The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-22
FIVE ITALIANS LYNCHED.
KILLING or 4 coat TIE ORIGINAL
CIUSE OF THE TROUBLE.

Janis GUat-It Brought on n street Row
inns Arrested and Then I.ynched by Mob
NEW ORLEANS. La. July 21.-Fve Italians
were lynched at Talulah. La. last night for
the killing Of Dr. Hodges OF that place. They
were arrested for the murder and taken to tho
Tallulah lookup. A mob ofabout 100 men broke
into the jnil shortly after midnight on Thursday
night and hanged them to Ave separate trees.
Their bodies were then riddlcd with bullets.
The dead are: James Dfatto. Frank Dfatto.
Charles Difatto. s. Federica aud John Ccrano.
The lynchng caused great excitement
throughout the parish, and when the people
OF Tallulah woke up this morning and
saw nvo trees in front OF the Court
House, each bearing dead man hang
ing to it. they became 80 excited that
business of all kinds was suspended. The
Grand Jury was summoned hastily in special
session to investigate both the killing Of Dr.
Hodges and the lynching OF tho Italians
On Wednesday morning DIR. Hodges shot
goat belonging to Frank Difatto. Yesterday
Difatto stepped up to DIR. Hodges's door. say
ing:
Doctor. you shot my goat. Now you had
better shoot me-"
DR.. Hodges eJccted the Italian. who made
threats against tho doctor and said that
he would be revenged for his goat.
Frank. James ard Charles Difatto were seen in
consultation several times during the day at
the store Of James who keeps a small grocery
and barroom on Front street. About sun
down the brothers separated. James and
Charles returning to their homes on Cedar
street
When DR.. Hodges left his Office after dark
and walked out Cedar street. near where the
Italians live. Charles Difatto rushed out and.
closing with the doctor, struck him several
times. The doctor broke away. and drawing
pistol opened fire. James Difatto. who
stood in the doorway of tho house. returned
the fire. using n shotgun. Both barrels, nlcd
with birdshot. took effect in DR.. Ilodgcss all
domcn. bringing him down. AS he fired Frank
Difatto. s. Frederick and John Cerano rushed
to the scene. all armed. hut they took no part
in the tragedy
As soon as the news became known large
crowd assembled in the ncighborhood. This
was swelIed by several hundred men from the
surrounding country who happened to be in
Talluiah. which Is the seat Of justice in Madi
son parish. They were in attendance on the
Circuit Court. Most of the crowd knew
DR. Hodges. and they were clamoring for
the blood of the Italians. Tho latter. seeing
the angry crowd. had retreated into the Di-
fatto house. where they were surrounded.
Sheriff Lucas and deputies had arrived on tho
scene in the meantime and called upon the
Italians to surrender. The latter. however.
had barrradcd the house. The Sheriff and his
posse battered in the doors Tho Italians.
thoroughly cowed and frightened made no re-
sistance.
1t looked at first "a though the Italians would
be iynched there md then and before they
could be conveyed to the Jail. but Sheriff Lucas
forced his way through the crowd. which he
succeeded in 1uietnG to some extent bya short
speech, and got the men TO the Jail. IT
looked then as though the law would be al
lowed to take its course. Some Of the country
men in town thought there ought to he lyrch-
ing. because the Italians we're getting entirely
too mpndcnt in that section.
Bcfor" midnight the Talulah Jail was sur
rounded by mob Of 100 men. Their work was
quickly done The KEYS OF tho Jail were taken
forcibly from the sheriff. the five Italians
taken ont. strung to- the trees and their bodies
rddled with bullets.
Tho Italians were all dealers in fruit vege-
tables and petty groceries. They had been in
this country dozen years. settling first in
Vickshurg and moving thence to Madison par
ish. where they had lived for five years II is
| understood that they had recently secured their
naturalization papers. They were in COM
Portable circumstances and well thought Of.
In Vicksburg. twenty-one miles awav where
they formerly resided. and where they have
many relatives they were highly esteemed
and their bodies will lie buried there
| As soon as the Italian Consul in New Orleans
| heard Of the lynching he authorized Mr.. "
| Piazza one Of the leading members of tho
| Italian colony in Vicksburg. to go Mt once to
| Tallulah. in company with lawyer. and in
vestigatc the matter Mr.. Piazza returned to
| Vicksburg in the afternoon. but refused to be
| interviewed ms to the investigation. saying that
| it would have to be reported to the Consul in
| New Orleans Mr.. Pat Henry. who accom-
| panied Mr., Piazza to Tallulah to investigate
the affair. saws that the mob has notified every
| Italian in Madison county TO leave the parish
| within three days or they will meet with the
| same fate as the lynchcd men.
| There are quite number OF Italians there
| who are thoroughly panic stricken. and will
| leave the parish soon as they can. News
| paper correspondents were warned not to send
out the news. and it could be photographed
| only by going to Nicksburg. A guard was
| placed at the Office of the telegraph
company in Tallulah. and he was threatened
| with injury il he touched the keys Of his teie.
graph instrument. 1t was due to this tcrrorz.
ing that the news did not become known unit
| some time after the lynching.
The grand jury OF Madison Parish. which
| had been hastily summoned to investigate the
| affair. reached finding to- light. 1t makes M
| attempt to find the lynchers. and is devoted
principally to the abuse Of the lynched Italians
an attempt being made to show that they were
thoroughly bad men.
Ta.lulah is on the Wick sburg Shreveport AM
Pacific Railroad about twentv-one miles from
VicksburG. DIR. Hodges is still alive but no
| expected TO recover The Coroner held an in
A.