The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-03-21
Bloody Vengeance.

most bloody deeds that has ever
occurred within it's limits. The
tragedy was the outgrowth OF the
trial of the Italians who SO brutality
shot to death Chief of Police Dave
G. Henessy on the night of the 18th
of October last. Their trial turned
out to be a farce, in which wit
nesses were suborned and jurors
bribed. This so incensed the citi-
zens of the city that mass meet
ing was called to denounce their
accquittal, and take measures to
mete out to the Italian murderers
the punishment they deserved. The
meeting was addressed at the foot
of Clay Stature by Messrs w. S.
Patterson, Walter Denegre and j.
G. Wickliffe, and during their talk
the assembly of fully ten thousand
persons, repeatedly cried out, Let
as act! we will follow you'll" And
when Mr.. Wickliffe announced that
Mr.. Parkerson would be their lead
or, Mr.. j. d. Houston their first
lieutenant, and himself their Sec
ond lieutenant, a wild yell of APP
prevail greeted the announcement
and in five minutes the entire mob
was moving toward the Parish
prison, where the Italians were
confined, being still held on the
charge of '1ying in wait" after they
had been acquitted of Hennessy's
murder.
Arriving at the prison it was the
work of only a few minutes to
break through the great doors and
take complete possession of the
building. Then systematic hunt
was made for the Italian m urderers,
and wherever found they we're shot
down like dogs. In some instances
it is said the victims bodies were
completely riddled with bullets.
The scene was simply terrible, and
as described by eye witnesses in
the city papers perfectly blood
curdling. In all eleven Italians
and Cicilians were done to death,
as follows: Manuel Politez, Pietro
Monasterio, Charles Trahina, James
Caruso, Loretto Comitez, Frank
Romero, Antonio Scofidi Joseph
P. Macheca and Antonio Marchesi.
Some of the bodies had as many rs
forty or fifty wounds in them.
After the killing the great crowd
dispersed to their homes, and no
further demonstrations of harm or
of displeasure were shown to any
of the other thousands of Italians
in the city. The orderly action of
the crowd, and perfect control was
something unheard of in the annals
of mob violence, and shows that
the plan of attack was matured be-
fore hand. Indeed, the party that
did the bloody work was composed
Of many of the most prominent
citizens of the city, who made no
attempt at concealment, the deed
being committed in broad daylight
between the hours of 10 and IL
o'clock in the forenoon.
Of course great howl has been
raised throughout the civilized
world over the affair, and talk of
international complications indulg-
ed in by Italian sympathizers, but
/ it is only talk, and nothing further
is likely to result from it, than that
the city of New Orleans may have
to pay few hundred thousand dol
lars to the relatives of the Italians,
whose lives she failed to protect
while in charge of her officials.
Altogether the popular verdict is
that the murderers met their just
deserts, and, while some condemn
| in harsh terms the action of the
citizens, those who most fully APP
preciate the true condition of affairs,
while they may not commend, do
not condemn the killing with much
vigor. In some instances, how
ever, open praise is given the per-
petrators of the terrible deed
We are sorry to have to chroni-
Gle such a barbarous act; but, when
we recollect all the horrible story
L. - kl~~A kho