The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-07-25

AZ IaiI0lah. La. for the Fatal W ounds
ing CT One OF the Leading Ctixeus.
AD~tsorderiy S;asg Destroyed

- k8#s hoE ~ Eat2A " Ou00e
ing CT One OF b Leading Citizens.
ADfsorderiy s;asx Destroyed
Taliulah. La, July 2i.-Five Italians
were lynched here last night for the
fatal wounding OF DR.. J. Ford Hodge.
The dead men are of a class which has
been troublesome for some time. and n
Is believed thar they had planned to
XIII the doctor. Some OF them. il is
said, have families in Europe. but tasy
have no relatives here. The dead are:
Frank Defatta, Charles Defatta, 10.
Deferroch, John Cereno.
For several weeks a lot of goats he
longing to Frank Defatta have been
sleeping and running on the galley OF
DR.. Hodges office and residence. The
doctor on numerous occasions
ed the owner TO keep his goats penned
up, but he would not do il. and on the
night of the 18th DR.. Hodge sho ore
or them Early next morning Frank
Defatta came to DR.. Hodges office and
AID TO n doctor: You shoot my goat,
now o better shoot me-"
The doctor ordered him TO leave and
Defatta left mumbling something
which n doctor did not understand.
Dr. Hodge took his meals at the res
fdence or a Mr.. Kaufman and had to
pass Jo. Defatta'S shop in going there,
About shutdown last evening the doc
tor and Mr.. Kaufman started to sup
per and as they got to JOS store, Mr..
kaunmann, who was in the lead. saws
Charles Defatta was sitting on the
steps n 10. standing in the store
door. Kaufman spoke to them, but
neither Of the Italians 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 by striking back with his first.
but, finding the Sicilian too much for
him, attempted TO draw his pistol. 10.
Defatta at the door, pulled a double
barreled shotgun n fired two loads
into the doctor, striking him in his
hands and abdomen.
Immediately on the crack of the gun
Frank Defatta, sly. Deferroch n Jno.
Cereno, who were in Defatta's store on
Front street, started on a run TO JOS
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 deputies they
joined in the chase and succeeded in
arresting and disarming Frank Defat-
ia, Sy. Deferroch and John Cereno, af-
ter a hard struggle.
The sheriff with his posse at once
went to the house and succeeded in
taking Charles Defatta. 10. was found
hidden under a chimney in an adjoin-
ing house. He was promptly taken out
and the sheriff started to the Jail with
Charles and 10. When the court house
square was reached a crowd of $50 cit
izpnC nvarnnUarad tha char;ff o,J of.a,
a severe struggle took 10. and Charles
Defatta down in the field to the slaugh-
ter pen n hung them to the gallows
used for Strengthening beeves.
Jo. denied the shooting and said
Charles did it. Charles said 10. fired
the shots which a half dozen people
saw. Charles said he jumped on DR..
Frank Defatta and Sy. Deferroch
were the cause of the trouble.
The crowd then adjourned to the Jail
overpowered the jailer n deputies
The keys were secured and the crowd
quickly brought out Sy. Deferroch
Frank Defatta and 10. Cereno and
hung them to an oak tree in the jai
yard. Not a shot was fired and the
crowd was orderly n quiet.
A good many citizens pleaded fol
the i've of the Sicilians, but to ne
avail, as this was the third outrage OF
this kind committed by this class OF
| people. About two years ago Franz
Defatta shot and killed a negro fol
picking up a watermelon which Franz
had for sale. One year 6 10. Defatta
shot and killed Pat Matthews, landinl
keeper at Milliken's Bend, La, over {
trivial controversy. He was cleared by
a technicality of the law. They haC
frequently made boasts that they wouls
| do as they pleased and their money
would clear them. They have since
these two scraps become more oper
in their actions and talk and on sew,
| eral occasions have had quarrels witt
| the best citizens.
The people here believed the fly.
men had planned to kill DR.. Hodge
just at dark, as he was going to Iii
supper, as the doctor generally goe
by himself. The plan was for Charl:
to Jump on the doctor, 10. to shoot hin
from the door and if help vas neede'
the others would have gone to thai
aid.
Their plans were we'll laid and car
ried out. JOS gun was found OH tn
counter with a box of shells by It.
DR.. Hodge is badly shot and the doc
tors say he cannot recover The fv
| Sicilians were buried today in the pot
ter's field near Tallulah. The gran
jury is in session and will investigat
the matter.
The grand jury which investigate
the occurrence reported tonight a
follows:
1T is evident from the facts brough
to our knowledge that the men VIII
were lynched had formed a %conspira
cy to assassinate DR.. Hodge, and tn
mob, learning of the facts, took tn
law into their own hands. After dill
gent inquiry we have not been able I
learn the names or identify any of tn
men composing the mob"