890, six men, all
Sicilians, were driving along Esplanade.
one of the most artistocratic streets of
New Orleans. Suddenly their wagon
was stopped by some obstruction, and
then six shots were fred from all sides
into them. -Four were killed dead. The
other two died early the next day
Chief Hennessey declared that he
would put stop to this killing, and
arrested seven persons. He was warned
then that he had better let the matter
alone, that the truth could not be got
out of these people, but he would not
heed. Finally few Italian gentlemen
frankly told him his lifo was in danger.
They said they dared not tell him how
or from what source this information
came. He continued his Investigations,
got together mass of evidence that in
volved nearly one hundred people, and
was killed, as he was told he would be.
New Orleans mob is n terrible
thing. That city is upon the very verge
OF what will be the most awful outbreak
ever known in the South. week after
the Hennesjy murder great mass
meeting was held to decide upon some
measures that would bring the killers of
the chief of police to Justice and put
stop to this Malta business. Every
member Of this committee has received
warnings from undeubted sources that
his life is in danger, and ANONYMOUS
letters have reached them by the score.
Every loading bank president in the
town IS on this committee. and all 90
armed to the teeth.
Notwithstanding all this, the commit
tee raised $4,000 to aid the State in the
detection and prosecution of the Hen
nessey murderers. in December, 1890,
nineteen men were arrested. Their
trial began fortnight ago. They had
the ablest lawyers in tho State among
their counsel, chief among whom was
Hon. Thomas j. Semmes, head of the
New Orleans bar. Who paid for this
array of legal talent no one knows.
The prosecution was equally strong.
But from the first there was fear in
tho community that the jury would not