The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-10
JUDGE LYNCH AT WORK
THREE ITALIANS TAKEN FROM A
LOUISIANA JAIL AND EXECUTED.
One Was Accused of Numbering N
ers of Killing a Moss Gatherer.

HAHNVILLE, La, Aug. 9.-There was
a triple lynching in this town just before
IL o'clock last night, and this morning the
bodies of three Italian murderers were
found swinging from the rafters of shed
near the courthouse. One of the men is
Lorenzo Saladiro, who assassinated Jules
Guerimard at Freetown, last Tuesday night,
and the other two were Decino Sorcoro
and Angelo Narcuso, who murdered an old
Spaniard on the Ashton plantation, near
Boutte Station, some time ago. I.
Ever since the murder of Guerin1ard this
parish has been in a fever of excitement
over the affair. and even on the first night
after the murder 1t was with great diff
ficulty that Sheriff Dry prevented the
lynching OF Saladino. He spirited him
away to the woods and kept him there
over night, and the next day took him TO
the new Jail in Hahnville. In the mean
time, the evidence against Saladno in
creased and public feeling correspondngly
grew in intensity. About 11:3O o'clock last
night the lynchers who had concentrated
on the outskirts OF the town, began to
move on the jail. They captured the old
negro guard, and. by the vigorous use of
axes, with which they were well supplied.
soon demolished the Jail and cell doors
and took the prisoners out and executed
them.
Lorenzo Saladino was charged with the
murder of Jules Guerimard, one of the
prominent planters and merchants of that
section. The murder occurred Tuesday
night. at Freetown. I'm st. Charles Parish,
a short distance from the river bank. Mr..
Guerimard the gallery with sew
eral friends playing cards while awaiting
When the whistle of the boat blew, Mr..
Guerimard arose to meet her. When he
was a few feet away from his party
chot was fired. 1t was from a shotgun
loaded with all sorts of missiles and the
severing his head from his body and kill
ing him instantly. besides woundng Mr..
Robert Espenard. a New Orleans engineer,
in the arm. Search for the murderer was
made, but he was aot found. The shot
was fired from behind tree at the edge
Of the road, and the assassin escaped
through the thick growth. Suspicion
pointed to the Sicilian, who bears a bad
character He had threatened Mr. Gueri-
mard's life because the latter had testified
against him in a suit brought because Sal
adino endeavored to defraud New Orleans
creditors. A visit to his louse revealed his
shotgun. which he said had not been fired
in three months. One barrel was found
freshly discharged. While he was not told
of the charge against him. he disclaimed
the killing. Later on. an old Italian
woman. arrested at his place. confessed
that Saladino, when he returned home that
night said: Il got him." Saladino would
have been lynched that night but for
Sheriff Dry. who hid his prisoner in the
woods
The crime for which the other two Ital-
ians besides Saladino were hung was the
murder of an old SDaniard on the Ashton
plantation. near Boutte Station. The in
centive TO the crime in this case was that
the old Spanisrd was their rival in the
business OF gathering moss. They had fire.
Quently threatened his life.