St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1915-05-01
WIFE .ows VENGEANCE ON THE
gE1AYER OF EGAN.
'I'll XII Him Myself" Cries Police
mans Wife.
Officer Slain BY Licata When He An
swe7s Call To Halt Italian
Beating Spouse.

swe7s Call To Halt Italian
Beating Spouse.
New Orleans, April 27.-Enraget
because the prosecution accepted
plea of guilty without capital punish
ment Tuesday morning in the case
Giuseppe Licata, slayer of Patrolmal
Denis Egan, the wife of the dead pc
liceman was the center of a sensa
tional episode in Judge Chretien's
courtroom when she denounced hel
husbands murderer and vowed ven
geance.
While Licata was being led bacs
to the dock after the life sentenc,
had been imposed, Mrs. Egan arose
from her seat in the front row. Jus
as Licata got abreast of her the
grief-stricken widow reached out he.
hand as if to grab him, exclaiming:
'"This is outrageous; is there no
justice? II the law won't take his
life, will kill him myself ii ever
see him on the street."
Detective Harry Gregson got be-
tween Mrs. Egan and the prisoner
and persuaded her to be calm. The
incident caused considerable commo-
ton. AS she saw her husbands
slayer disappear into the doc, Mrs.
Egan collapsed and wept bitterly.
Her 10-year-old son, over whom she
bent affectionately as she showered
kisses upon him between sobs, also
wept, as did the dead policeman's
: mother and sister.
1t has been whispered that Licata,
through his lawyer, Judge Henry N.
Gautier. would enter a plea. When
the Italian banana carrier was called
to trial Judge Gauthier, asked for an
Interpreter Anthony Italino, depus
ty sheriff in the parish prison, quail
fed.
Sentenced To
Life In Prison.
"Dou you wish to enter plea of
guilty without capital punishment :"
Licata was asked by Italiano. The
prisoner at the bar shook his head
afirmatively. Judge Chretien then
sentenced Licata to life imprison-
ment in the state penitentiary.
In his explanation as I'd why he
accepted the plea, District Attorney
LuSenberg said:
II am convinced that Licata wa
heavily under the influence Of liquo
ut the time Of the killing. This fact
In my opinion, would have destroyed
the charge that the killing was done
with generalization. In view of thi
fact could not hope for verdic
Carrying with it the death penalty
The jur ymay have reduced it even
to granddaughter"
II q calmer period Mrs. Egan saw
the wisdo moi the district attorneys
action and expressed satisfaction.
The consensus of opinion among at
taches Of the court was that the dis
trict attorneys action was the proper
thing.
Answers Call To
Curb Wife-Beater.
Patrolman Egan was shot through
the abdomen by Licata on Sept. 10
Ct shout $3.50 at night. He and Pa.
trolman George Gleason had respond
cd 70 q complaint made by one Of tn
neighbors, who said that Licata was
beating his wife in their room on the
second floor of the tenement house in
Ursuline street, between Chartres
and: Royal streets.
The two patr0lmen mounted the
stairs. Egan raped at the door.
It was suddenly thrust open and the
muscle of shotgun poked through
the aperture. A second later there
was 4 loud report and a fash and
Egan fell MORALLY wounded near the
threshold. Gleason jumped to one
side and opened fire without effect
The Italian fired two other loads, |
one Of them wounding Gleason In the
right arm and the other making a |
superficial flesh wound Of the thigh. |
Egan died in the Charity Hospital |
the following day.