Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-05-07
FAILED TO INOICT.
The Grano Jury Bring in a
Lengthy Report on the
Hennessv Murder.
They Condemn the Action Of the
Jury IN Acquiring the
Italians.
The Grsud Jury's Report.

NEW ORLEANS, May 5.-After six
weeks investigation the grand jury
completed its lsbors on the Hennessy
case and the killing Of the Italians at
the parish prison, by presenting a
long special report at 4:3O O'Clock this
afternoon. 1t first reviews the Hen
messy murder trial and says Of the YER
dict that it was startling, amszing,
bitter disappointment, shocking 10 the
public opinion, provoking repeated
accusatiOns that some OF the Jury has
been unfsithful 10 their Office. 1--WE
feel that we do not transcend the
limits Of our dsty as grand inquest, to
refer TO the strong presentation Of the
case as made by the state through
council associated in the prosecution,
clear, continuous, complete, cOBvinc-
ing, in direct testimony aud material
circumstances, it appeared more than
sufficient to convince the most unwill-
ing listener with its truth, and convey
full measure Of its power, 10 those who
ventured doubt II then speaks Of
rumoTs Of improper influence at work
a. demanding investi cation, which
all jurors welcomed. Ii says: Care.
ful Observers testify with special refer
ence to the marked insttention Of the
Jury IA witness = submitted their evil
dence, conduct most unbecoming and
frsught with grsvest consequence
when momentous import Of issue il
considered. We are led TO conclude
that the Jury undertook to try the
case when it was submitted by their
own estimate uf value of statements
made by parties not called a. a wit
Ness. With strange unanImity they
dwelt upon what they knew by read
ing Of certain incidents Of the
assassination prior to the trial aud
made those the basis OF powerful per
sausiod for giving the accused the
benefit Of the doubt and concluding
deliberations in their favor. We must
take occasion to say that it was not
expected to obtain any evidence Of
undue influence from members Of the
jury, for those who were uncorrupted
had nothing to reveal, while Others
would not make themselves oarticepts
criminls, yet in their numerous state
ments much was obtained having di-
rect connection with, and supported
by great volume of testimony elici-
ted during the course Of inquiry. II
is clea ly brought out by evidence of
the jurors that, as effecting three of
the accused, Politez, Scaffedi and
Monasterio, the jury engaged in their
case some four or five hours, attended
with Intense excitement, and on re-
peated ballots the jury vote stood:
guilty, s not guilty. This is a clearly
defined indication Of the convictions Of
the jury as to three Of the accused. II
impresses US deeply, as 1t must every
one to whom the fact is conveyed, and
forces the conclusion that the evi.
dence was sufficient to justify the
six jurors wh) stood resolute and
determined for a verdict Of guilty,
making it well-night impossible to
reach any other conclusion than a
mistrial. These three accused named
above, were probably the unwilling
actors designed by the leaders of the
conspiracy to execute the villainous
part I'm which they had neither per-
sonal motive or interest. Following
this investigation, il was quickly
learned from various sources that
tslesmen had been approached. The
grand jury knows that a list of 500
talesmen in the Hennessy case
was in the Office Of O'Malley
Adams at IL o'clock Sunday morning,
February %, 1891, though the
trial judge issued special orders Satur-
day evening that the list was not to be
made public or given tO counsel of
either side until Monday morning. IL
is not shown by whose hands the list
was secured, but enough is shown 10
confirm the past secret and powerful
influence held Oy the so-called private
detective agency and Counsel Adams
~ Ha-AiN tAAO hAeSuAA ANAg "a tue cpuEls
After scoring O'Mslley for the part he
played in the affair, the report takes
up the Italian Immigration question
and enters protest against allowing
Italian criminals to come to this coun> |
try. In speaking Of the killing Of this |
italians, the report says: "Itisshown I
in the evidence that the gathering
on Saturday morning, March IA, en-
braced several thousand Of the first,
best and evan most lavr a ahidins, .;tt,a,,. /