The Forrest City times., 1899-08-11
in a Serious Light.

cent lynching of five Italians at Talu- lah, La.
 In n Serious Light.
 The report presents the affair in a ser1ous 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.
 Dr. Hodges Was the Aggres.or.
 In describing the first affray, which led up to the lynching, Marquis Ro- mano's 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 the time prostrate on the ground, did the broth CT, 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 wanton attack upon Dr. Hodges.
 The Beginning of the Array.
 The circumstances leading up to the affray are described in detail. Accord ing to this account Charles Difata was alone when Dr. Hodges passed. There IS no effort made in the report to ob- scure the fact that Charles Difata made the first offensive overture. But 1t is contended that this was not ac- companled by the use of firearms or even movement to draw them. It is said, however, that Charles Difata up- braided Dr. Hodges in an offensive way for having killed an animal and ac- companied this by blow of the fist Then, it is stated, Dr. Hodges shot at 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, were disfigured and disposed of. But at all events it is stated that Charles Difata 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.
 The First Lynchings.
 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 10 the Italian report, only these two 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 JohA Gerami, were in an- other street and did not know what was occurring. It 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 were actually placed in jail.
 Three More Lynchings.
 The report then brings out 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 Fe- ducio and Frank Difata, were first taken from the officers and lynched. Subsequently,. and some little time af- terward. the mob returned and took John Gerami and lynched him.
 Three Distinct Movements.
 In this circumstantial way the re- port brings out that tine 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 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 extenuating cir cumstances 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.