Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-24
Lynchings in New Orleans in 1891
Recalled.
POSITION TAKEN BY THIS GOVERNMENT
Doctrine Laid Down When the Bal
timore's Sailors Were Mobbed.
CLAIMS FORM DEMNITY

at Tallulah, La, several cases are recalled
as having an indirect bearing on the sub
ject. These cases involved principles OF
national responsibility for the acts of pri-
vate citizens. In all of them the element
of official participation OF the country where
they occurred is eliminated. They all in
volve. however. the question of the respon-
sibility of a government for acts committed
by its subjects to the prejudice of subjects
of another country in it's territory on
friendly mission. Like other nations the
United States has been frequently required
to make reparation for outrages committed
by its citizens upon subjects OF other ma
tions. 1t has followed this course even in
cases where 1t was shown that 1t had used
due diligence to protect the foreigners from
violence.
Omcials Must lie Protected.
President Harrison in demanding indem-
nifty from Chile for the murder of sailors
Of the Baltimore by a mob in Val 5ara so, in
1891, laid down the doctrine that no self
respecting government can consent that
persons in its service, whether civil or mil
itary. shall be beaten or killed in a foreign
territory in resentment of acts done by or
imputed TO mlsgovernment. without exact
ing a suitable reDaration. He said further
that the government Of the United States
iTeeiN recognized lflS pflnctDle ana act
ed upon it, when the injury was done by
its people to one holding offiCial relation
to a friendly power in resentment of acts
done by the latter
The Lynching at New Orleans.
There is quite a close parallel between
the present case. so far as the facts ap-
pear from the press accounts and The kill
ing of the eleven Italians in New Orleans
March IA, 1891, for which this government
ultimately paid an indemnity aggregating
about $4,000 to the families of the four
men who were decided to be subjects of
Italy at the time of the killing
It is recalled in connection with the New
Orleans AFFAIR that the Italian government
was very peremptory in it's demand for
immediate indemnity and for the promise
OF this government to punish the parties
accused of the murders even before they
had been brought to trial. This resulted
in considerable correspondence between Mr..
Blaine. then Secretary of State. and Baron
faVa, the Italian minister, and finally led
to a severance of diplomatic relations
After the arrest of the eleven Italians
charged with the murder of Chief Of Police
Hennessy IN New Orleans, the Italian con-
sui there represented to his government
that the prisoners were being badly treated
in jail, and the settlement of this question
was still pending when the jail was attack
ed by mob and all of the prisoners were
lynched. This increased the tension be-
tween the two governments. Although
Baron Fava had been assured by the State
Department that this government would
endeaYor to secure indemnity to the FAM
lilies of any Italian subjects who had been
wronged in defiance of the treaty of peace
between the two countries, Marquis Rudini,
The Italian prime minister, demanded AN
immediate solution" of the difficulty. Upon
the assurance that the United States was
already pursuing the investigation in its
own way with view to the just solution OF
the question, Marquis Rudini broke off rel
Fava to take lis departure from Washing-
ton "on leave" as an evidence of the dis
pleasure of the Italian government at the
course of the United States.
Would Not BE Hurried.
This brought from Secretary Blaine his
note addressed to Count I'm.
periali, the charge 6affairs, in which he
said that: I'm q matter of such gravity the
United States government will not allow
itself to be unduly hurried; nor will It make
answer to any demand till every fact essen
tial to a correct judgment shall have been
fully ascertained through legal authority"
This brought a hasty reply on April 2 that
the Italian government recognized with
pleasure the Intention of the United States
to reach just solution of the difficulty and
after the case of the lynching had been
thoroughly sifted by the federal courts this
government settled the incident by the pay-
ment OF an indemnity TO be distributed
among the families of the dead Italian SUBJ
jects
Position of This Government
In paying this indemnity Mr.. Blaine de-
fined the position of this government briefly
as follows:
While the injury was not inflicted d.
rectly by the United States, the President
nevertheless feels that 1t is the solemn
duty, as well as the great pleasure. of the
government, to pay a satisfactory
indemnity. Moreover. the Presidents in
structions carry with them the hope that
the transaction of today may efface all
memory of the unhappy tragedy; that the
DID and friendly relations of the United
States and Italy may be restored, and that
nothing untoward may ever again occur to
disturb their harmonious friendship"
Many years ago the United States was
forced to pay indemnity to Spain for in
iignties inflicted upon subjects of that
country by citizens of the United States
The action of the government in that case
vas cited by eX-Secretary Blaine In SUD-
port of the position of the government in
he case of the riots in New Orleans in
March. 1891
There have been other cases where the
government has felt called upon TO pay in4
IDENTITIES for Outrages committed by It's
citizens, notably for the murder of Italians
n New Orleans in 1896 and for the murder
If Chinese in Rock Springs COL in 1894
But in every case the government has de-
:lared that the payment was made as an
lct of grace, without reference TO the ques-
ion of legal liability. The acts of Com
,ress making appropriations in such cases
invariably specified that the indemnity was
,aid ''out of humane considerations" and
Without reference to the question of lia-
,ihty.
Dispatch From Gen. Foster.
Count Vinci, the Italian charge daffaires,
allied at the State Department again to-
lay and had another talk with Dr. HILL
.ssistant secretary of state, concerning
he Tallulah lynchings The department
ad received from Gov. Foster of Louisiana
dispatch acknowledging the receipt OF
he telegram sent him on Saturday inquir-
ng as to the facts and asking that he exs
end every protection possible to Italian
itizens. The governors answer said sirns
ly: Your request will receive my imm5s
late attention and I viii advise you fur
her."
Count vinci submitted nothing further
rom the Italian authorities. and evinced
abstraction with what had been already
one by the officials here. Thus far the
concentrations have been confued fo