Evening star., 1941-03-16
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

for half a century ago today were de-
voted to an account of
mob Low" the so-called Malta In
VS.. Mofio cident"-the lynching of
eleven italians at New
Orleans, March IA, 1891. A dispatch
announcing that 'the Sicilians' had
been executed by the populace' was
printed in the second edition of the
paper for the date mentioned. Now,
4S hours later the whole story could be
and waS-told.
New Orleans struck the Malta
death blow on Saturday. said an uni
Identified correspondent. 1T wreaked
a terrible vengeance on the Sicilians,
and the work of blood was accomplished
without unnecessary disorder. without
rioting. without pillaging and without
the inf1iction of suffering upon any in
nocent man, save one, and he was only
slightly hurt. 1t was not an unruly mid
night mob. It was simply sullen, de-
termined body of citizens who took into
their own hands what justice ignomini-
oooAS 4oiAOO W w. 4i4C iilSCS44iS III
Clay Square, already angry, was in
censed still more by the fervid utter
ances of the public speakers.
1T was known before the meeting
that something was to be done and it
was not hard to guess what it was to be-
'.' w. S. Parkerson. the leader, is a
president of the Southern Athletic Club
and the man who led the vigorous re-
form movement years ago He appeared,
he said, to denounce the most Infamous
act, consequent upon the most revolving
crime in the criminal annals of any COM
munity. That was the finding of the
jury In the murder trial on Friday, and
that crime was, as every one knows, the
foul assassination of the chief of police.
He went on: In civilized communities
tribunals are organized and are dele
gated to punish the guilty. Crimes
must meet prompt punishment, but
whenever and wherever the court fails,
whenever Juries are recreant. then it's
time for the people to do what courts
and juries have failed to do
ask you. citizens of New Orleans, wheth-
er We shall suffer this infamous condi-
ton of affairs any longer. ask
you to consider fairly and calmly what
is to be done. I" =" These gentlemen and
are here present to do what is neces-
sary-to lead you. What shall it be?'
Walter D. Denegre spoke next. He
is one of the leaders of the New Orleans
bar; John C. Wickliffe, also prominent
attorney, and James D. Houston, one of
the foremost men of the State followed.
THE crowd now numbered several
thousand. Before any one could realize
what had happened, the great throng,
gaining recruits at every step. was tram
pling down the street to the neighbor-
hood of the prison, stopping only once
and that was at the arsenal, where dou-
ble-parreled shotguns. Winchester rifles
and pistols were handed out to respon-
sible and respectable men in the party.
Soon the streets were alive with peo-
pie, running from all directions and join
ing the main body which moved down
Rampant to the Jail. Doors and windows
were thrown open and men, women and
children crowded on the galleries to en-
courage those who were taking part and
to witness the scenes. When the main
crowd from Canal street reached the
prison. there had already collected
dense throng, all eager to take a hand
in whatever might happen. The deputy
sheriffs were swept away like chaff be-
fore the wind, and in an instant the
little anteroom leading into the prison
was jammed with eager, excited men.
Meanwhile. the prisoners were stricken
with terror, for they could hear dis
tinctly the shouts of people without,
madly demanding their Blood
The orderly mob" soon found and
killed the II prisoners. Two after hav-
ing been wounded, were hanged in the
street; one fingered for some hours and
then succumbed. President Harrison
protested to the Governor of Louisiana.
Italy recalled her Ambassador, The
United States finally paid an indemnity
to the families of the victims.