The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-03-22
Special Correspondence of THE HERALD.

chief? Hooray Who killa de chief ?" shout
the street gamins of New Orleans, initiating
the accent of an Italian, as they surge around
the vans which are conveying to the parish
prison the men charged with the murder
of the late David Hennessey.
An echo answers, "Who9" They are excit-
ing times, these, at the closing of the cele-
brated case which has kept the elite Of the Lou
isiana bar busy for so many weeks. 1t was ex-
citing the other night when those concerned
in the trial visited the place, at the corner of
South Basin and Girod streets, where Hen
nessey was shot on his mothers doorstep.
throng awaited the arrival of the jurists. The
crowd listened for while to the vehement
conversation of the black girl, Louisa Ricas
ner, who, having been witness in the caee,
believes, and with apparent reason, that she
is being shadowed by murderous "Dagoes,"
and to the comments of Corcoran, another
witness, who regards her as his special prote
gee Finally the expected arrivals appeared
to inspect the scene of the murder by night
and by electric light in order that the jury
might judge of the value of the identifications
made by eye-witnesses.
The procession was as follows: (1.) His
honor, the Judge, and the attorneys for
either side, in barouches. (2) The hapless
jury in wagonette, surrounded by deputy
sheriffs who spat tobacco juice in all direc-
tions and looked like particularly irreverent
pall-bearers at the funeral of an eccentric
comedian. 49, Van containing the sensa-
aonal and would-be insane prisoner Polizzi,
surrounded by curses and snatches of song
proceeding from its occupant and by police
men. a. Van containing the eight other
prisoners, surrounded by more policemen.
(5.) Patrol wagon containing about an even
short ton of cops.
This pageant having passed given point,
as professions have insisted upon doing since
the world began, dispersed and was swallowed
up in the gloom of Louisiana drizzle. The
crowd vanished and your correspondent
thanked Heaven that he was as wise as before.
PoliZZi, who was the low and desperate viii
lain of the tragedy, was the leading sensation
alist of the trial. He began at an early day by
rising in court and haranguing the judge in the
Sicilan dialect. After series of similar per-
formances he wound up later on by suddenly
falling from his chair and foaming at the
mouth while calling the name of one of his fell
low-prisoners, Scof1idi, and. it is believed, ac-
cusing him of the murder. The effect of
OllZG4 dlUCLupb W 5uOW llIlScil lAoduo Was
that his attorneys abandoned him, the pro-
ceedings were retarded for whole day, and
the court had to ransack the city for an inter
prefer who could understand him. He con-
tinually asserted that he wanted to make a
statement, but when given an opportunity
would weaken and say nothing sufficiently
definite to be used in evidence.
WAITING FOR THE VERDICT.
On the day when the verdict was forthcom-
ing the city was on tiptoe with expectation.
As hour after hour passed the throngs watch
ing the bulletin boards and surrounding the
courtroom began to feel instinctively that the
jury, if not unanimously decided after such q
length of time, could never agree.
Your correspondent, after discovering the
futility of attempting to learn anything in the
vicinity of the court, goes to the parish prison.
where police van, city wagon, and patrol
wagon are drawn up awaiting the message to
bring the prisoners to court The message ar
riyes A deputy within the prison calls, 'tNe.
L. and the boy, Gaspero Marchesi, steps out
and springs nimbly into the van. Seven
other OF the prisoners follow him as their
numbers are called. Macheca bears look of
such anxiety on his face as to make him al
prosecution has been abandoned, looks un-
concerned. Matranga, the last of the eight to
enter the van is smoking cigar and smiling.
He knows that the Judge has instructed the
jury to acquit him. AS he passes through the
small group of jail officials and loungers some
one cries: Goodbye, Charley" but he does
not look up.
The van draws away. The city wagon takes
its place, and Poizzi, guarded by two deputies,
climbs into it. His face is set and desperate
and he takes no notice of the wagon drivers
kindly greeting.
When the wagons reached the court the
crowd along Camp street, from the newspaper
Offices to the court building, rapidly became
more dense. AS your correspondent neared
the spot he was met by a small group of men
and boys crying, "Verdict verdict % and
running toward the bulletin boards. The
majority of the crowd, however, preferred to
stay about the court and learn the tidings, if
with less speed and certainty at least among
scenes of greater excitement. The verdict
was not known for some minutes, however
during which time rumor was passed that the
brother of Scoffidi, one of the accused, had
been seen to leave the court smiling, and to
go TO the nearest bar and drink with mis-
friends. differences We're drawn accordingly
The inferences were correct,
The jury acquitted six, among them Macheca,
who was the rlngleader "the man of brains, -
of the Malta. About three men the jury diff
fered. No one was convicted.
There was no outbreak when the prisoners
left 90 return to prison, whittier those acquitted
were also taken to be held until tried upon
other charges. The crowd did not seem to
fully realize the ominous meaning of what
had occurred, and its feeling could hardly be
called by a stronger term than disgust The
Just arriyed-large lot of Summers' So