The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-03-21
AVENGED.
Grim Justice Dealt to Honnessy's
Alleged MnrdererS.
Indignant at the Verdict of Acquittal
A Mob Storms the Jail and
lynches Six Of the Accused.
AN EXCITING SCENE.

JH6 InuTueT Oh CnleI OF HOllce Hen
nessey. The parish prison was
surrounded, the doors burst open
and the Sicilian assassins taken out
and lynched. Some were shot and
others hanged The killed are Manuel
Politz, Pietro Monastorio, Antonio
Scaffedi, Joseph P. Macheca, Antonio
Marchesi and Antonio Bagnette. In
cardona, Matranga and the Marchesi
boy were not molested
The verdict of the jury, rendered Fri
day, acquittiug six prisoners and re-
porting a disagreement as to the three
others, was received with general dis
approval and rage and for time it
was apprehended that an attempt would
be made to wreak vengeance upon the
prisoners at once, but this was
averted for the time. The evening news
paper extras were filed with intima-
tions that the jury had been corrupted.
1t was asserted that not less than $75,.
900, and probably as much as 500, 1000,
was contributed by Italians all over
the country for defense fund. Thou
sands of dollars, it is said, came from
Chicago and New York, and farm Ia
borers in this vicinity were taxed two
dollars head. These statements only
served to infuriate the enraged popu-
lace still more, and as conse-
quence a call appeared in the
morning papers, signed by 100 prom
inent citizens, for mass meeting to
assemble ut tho Clay statue at 10 o'clock
ITO take steps to remedy the failure of
justice in the Hennessey case" Come
prepared for action was the conclud-
ing injunction in the call
When the hour for the meeting ar
rived the neighborhood of the statue
was black with dense concourse of
excited people all anxious to wreak ven-
geance on the accused prisoners.
just at the stroke of 10 a shout went
up from the people stationed at
st. Charles street, and number of
gentlemen, among whom were w. s.
Parkerson, John o. Wickliffe, and
others, who signed the call, came
marching along and began walking
round and round the railing of the
Clay monument
"Fall in!" Fall inr' was the deafen-
ing cry, and amid deafening shouts sew
eral of the crowd formed the pro-
cession, which went around the
railing of the Clay monument.
The view from that altitude was i'm
posing. Not bad word escaped the
lips of the gentlemen who had mounted
the steps. They stood erect, motion
less, surveying the surging null
titude, from whose serried ranks
there CLEANED faces full of re-
solve and determination. There
were fully 5000 persons within ear
shot and more could be seen struggling,
pushing and running here and there on
the neutral ground. Street cars were
unable to pass through. Carriages,
carts, wagons, cabs and vehicles
of all descriptions were halted. The
people were about to exercise their
mighty prerogative of sovereignty and
were in no mood to get out of the way
Theirs was a fixed purpose: to hear
what they expected would be said and
to do what an outraged community felt
should be done.
Mr.. Parkerson spoke first He said
that once before he had appeared be-
fore the people in grand mass meeting
assembled to discuss matters vital to
the interest of the community, and
again he faced the people of New
Orleans to denounce the most infamous
act which was consequent upon the
most revolving crime in the criminal
annals of any community. That act
was the finding of the jury in the muir
der trial and that crime was, as every
body knew, the foul assassination of
the chief of police. ~ desire neither
fame nor name nor glory" said Mr..
Parkerson. II am plain American
citizen, and as such and as good citi-
zen am here"
The crowd was yelling itself hoarse.
Fury ungovernable was evident
throughout that immense assent blage,
which, by that time, numbered fully
eighty thousand people. shall you
protect YOURSELF" yes" Self
preservation is the first law
of nature!" ''This is the time
for action, not talk!' Lets
go, let's go!'' "Come on, Wycliffe"
"Come on. Parkerson" "We are
readyl'-were some of the cries which
escaped from the throng.
Mr.. Wycliffe then spoke, and as he
concluded there was just the slightest
momentary lull in the storm. Then
some one yelled:
"Shall we get our guns?"
eyes, yes get your guns" said Mr..
Parkerson. Get your guns and meet
us in Congo square Immediately"
Loud cheers were given as Mr.. Parker
son and the other gentlemen
moved down the steps. Then
an ominous silence reigned, and
the steady tramp, tramp of men fall
ing into line and marching along was
heard and tho crowd followed the lead
ers along Canal street to Rampant.
They marched down Rampant to place
where weapons were obtained and then
Congo square was in sight.
The parish prison was reached at 1O:3C
o'clock. The wooden door on Marais
street was broken in with large
billet of wood used as a catapult and
heavy rocks were also poured against
it. After the door had been broken
down there was wild rush for en-,
trance. Two men, however, stood at the
door and prevented anyone from going
in except those that carried shotgun'
and Winchesters The prisoners were
then quickly reached and dragged from
their cells The avengers pounced up
on the six already mentioned and inside
of ten minutes they had all been either
riddled with bullets or hanged.
After the assassins had been put X
] death MIR. Parkerson addressed ths