The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-05-09
The New Orleans Grand Jury Bring
in a Lengthy Report on the
Hennessy Murder.
They Severely Condemn the Action
of the Jury in Acquitting
the Italians.
They Review the Killing and Fail to
Bring an Indictment Against
Anyone.
The Grand Jury's Report.

Weeks luVo6UlSdUlOu Uuo sIdAu july SO"-
pleted it's labors on the Hennessy case
and the killing of the Italians at the
parish prison, by presenting a long spe-
cial report at 4:30 o'clock this afternoon.
It first reviews the Hennessy murder
trial and says of the verdict that it was
a startling, amazing, bitter disappoint-
ment, shocking to public opinion, pro-
voking repeated accusations that some
of the jury had been unfaithful to their
Office. "We feel that we do not tran
scend the limits of our duty as grand in
quest, to refer to the strt ng presentation
of the case as made by the state through
council associated in the prosecution,
clear. continuous, complete, convincing,
in direct testimony and ma
terial circumstances, it ap-
peared more than sufficient
to convince the most unwilling listener,
with it's truth, and convey full measure
sof it's power, to those who ventured
doubt" It then speaks of rumors Of
improper influences at work as demand
ing investigation, which all jurors well
coined. 1t says: "Carful observers tes-
tify with special reference to the marked
%inattention of the jury as witnesses sub
mitted their evidence, conduct most IN
becoming and fraught with gravest con:
sequences when momentous import OF
issue is considered. We are led to con-
= = lr..L Al s,r ,rolorkooG- r. fry tho
case when it was submitted by their own
estimate of value Of statements made by
parties Qnot called as a witness.
With strange unanimity they dwelt upon
what they knew by reading and hearsay
of certain incidents of the assassination
prior to the trial, and made those the
basis of powerful persuasion for giving
the accused the benefit of the doubt and
concluding deliberations in their favor.
We must take occasion to say that 1T was
not expected to obtain any evidence OF
undue influence from members OF the
jury, for those who were uncorrupted
had nothing to reveal, while others would
not make themselves particepts crimlnis,
yet in their numerous statements much
was obtained having direct connection
vv w3i ! a Of testimony elected during
the course of inquiry. 1t is clearly
ssors that, as affecting three of the &C.
,cused. Politez, Scafedi and Monasterio,
The iury engaged in deliberation in their
case some four or five hours, attended
with intense excitement, and on repeated
5ballots the jury vote stood: 6 guilty, 6
not guilty. This is a clearly defined in
dication of the convictions Of the jury as
to three of the accused. It impresses us
deeply, as it must everyone to whom the
fact is conveyed, and forces the conclu-
sion that the evidence was sufficient to
Justify the six jurors who stood resolute
and determined for a verdict of guilty,
making it well-nigh impossible to reach
anv other conclusion than a
mistrial. These three accused,
named above, were probably the unwill-
inc actors designed by the leaders of the
conspiracy to execute the villainous part
in which they had neither personal mo-
tive or interest. Following this investi-
cation, it was quickly learned from vari-
.ous sources that talesmen had been ap-
prosched. The grand jury knows that a
iist of 500 talesmen in the Hennessy
case was in the office of O'Malley
Adams at II o'clock Sunday
morning, February %, 1891, though the
trial Judge issued special orders Satur-
day evening that the list was not to be
made public or given to counsel of either
side until Monday morning. 1t is not
shown by whose hands the list was Sc
cured, but enough is shown to confirm
the past secret and powerful influence
held by the so-called private detective
agency and Counsel Adams to
handle the machinery of the court"
After scoring O'Malley for the part he
played in the affair, the report takes up
the Italian immigration question, and
enters q protest against allowing Italian
criminals to come to this country. In
speaking of the killing of the Italians,
the report says: sit is shown in the evil
dence that the gathering on Saturday
morning, March Ia, embraced several
thousand of the first, best and even most
law abiding citizens of this city, as
sembled as is the right of American cit
liens, to discuss in public meeting,
questions of grave import. We find that
the general sentiment among these wit
nesses and also in our intercourse with
people, that the verdict as rendered by
the Jury was contrary to law and
evidence and secured mainly through the
designing and INSCRIPTIONS agents en-
ployed for the special purpose OF defeat
ing Justice; at that meeting q detetmina-
ton was shown that the people would
not submit to the surrender of their
rights into the hands of midnight assas-
sins and their powerful allies. The assa,-
sination of the late chief of police shows
culmination of conspiracy. His death
was deemed necessary to prevent OK.
posure and punishment Of criminals
whose guilt was being fast established
BY his diligent pursuit. The condition
Of affairs in this community as to certain
Glasses of violators of the law, had
reached such q state that law
itself was we'll nigh powerless
to deal with them, 80 far reaching. was
their power and influence in the trial OF
criminal cases. Good cltizins we're pro.
foundly impressed by the repeated and
signal failures Of justice. The arts OF
the perjurer and briber seemed to domi-
nate in the courts, %paralysing and rem
.derinp powerless the ends OF justices
In the public meeting referred to, 80
general and spontaneous was the uprls-
ing Of the masses that we doubt it any
power at the command of the authorities
would have been sufficient to overcome
its intentions. . II is 9 noteworthy fact,