The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-08-09
LOUISIANA oLYNCHTNG
Nay Result in Grave Complications
With Italy,
AMERICANS WHOLLY TO BLAME.

Marquis Romano, Secretary of the
italian Legation i'm Washington, Re-
ports to His Government--It WIN De-
mand Vigorous Action by Italy.
Washington, Aug. 9.--The state de-
partment has received from the Italian
authorities a copy of the complete re-
port made by the Marquis Romano,
secretary Of the Italian embassy here,
on his personal investigation of the
! recent lynching of FIVE Italians at
Talulah, La.
The reports presents the affair in a
FERROUS light. AS a whole, the Italian
authorities view the matter of the
lynching as one of unusual atrocity,
and without the mitigating circum-
stances which had been urged in pre-
vious affairs of this kind.
In describing the first affray, which
led up to the lynching, Marquis Rom
amos report states that Dr. Hodges
was the first to draw his weapon, and
that not until he had fired one shot
and was about to fire the second one
at Charles Difata, who was at that
time PROSTATE on the ground, did the
brother, Joe Difata, fire his shotgun
| from the store near by. This last shot,
1t is pointed out. was in defense of the
| fallen brother, and was not wanton
attack upon DR., Hodges. The circum-
stances leading up to the affray are
| described in detail According to this
account Charles Difata was alone when
| DR.. Hodges passed. There is no effort
made in the report to obscure the fact
that Charles Difata made the first Of
farng gfr DIT L. I..I
| that this was not accompanied by the
use of firearms, or even a movement
to draw them. 1t is said, however, that
! Charles Difata upbraided Dr. Hodges
in an offensive way for having killed
an animal and accompanied this by a
blow of the fist Then, it is stated, Dr.
Hodges shot at Difata. Whether or not
the shot took effect 1t was not possible
for the italian authorities to learn, as
the bodies of the men, after being
! lynched, we're disfgured and disposed
! of. But at all events it is stated that
Charles Difata was on the ground fol-
lowing the shot from Dr. Hodges
| weapon.
| Then followed the lynching of these
two Italians, Joe Difata and Charles
Difata. The mob took them before they
had been arrested.
Up to this point, according to the
italian report, only these two Italians
had figured in the affair The report
| goes on to state that throughout the
occurrence the three other Italians
Frank Difata, Joseph Feducio and
| John Cerami-were in another street
and did not know what was occurring.
| 1t is stated that they did not take
part in the attack on DR.. Hodges, and
that they did not even know of it until
some time after, when the local Of
f1cers came to arrest them. This arrest
was accomplished and the three Ital-
fans were actually placed in Jail. The
report then brings out that the mob,
having already lynched Charles and
| Joe Difata turned their attention to
the three Italians under arrest.
Two of these men, Joseph Feducio
and Frank Difata, were first taken
from the officers and lynched. Subse-
| Quently, and some little time after
ward, the mob returned and took John
Cerami and lynched him. In this cir
cumstantial way the report brings out
| that the mob made three distinct
movements against the Italians, and
that there was sufficient time for the
blood to cool and for the anger of the
lynchers 70 abate after they had dis
posed of the first two men. Particular
Importance is laid upon this feature.
The full report has been forwarded
to the Italian foreign office and copy
of it placed in the hands of the state
department.
The report of the special envoy and
that of Governor Foster clash at nearly
every point.