The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-03-20
Mob law ia sew Orleans.


NEW ORLEANS, March lb--Tbe nipe
men who have been on trial for the
murder of Chief Hennessy and who
were acquitted have fallen before the
bullets OF the assassins and two were
strung up TO the IaInppoets outside the
parish Jail and riddled with bullets
Five thousand men took part in this
summary proceeding, and among them
were numbered many of the leading CIT
izens. Eight more Italians Of the nine
teen imprisoned charged with participa-
ton in the assassination of Chief Hen
messy were left alive and trembling IN
their cells And then the question arose
what to do with the jury who had &C
Quilted six of the accused the day be
fore and the detective accused of tam
pering with the jury. Would it not be
well to let them, too, taste the popular
wrath of what was believed to be shame
less perversion of Justice ?
The verdict reused the slumbering
wrath of the populace, Although IN
the popular belief the guilt Of five of the
prisoners had been clearly established
the jury, inspired by terror of the ven
delta or else by money, had brought in
a verdict OF not guilty. II was too much
There was a meeting Friday night,
while flags of JOY were huttering in the
Italion quarter. of prominent business
| and professional men merchants, pub
| lie officials and Others, at which 1t WAS
decided to call a general mass meeting
at 10 O'Clock at the Clay statue, on St.
Charles street, the most prominent place
in the city. a call Was issued as brief
as II was ominons:
| ''All good citizens are invited to at
tend a mass meeting on Saturday, March
II, at 10 O'Clock A NJ, at the Clay statue,
10 take steps to remedy the failure of
justice in the Hennessy case. Come pre-
| pared for action"
1t was bugle call to arms, II was an
swered by an army. At o'clock the citi-
zens were swarming into the square as
they swarmed on that great September day
sixteen years ago. Hundreds of them
bore arms upoh their shoulders, rifles
and shotguns, and few among that ex-
cited and determined multitude but had
revolvers in their pockets.
Several speeches were made
when the crowd started for the Jail.
When they reached the building a
knock was made at the door. As nc
one answered the knock a large billet
of wood was secured and hurled against
the outside wooden door. 1t gave away
with crash, and the crowd poured III
with an impetuous rush, yelling for the
KEYS to the inside door. The sheriff
was away looking, ne said, for protection
from the mayor, who was conveniently
not to be found, and the deputy il
charge dared not withstand the demand
The authorities were really lukewarn IL
the way of stopping violence. The keyi
were brought and again the crowd sur
ged in. At first they entered a cell at
tached TO the white peoples yard, which
was crowded with trembling prisoners
but when told that the men they sough
were not there they filed ont again.
Finally the Sicilians were founC
crouching in n corner on their knee,
waihng and shrieking for mercy. They
had heard the sound of the catapult anC
crescendo roars of the furious and blood
thirst crowd. They knew that the,
were doomed, but still they cried pit
eously for life.
| The fusillade which followed WAS ter
, rife. Rocco Geracci was nearest and
single bullet In the chest finished him
Charles Terrahin and Jim Caruso wer
riddled with buckshot, aud Frank Rom
ero, alias Nine Fingered Frank" wa
| shot in the forehead AS he knelt facin
I | the mob, his hands over his face. Lor
D etto Comitez wss filled in head and bod
: with buc kshot, while Peter Monasterio
the only one who had his back turne
| to the avengers, was shot in the back G
: the head. No time WAS wasted for sen
e timent and leading members of the com
4 mittee gave the orders to fire.
D Then the avengers ran back into tn
: prison again and found three others hud
: ding in their cells-Antonio Scoffaldi
Antonio Marchesi and Joseph p Mach
f eca. The latter had secured a pistol b
t some means, and he fought like rat i
S a corner, shooting Police Sergeants Her
: on in the neck. The avengers close
in on him, and after riddling his clothe
II with shot, none of which strangel
/ enough penetrated his body, proceede
1 to club him TO death. Scoffaldi wa
killed by gunshot wound above tn
!. right eye. Marhesi WAS shot in the hea
and left for dead, but did not die unt
later on.
The boy Marchesi was spared bv @,
der of Mr.. Wickliffe, who said that b
n was too young to hang, although ur
!, doubtedly guilty.
n But there was a still more dreadfl
n act In the tragedy TO come. The aver
d gers were not yet satisfied. They wal
d ted more, and they wanted to make
Is more public example for the benefit {
/. Sicilian bandits. A crowd of them %
e hold of Bagnetto and dragged him OF
% of the jail. He was already wounde
e unto death, and trail of blood followe
l. when they dragged him, while his dar
face was all beSmeared with blood. A
-e the crowd III the square caught sight
le him they uttered a roar of frenzied rag,
a They had heard the shots within ii
e Jail, but had not seen the slaught,
h which accompanied them. Now W,
/ their opportunity. Some one bought
ID rope and II was thrown around his necl
l. The other end was cast over the limb
re tree and the dying wretch swung u,
l. Then fusillade from score of weaI
at ons ended its sufferings in an instan
II On the other side of the jail the era:
4. Manuel Polizzi met a similar fate on Il
arms of the lamppost, and his body, to
was rlddlod with bullets and buckshC
This ended the slaughter, and Il
70 leaders cried halt. They had accor
II plished the work for which they cam
'e and they were willing to let authority
I the person of the coroner resume
Is sway.
=. On his Muscle.