The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-04-09
A MAFAI TRAGEDY.

SIS. Louis, Mo-. April Cool. c. w.
Herbert, the well-known st. Louis hotel
keeper, has just returned from an ex-
tended tour of the South He was in
New Orleans soon after the lvnching of
the IL Italians, and having an extensive
acquaintance in the Crescent CITY, the
terrible happening naturally made deep
impression upon him. The exhibition
of mob vengeance was the most note
worthy to Col. Herbert inasmuch as he
witnessed one of the first tragedies that
led up to the first lynching.
I'm 1876, Capt. Paul Boyton and my
self were in New Orleans attending tile
Mardi Gras," said Col. Herbert, land
passed several days in the town. One
evening as We were passing along Caron-
delCt, near Common street, We were
startled by the report of a carbine direct
ly behind us. Turning we saw n man,
whom we afterward learned to be De
tectiye Harris of the New Orleans force.
fall dead with bullet in his BRAIN His
slayer was another detective named Dew
ercaux. BY the courtesy Of friend on
the police force, Capt BOytOn and my
self were granted an interview with
Devereaux soon after he was locked up
for the crime. The prisoner talked
readily enough and told very peculiar
story.
" Il had been entering my own home a
few weeks previous to the shooting" he
said, Just after nightfall. The moon
was out, however, and objects up and
down the street were plainly discernable
| rang the bell and heard my wife's foot
steps on the hall floor within. Her hand
WIS on the door-knOb, when a loud re-
port rang out and | felt bullet whiz
past my ear. 1t did not strike me, how
ever, but buried itself in the wall. Turn
ing quickly ran out into the street, but
could see no one. Was about to 90 in
side, after fruitless search in the neigh
borhood for my would-be assassin, when,
| crossing the street before my house, !
saw strange looking object at my feet
STOPPING down discovered it to he a
human thumb. Picking it up was I'M
certain from what hand it had been
separated, but guessed that it was an
Italians from the state of filthiness.
Placing the peculiar relic in my vest
pocket | started off on trip of inveSti-
cation through the hospitals.
=" Il was not long in finding my man.
He was a Misunderstanding fellow and
had just arrived in the institution a
short time before my arrival. As soon
as | saw him / pulled out my revolver
and thrusting it against his head de
manded that he tell me who had hired
him to take my life. The threat had the
desired effect, he confessed that Harris
had bribed him to shoot me for S25.
That is why am here. That is why |
killed Harris at the first opportunity
"Devereaux was tried, acquitted and
rcinstated on the detective force" con.
tinued Col. Herbert, "but did not live
very long to enjoy his triumph.
"A short time after Harris was killed
DevereauX got into difficulty with one
of the Hennessey brothers and feud
sprang up. One night the IIennesSeys
waylaid Devercaux as he was entering a
restaurant. The brother of the late cliei
opened fire on Dcvereaux and was in.
stantly killed by shot from the dctec-
tiye's ever ready revolver. Deyercaux,
however, was mOrtally wounded By the
chief, but before dying managed to give
him quite dangerous shot.
THUS ended one of the first of long
list of tragedies that have char lcterized
the history of New Orleans. During the
years between 1880 and 1890 the associa-
tiOns were almost too numerous to be
| counted. Every week that rolled by saw
itpuou CdI UIITeS VI stdUUGu 70 uedJlI win
Sicilian StilettOes One killing would
lead to another, until every man feared
for his life, and the end we have just
seen was the only consequence possible.
The Italians should be exceedingly joy
full that more of their number were not
included in the big uprising"