Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-07-27
ITALIANS LYyCHED.
Five Men Strung Up at Tallula,
La, by a Mob.
VICTIMS ACCUSED OF LAWLESSyESS.
A Prominent Physician Seriously Shot by
One Of the Italians-Th Victims Buried
In the Potters' Field-The Grand
Jury Report.

New Orleans, July o. Five Sicilians
were hanged yesterday by a mob at
Tallula, town OF several hundred in
habitants in Madison parish, II miles
from the river. The dead are: Joe
Defatta, Charles Defatta, Frank De-
fatta, Sy Deberroch and Joe Cereno.
The five victims were strung up to
trees for supposed connection with a
plot to murder DR.. Hodges, promi-
nent physician of the place, who was
shot and fatally wounded by one Of the
Sicilians Thursday. In addition to
this several acts Of lawlessness that
have occurred in the neighborhood re-
Gently were attributed to the gang.
Several of the men are believed to have
families in Europe. Quiet was restored
Immediately after the lynching, and
the grand jury began an investigation
of the affair, but because Of the feeling
against the men it is doubtful if action
is taken against any member of the
mob.
For several weeks lot Of goats be-
longing to Frank Defatta have been
sleeping and running on the gallery Of
Ord. Ford Hodges Office and residence.
The doctor on numerous occasions re-
quested the owner to keep his goats up,
but he would not do it, and on the
night of the 10th inst. Dr. Hodges shot
one of the goats on his gallery. Early
on the morning Of the Goth, Frank De-
fatta came to DR.. Hodges office and
protested. The doctor promptly or
dered him to leave, as he wanted no
difficulty with him. Defatta left num-
bling something the doctor did not un-
derstand.
About shutdown on the evening Of
the GOTH the doctor started to supper,
and as he got to Joe's store, Sy and
Charley Defatta were sitting on the
steps and Joe standing in the store
door. Charles jumped up and said:
You shoot my goat" and struck the
doctor. Hodges attempted to repel the
attack by striking back with his fist,
but finding the Sicilian too much for
him, attempted to get his pistol.
Joe Defatta, at the door, pulled
double-barreled shotgun and
fred two shots at the doctor, strik-
ing him in the hands and abdomen.
Immediately at the crack Of the gun,
Frank Defatta and John Cereno, who
were in Defatta' store on Front street,
started on run to Joe's store with
shotguns and long knives in their
hands. Court was in session and a
large crowd of country people were in
town. With the sheriff and his depu-
ties they Joined in the chase and sue
ceeded in arresting and disarming
Frank Defatta, Sy Deberroch and John
Cereno, after hard struggle. John
Cereno made lunge at one Of the
crowd with one Of his long knives and
was promptly knocked down bya by
stander.
The sheriff with his posse at once
went to the house where Charles and
Joe Defatta were barricaded, sur
rounded the square and, after battering
down the doors of the house, succeeded
in taking Charles Defatta. Not find
ing Joe in there, the crowd began a
search of the premises, going thence
to the large dwelling Immediately be-
hind the shop, which was owned by
the Defattas. There they found Joe
hidden under the chimney. He was
promptly taken out and the sheriff
started to Jail with Charles and
Joe. When he got to the court
house square crowd of about
$50 citizens overpowered the sheriff
and, after severe struggle, took Joe
and Charles Defatta down in the field
to the slaughter pen and hung them to
the gallows used for Strengthening
beeves. The crowd then adjourned to
the Jail, overpowered the jailer and
deputies, took the keys and went in
and brought out Sy Deberroch, Frank
Defatta and John Cereno and hung
them to an oak tree in the Jail yard.
Not ia shot was fired and the crowd was
orderly and quiet, but very determined.
The five Sicilians were buried yester-
day in the potters field, near Tullula.
The grand jury last night reported as
follows: ut is evident from the fact
brought to our knowledge that the men
who were lynched had formed con-
spiracy to assassinate DR.. Hodges and
the mob learning the facts took the
law into their own hands. After dill
gent inquiry we have not been able to
learn the names or the identity of any
nf the man comnosinv the mobn