The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-08-12
LYNCEING OF THE DIFAT1S.
The Atrccity Likely to Involve tks
Country in Serious
With Italy.

washington, Aug. S.-Ine state NC
partment has received from the Ital-
ian authorities a copy of the complete
report made by Marquis Romano, sec
rotary of the Italian embassy here, on
! his personal investigation OF the re-
cent lynching of five Italians at Talu-
lab, La.
in a Serious Light.
The report presents the affair in a
serious light. AS Il 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.
DIR. Hodges Was the AGgressOr.
In describing the first affray. which
led up TO the lynching, Marquis Iio-
mano's report states that DR.. Hodges
was the first to draw his weapon. and
that O until he had fired one shot
and was about to fire the second one
at Charles Difata, who VAS at the time
ps1strate on the ground. did the broth
er. joe Difata. fire his shotgun from
the store near by. This last shot. it is
| pointed out. was in defense of the
! fallen brother. and was not 4 wantOn
attack upon Dir. Hodges.
Thc beginning OF the ARRAY.
The circumstances leading up to the
ARRAY are described in detail. Accord
,,- -. ,y,- ,..nunt Ii rlaS nif1f1 .,-Ds
alone when DIR. Hodges passed. There
is nc effort made in the report to OBJ
! scure the fact that Charles Difata
! made the first offensive overture. But
it is contended that this was not ac-
companIed by the use of firearms or
even Il movement to draw them. 1t is
! said. however. that Charles Difata up
braided DR.. Hodges in an offensive way
for having killed an animal and ac-
cOmranied this by a blow OF the fist.
Then. il is stated. DR.. Hodges shot ut
Difata. Whether or not the shot took
effect it was not possible for the Ital-
ian authorities to learn. aS the bodies
of the men, after being lynched, We're
disfigur"d and disposed of. But at all
events il is stated that Charles Diiata
was on the ground following the shot
from DR.. Hodges weapon. At this
point Joe Difata made his appearance
and seeing his brother down and a
second shot about to be fired. shot at
DR.. Hodges.
II First LynchinGs.
Then followed the lynching of these
two Italians. Joe Difata and Charles
Difata. The mob took them before
they had beer arrested.
TIP to this point, according to the
Italian report. only these w Italians
had figured in the affair.
Knew Nothing of the Occurrence.
The report goes on to state that
throughout the occurrence the three
other ItalianS-Frank Difata. Joseph
Feducio and John Gerami, were in an
other street and did not know what
was occurring. 1t is stated that they
did not take part in the attack on Dr..
Hodges. and they did not even know
OF it until some time after. when the
local officers came to arrest them.
This arrest was accomplished and the
three Italians We're actually placed IN
jail.
Three More LynchinGs
The report then brings ont the fact
that the mob. having already lynched
Charles and Joe Difata. turned their
attention to the three Italians under
arrest. Two of these men. Joseph Fc-
ducio and Frank Difata. were first
taken from the officers and lynchcd.
Subsequently. and some little time al
forward. the mob returned and took
john Gerami and lynched him.
Three Distinct Movements.
In this circumstantial way the re-
port brings out that the mob made
three distinct movements against the
Italians and hat there was sufficient
time for the b!cnd TO cool and for the
= of the lyncl,rrs to abate after
they had disposed of the first two men.
An Element of Particular Atrocity.
Particular Importance is laid upon
this feature. for. while it is said. there
may have been some e~Xtenuating cir
cCmstanceS in visiting such summary
punishment on those Immediately con-
cerned in the affary with DR.. Hodges,
yet the time elapsing before the sec
ond and third lynchings is regarded
as an element of particular atrocIty.
The full report has been forwarded
to the Italian foreign office and a
copy of it placed in the hands of the
state department.