The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-07-22
A MISUNDERSTANDING.
Five Sioilians Strung Up by a Mob
in Louisiana.
HAD FATALLY SHOT A DOCTOR.

The whole Trouble Precipitated in
Quarrel over Goats Trespassing on
Doctors Premises-Citizens Pleaded
vninIy For the Lives of the Men.
Tallulah. La, July 22.-Five Sicilians
were lynched here Thursday night for
the fatal wounding of DR.. j. Ford
Hodge. The dead men are of class
which has been troublesome for some
time Some, It is said, had families
In Europe, but had no relatives here.
The dead are Frank Defatta, Charles
Defatta, 10 Defatta, Sy Defferroch and
John Cereno.
For several weeks a lot of goats be-
longing to Frank Defatta have been
sleeping and running on the gallery
of DR.. Hodges office and residence.
The doctor on numerous occasions re-
quested the owner to keep his goats
penned up, but he would not do II, and
on the night of the 18th DR.. Hodge
shot one of them. Early next morn
ing Frank Defatta came to the doc
tors Office and said:
You shoot my goat, now you better
shoot me-"
The doctor ordered Defatta to leave,
and Defatta left, grumbling.
DIR. Hodge took his meals at the resi-
dence of a Mr.. Kaufman, and had to
pass Joe Defatta's shop in going to
them. About sundown Thursday even
ing the doctor and Mr.. Kaufman
started for supper. Mr.. Kaufman, who
was in the lead, says that as they got
to Joe's store Charles Defatta was sit
ting on the steps and Joe was standing
at the door. Kaufman spoke to them,
but neither returned the greeting. As
DR.. Hodge passed Charles jumped up
and said:
"You shoot my goat" and struck the
doctor.
DR.. Hodge attempted to repel the at
tack, but finding his assailant too
much for him started to draw his pis-
toll Joe Defatta, at the door, fred
both loads of the double barrel shot
gun at the doctor, striking him in the
hands and abdomen. At the crack of
the gun Frank Defatta, Sy Deferroch
and John Cereno, who were in the
neighborhood started on q run to Joe's
store with shotguns and long knives
in their hands.
Court was in session and large
crowd of country people were in town.
They Joined the sheriff and his depu-
ties In the chase and succeeded in ar
resting and disarming Frank Defatta,
Sy Deferroch and John Cereno after a
hard struggle.
The sheriff with his possee went to
the Defatta home and captured Charles
Defatta. Joe was found hidden under
a chimney in an adjoining house. He
was taken out and the sheriff started
toward the Jail with his two prisoners.
When Court Square was reached a
crowd of 250 citizens oyerpowered the
sheriff and after severe struggle took
Joe and Charles to the slaughter pen
and hung them to the gallows used for
slaugtering beeves.
Joe did the shooting and said Charles
did it. Charles said Joe fired the shots,
which half dozen people saw. Charles
said Frank Defatta and Sy Deferroch
were the cause of the trouble.
The crowd then adjourned to the
Jail and overpowered the jailer and his
deputies. The keys were secured and
Sy Deferroch, Frank Defatta and Joe
Cereno were brought out and hung to
an oak tree in the Jail yard.
good many citizens pleaded for the
lives of the Sicilians. but as this was
the tnlrd outrage OF the KIM cOmmlJS
ted by this class of people, their ap-
peals were unavailihg. About two
years ago Frank Defatta shot and
killed a negro Tor picking up a water
melon which Frank had for sale. One
year ago joe Defatta shot and killed
Patt Matthews, landing keeper at Mil
likens Bend, La, over a trivial contPQ.
yersy. He was cleared by a technical
ity of the law. These two had fire.
quently made boasts that they would
do as they pleased and that their money
would clear them.
DIR. Hodge is badly shot, and the
doctors say he cannot recover.