The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-07
New Orleans Grand Jury's Report.

New Orleans Grand Jury's Report.
It is probable that very little more will be
heard of the lynching which occurred in
New Orleans on March a. Rudini, the
italian prime minister, in his last note
called the correspondence which he had
been carrying on with Mr.. Blaine a boot
less correspondence, and intimated that he
had no disposition to continue it, and the
New Orleans grand jury, which has been
investigating the lynching and the circum-
stances connected with it, has made a re-
port to the effect that it could not get tes-
timony sufficient to indics the lynchers.
1t was not expected that those who par
ticipated in the lyuching would be indicted.
While comparatively few persons entered
the parish prison and killed the Italian pris
ouers, IL is estimated that between 6 900
and 5000 of the leading citizens went to the
prison aud approved all that was done
there. II would hardly have been just to
have indicted few Of the participants in
the lynching and permitted all the others 10
escape. And if the leaders had been indicted
it would not have been possible to convict
them. because very nearly all the people of
the city were in sympathy with the lynch
ing. No doubt all law abiding citizens de
plored the lynching, but there were few, if
any, of them who did not regard it as neces-
sary to prevent the city from being domi-
rated by assassius.
Tie grand jury's report discloses the fact
that very unhappy condition of affairs
existed in New Orleans The courts were
virtually unable to administer the law.
Perjurers and jury bribers were so numer-
Gus, bold aud so tn )ro Ighly trained that it
was about impossible to convict any one of
an offense who had the money to pay for
false witnesses and to bride jurors The
city was rapidly passing under the control
of toe very worst element Of society. and
the worst element in New Orleans exceeds
that Of almost every other city of the couu-
try by a great deal.
And from the grand jurys report the
lyncbing of March IA has not effected much
Improvement, though it is hoped that
lesson has beeu taught the criminal classes
that will be productive of good results. The
grand jury is satisfied that at least three of
the jurors in the case of the Italians who
were lynched were bribed. and others of
them were not fit for the duties they at
tempted to discharge. Had it not been for
the three, however, it is thought that a
verdict radically different from the one rem
dered would have been reached.
Ana the detective, O'Malley, who, it is
charged, was the chief instrument in brib-
ing the jurors, walks the streets of New
Orleans unmolested, and maintains a bold
and defiant attitude. If an honest jury gets
a fair chance at him his career In New
Orleans will be brought to a sudden termi-
nation. II all that is said of him is true it
is a pity that he was not found on the day
Of the lynching. The parish of Orleans
would have been saved considerable expense
on his account.
The grand jury finds indis outable evil
dence that eight of those who were lynched
were citizens of this country and one had
expressed his intention of becoming citi-
zen, thus renouncing his allegiance TO
Italy. There were only two. therefore. for
whose death Italy has any ground TO-
making demand for PREPARATION, an! from
all accounts it is not clear yet whether they
did not leave their native country TO avoid
punishment for crimes which they had COM
mltted.
The grand jury makes the astonishing
statement that the Italian consul at New
Orleans has a list Of 100 Italian criminals
who have settled in that city. What a re-
Election upon our immigration lawsl 1t is
not to be wondered at that the Malta -four
ishes In New Orleans, or that mysterious
murders are of frequent occurrence there.
And the Italians are still coming to this
country by the thousands, and among them,
doubtless, are many criminals. Unless the
laws shutting out criminals are more strictly
enforced, other lynchings are not improba-
bic. Greatly as mob law is to be deplored,
the people Of other cities will not be less
patient than those of New Orleans were, if
they find their safety endangered by GRIM
inals which the law fails to reach.