New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-04

and obscure individual it might perhaps have
passed unnoticed The peculiar relations, how
ever. he sustains toward the Italian Legation In
Washington. and the prominent place he occu-
pies among people of Italian birth in the United
States. give to his utterances peculiar weight.
There is universal feeling here that he has over
stepped the bounds of propriety in thus arraign.
ing the good faith Of the authorities. He GER
tainly has not shown great loyalty to the country
which shelters him. and he has rendered only
questionable service 10 the country OF his birth.
The phenomenal forbearance shown by the
United States in the face Of The incendiary reso-
luti6ns adopted by more than one Italian mass
meeting in this country, and the still more in
cendary and infinitely more absurd rawlings of
the Italian press in the United States excites the
wonder of the diplomatic circle in Washington.
The question was asked of a diplomat, who hae
served in official capacity in Italy for many
years. what would be the action Of the Italian Gov
eminent if American residents in Italy should meet
and pass resolutions similar TO those passed by
Italians in this country in case. say of the capt
ure Of some American traveller by Sicilian ban.
ditt, and the subsequent inability Of the italian
Government to capture the criminals.
"Wen. I suppose" was the answer they
would be escorted across the frontier within
twenty.four hours il, indeed, nothing worse would
befall them"
Has any hostile demonstration toward the Ital-
ians, as such, been recorded in any part of this
d, country since they met by thousands and passed
denunciatory resolutions, has the United States
tGover3ment any State Government taken the
slightest notice OF the inccndiary talk INDUCED in
gentleman who arrived here from New
Orleans this afternoon furnishes some additional
information regarding the character Of the
Italians over whose corpses the Government Of
the Marquis di Rudini is attempting to embroil
two friendly nations. Said he in conversation
with the correspondent of Uhe Tribune to-day
The true inwardness of the New-Oreans affair
is gradually appearing. Investigation shows that
of the eleven Sicilians who put to death nine
were naturalized citizens of this country. The
record shows this They not only voted on
various occasions. but some Of them held minor
Offices The two as to whose status there is some
doubt arc well known however. These two are
held by Baron Fava to be subjects of Italy. but
unfortunately for his case, their histories were in
the hands Of the police authorities of New-Orleans
long before the tragedy at the Parish Prison
occurred.
Chief Heunessy had placed the Italian Gov
eminent under grave obligations three years ago
At that time he was private detective employed
in a New Orleans bank-the Germana, perhaps
The infamous opposite had escaped from Sicily,
and the italian Government was extremely anX-
ious to capture him-so anxious that heavy re-
ward was offered for his arrest and delivery. or
course opposite went TO New-Orleans. There he
found his old associates and boon companions;
there he found his most congenial and his bright
est hope of oblivion. Hennessy lured by the re-
ward and prompted by his adventurous disposition,
undertook to effect the capture An Italian ship
was anchored in front of New-Orleans. and one
night Hennessy came to that ship with opposite
in a skif delivered him TO the Italian authorities
and. in due time. received his reward. Naturally
= the Italian Government grateful for this ser
vice. and when. subsequently. Hennessy became
Chief of Police at New Orleans and applied to the
Italian authorities for assistance in identifying the
Malta leaders. he received their cordial c0opera-
ton. For instance. when he suspected an indi-
xidual. he would have him arrested take his photo
graph and send it, with such data as he had. to
the Chief Of the Italian Police Department
with a request for such information as might be
accessible. The Italian authorities responded
promptly and zealously, and in this way Hennessy
gradually coating record upon which half
the Sicilians in New-Orleans could have been sent
to the penitentiary. But, unhappily, the knowl-
edge of these facts was communicated to the Malta
leaders, and just two days before he was ready
TO use the knowledge he possessed Hennessy was
murdered The rest of the dark history is now
notorious and need not be recapitulated here, but
. the notes accumulated by Hennessy are still ex-
tant, and they have already done part of their
work before the Grand Jury now sitting in New
Orleans Those notes show that two of the lynched
. Italians claimed by Baron Fava subjects of
King Humbert, are deeply dyed criminals and fugi-
10 Traina, known in Messina as VincenZo Traina, was
a notorious criminal. lie was professional rObber
and cutthroat, and hal fed from Italian justice to
NewtOrleans The other, Antonio Catuna or
Bagretto, was murderer. He escaped at the
same time with opposite and, of course, went
with him to New-Orleans These are the two
s.. Italian subjects whom Rudini and Fava
have made all this row. and about whom the
Italian Government was foolish enough to threaten
the United States. The Others were American
citizens, as shown by the official records. and of
Z them Italy had no rightful cogniZance
9" But the whole story has not been told. The
papers left by Hennessy--and they are papers
furnished by the police authorities of Italy
viii reveal the existence of a formidable Malta
organization in New-Orleans, made up of convicts
b and escaped criminals from Italy. They will
identify not only the wretches who were executed
at the Parish Prison. but many others still at lib
erty. They will show that there was in New. Orleans
an organized Society of assassination and that muir
der, intimidation and blackmail were its appointed
business And, finally, these papers win prove,
when the whole matter shall have been made
public that the citizens OF New-Orleans had
reached point at which they had to choose be-
tween doing what they did and formally resign
ing their city and their civilization to band of
assassins and outlaws. The papers referred TO
are in existence. Hennessy assassinated be-
cause it became known that he possessed the
e fatal information. And when the facts shall have
this Republic will tremble to think what terrors
have existed among them and what calamities
end barbarisms they have escaped"
B.