Norwich bulletin., 1914-07-07
FAMOUS TRIALS
TRIAL OF THE MAFtA.

It is nearly twenty three years age that the death knell of the Mafia in America was sounded rung by the best citizens of New Orleans in their fury over what they believed was a miscarriage of justice. This organiza- | tion was originally political one in Italy, but in this country it had de- generated to band of assassins New Orleans, in a measure, was it's head quarters, and this city found the most difficulty in it's suppression, and It was the people and not the law that brought. it about.
 The means to the end of the organi- zation was the murder of Chief of Police David c. Hennessy of New Or leans. The Maf1a, or rather the Stopagherra, the proper name of the order, consisted of a large number of Italians mostly Sicilian by birth, their leader having been Giuseppe Esposito, who had been driven out of his own country by the Italian government. There had been a number of assassina- tions in New Orleans that were tracea- ble to this organization, but no arrests had been made, for so secretly did the body work that it was impossible to detect the leaders.
 The capture of the brigand Esposito in 1881 and his surrender to the Italian government resulted in several killings The Stopagherra determined to avenge the betrayer of their comrade En- crossed in his search to weed out this murderous organization, Chief of Po- lice sHennessy had no idea that he was being watched. He probably knew nothing of certain Italian neighbor of his. Monasterio by name, lately ar rived from abroad, occupying a shanty fifty yards from his house.
 It was nearly time for Hennessy to spring the trap and to make a full ex- posture, when late one evening, as he drew near home, a boy ran in front of him and gave peculiar whistle. The next moment the chief was a dy- ing man. Bullets tore cruel rents in his chest and abdomen, his right knee and his left hand was shot through and his face, arms and neck were mutilated.
 Within ten minutes of the shooting the immigrant was seized in his shanty. Other arrests followed, but only eleven were held and only nine finally prosecuted The trial proved that Hennessy's assassins hid in Monasterio's hut and that an Italian boy was posted to notify them of Hennessy's approach. The deadly weapons were found. six shotguns, five with barrels sawed off and stocks hinged so that they could be doubled up and carried under the clothing
 Hennessy had been murdered on October Is, 1890, and the Italians who were arrested in connection with the deed remained in prison until the early part of March of the following year, when they were placed on trial before Judge Baker. the hearing of evidence requiring about a week A verdict was rendered on March 13. 1891.
 The judge, usually imperturbable, was observed when the paper was handed him, to look at 1t in stupe- faction. No wonder. Six of the oul- prits were acquitted: in the case of three the jury disagreed. and not one was convicted. Some whispered "brib- ery.' others intimidation. but all agreed that such a fasco was an out rage.
 Awaiting trial upon a second in- dictment and joyfully reckoning upon similar result next time, the accused were again locked in their cells. At the moment the doors closed behind them a vigilance committee of well known citizens was writing a call for a mass meeting for the following morn ing at the Clay statute in the New Or leans square
 The assemblage was so large at this meeting that it blocked the street cars and climbed upon them. As the out come of this meeting the citizens took the law in their own hands. A mob but in good order-started for the parish prison. where the prisoners were confined. They battered down the doors. Nine of the prisoners were put to death in various ways by the mob and two of them were hanged outside of the prison walls
 The press had unanimously de- nounced the verdict and declared that the jury had been bought. The grand jury, even on the day of the mob kill ing. had found indictments against two men charged with tampering with the jury. The jurors did not appre- ciate the public sentiment on the out side and were surprised at the popular Indignation. The trial of the case had cost the city more than S30,000.
 The incident opened grave interna- tional complications. which Secretary Of State Blaine handled with skill Twenty-fve thousand dollars was fln- ally distributed among the families of the murdered men, On March IT, three days after the prisoners were disposed of, several arrests were made for bribery of the jury. and on May the grand jury, after an investigation for six weeks. indicted six persons for jury bribing and accused three of the jury of being bribed: but refused to indfct the lynehers. On July Ber- hard Glaudi was convicted of offering to bribe a juror. On July e4 the last Mafia bribery case was ended with a verdict of not guilty. and on october the state abandoned the case against the last man.