Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-07

cheer from the street, when a handful or
men was seen crowding it's way up to the
base of the statue. 1t was composed OF
a half dozen prominent men who had
been identified with the committees of
| Justice among them was Norvin Blake.
A hush followed as one OF them mounted
| the pedestal and began to speak. He was
recognized as Judge Blackmar, a wealthy
| lawyer and his we'll trained voice filled
| the wide spaces from wall to wall: it
went out over the sea of heads and up to
the crowded roof tops.
He told of the reasons which had in
spired this Indignation meeting; he re-
counted the history of the Malta in New
! Orleans, and recalled it's many outrages.
| eliminating in the assassination of Chief
Donnelly
affairs have reached such a crisis, :"
said he, that we who live in an organ
| laws ineffective and are forced to pro-
| tect ourselves as best we may. When
| courts fail. the people must act. What
protection is left us, when our highest
police official is slain in our very midst
by the Malta. and his assassins turned
| loose upon us? This is not the first case
| of willful murder and supine justice-our
court records are full of similar ones.
| The time has come to say whether we
! shall tolerate these outrages further or
| whether we shall set aside the verdict Of
| an Infamous and perjured jury and
cleanse our city Of the ghouls which prey
! upon it. / ask you to consider this. ques-
| ton fairly. You have been assembled,
| not behind closed doors, nor under the
cloak of darkness, but in the heart Of the
city. in the broad light Of day. to take
such action as honest men must take to
save their homes against a public enemy.
What is your answer?
| A roar broke from all sides: an inco-
| herent. wordless growing rumbled down
the street. Those on the outskirts of the
assemblage who had come merely from
curiosity or in doubt that anything would
| be accomplished began to press closer.
A restless murmur. broken by the cries
| of eXcitable men, arose when the second
! speaker took his place. Then as he spoke
| the temper of the people began to mani
fest itself undeniably. The crowd sway
voiced insistently. wave Of intense ex-
citement swept it as it heard its desires
| SO boldly proclaimed. AS the heavlng
sea is dashed to fury by the wind, the
peoples rage mounted higher with every
sentence of the orator: every pause was
| greeted with howls. Men stared into the
faces around them, and. seeing their own
emotions mirrOred there, were swept by
an ever-increasing agitation. There was
q general impulse to advance at once
| upon the parish prison, and knots Of
| stragglers We're already making in that
| direction, while down from the telegraph
poles, from roofs and shed tops men were
descending. All that seemed lacking for
l
| bold figure, a ringing voice to set this
| army in motion
| Blake had been selected to make the
third address and to put the issue square
| ly up to the people, but as he wedged his
way forward to enact his role, up to the
| feet Of the statue squrmed and Wriggled
a figure which assumed the place just va
Gated by the second speaker.
| 1t was Bernie Dreux, but a different
| Bernie from the man his amazed friends
/ in the crowd thought they knew. He was
| pale and his limbs shook under him, but
his eyes blazed with fire which brought
| hush Of attention to all within sight OF
| him. Up there against the heroic figure
of Henry Clay he looked more diminu-
tive, more insignificant than ever. but,
oddly enough. he had attained a sudden
| dignity which made him seem intensely
masterful and alive. For a moment he
paused. erect and motionless, surveying
! that restless multitude which rocked and
| rumbled for the distance Of full city
| square in both directions. then he began.
| His voice, though high pitched, from
| emotion, was as clear and ringing as q
| trumpet: it pierced to the farthest limits
| OF the giant audience and stirred it like
a battle signal. The blood of his fore
! fathers had awakened at last, and old
Gen. Dreux, the man Of iron and fire and
passion. was speaking through his son.
| People of New Orleans" he cried. II
desire neither fame nor name, nor glory
| l am here not as one OF the committee
| Of public safety. but as a plain citizen.
Let me therefore speak for you, let mine
be the lips which give your answer. Fifty
| of our trusted townsmen were appointed
to assist In bringing the murderers of
Chief Donnelly to justice. They told us