Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1891 — NOW ROME WILL HOWL. [ARTICLE]

NOW ROME WILL HOWL.

COLD COMFORT IN THE GRAND JURY’S REPORT. 1 Detective O’Mal'ey anl Other . rj atorg Indicted for Obstructing t.io > ..rob* I of Justice, and the Leaders of the Avengers Unmolested. i After six weeks’ investigation the NewOrleans Grand Jury completed its laborsin the Hennessy case and the killing of Italians at the parish prison by presenting their special report. The report first recalls the murder of Chief Hennessy and the trial of the accused Italians. After reviewing the evidence concerning the corrupting of part of tho jurors, the report says: Taking Into account the volume of testimony admitted by the numerous witnesses before this Grand Jury, and considering that evidence not only In the abstract relation to each party but In Its aggregate and collective bearing, we are force! to the conclusion that Dominick O’Malley is chargeable with a knowledge of and partic patlon In most, if not all, of the unlawful acts in connection with that celebrated! case. With his skill, as acquired by years of experience, the most cunningly devised Bchemes were planned and executed for defeating the legitimate course of justice, the chief aim and object being to place unworthy men upon the jury in the trial of the nine accused. Without his assiduous and corrupting Influence we believe the verdict would have been radically different, and as a natural consequence the tragic occurrences of the 14th of March last never would have been recorded. Indictments of O’Malley and five others follow, and the report says.: The Indictment of D C. O’Malley for perjury was based upon most undoubted evidence that he came originally from Cleveland. 0., where Jan. 30, 1875, he was convicted of petty larceny and comltted to the workhouse of tho city of Cleveland, where he served a term expiring June 22, 1875. He next appears under indictment for perjury In the United States Circuit Court at New Orleans, where an indictment was based upon the affidavit against one Ed Schleider. which O’Malley afterward contra’dicted under oath, but he managed to secure an acquittal, owing to the timely disappearance of the affidavit, which he alone was interested in having suppressed. Later he was committed to the parish prison for attempting to levy blackmail upon one George W. Randolph in the proceedings against Randolph for Interdiction. The following record is verified by officials, showing his numerous offenses before the Criminal Court of this parish: 1 No. 13,188, July 3, 1884. Indicted for attempting to prevent witnesses from appearing and testifying. Nolle prosequied. d>B3B, May 9, 1884. Indicted for threatening and intimidating witnesses. Acquitted May 29, 1884. 3—No. 2,262, June 3, 1879. Pleaded guilty to carrying concealed weapons and sentenced.

4 No. 3.679, Nov. 3, 1883. Convicted of assault and sentenced. 5 No. 930, April 14, 1881. Pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon and sentenced. 6 No. 3,678, Jan. 3, 1883 Pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon and sentenced. 'i No, 5,186. Pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon and sentenced. ®—No. 7,242, Dec. 4, 1885. Convicted of carrying a concealed weapon and sentenced. 9—No. 7,241, May 22, 1885. Indicted for assault and battery. So pernicious to the administration of justice were his doings and methods found that while Judge Roman presided In the Criminal Court he ordered that O’Malley be excluded from the court-room. This was during the time his present associate, Lionel Adams, was District Attorney, and It Is a significant fact that the two Indictments againt O’Malley for tampering with witnesses were not brought to trial but were nolle’prossed by the District Attorney just prior to the expiration of his term. Thou comes’ an exhaustive account of the secret society known as the “Mafia,” exposing its iniquities and detailing its crimes It is chargod that part, if not all, of the slain Italians were in this country in violation of the immigration laws. Referring to the wholesale lynching tho Grand Jury says: The assassination of the late Chief of Police shows the culmination of a conspiracy. His death was deemed necessary to prevent the exposure and punisment of criminals whose guilt was being fast established by his diligent pursuit. The condition of affairs in this community as to a certain class of violators of the law had reached such a state that the law itself was well nigh powerless to deal w.th them, so farreaching was their power and influence in the trial of criminal cases. Good citizens were profoundly Impressed by the repeated and signal failures of justice. The arts of the perjurer seemed to dominate in the courts, paralyzing and rendering powerless tho ends of justice. Certainly this was a desperate situation. In the public meeting above referred to—general and spontaneous in character as truly indicating an uprising of the masses—we doubt if any power at the command of the authorities would have been sufficient to overcome Its intentions. Evidence is before us from official sources that eleven persons were killed In the attack on the parish prison. In the careful examination as to citizenship of those men we find that eight of them were beyond question American citizens, and another had “declared his Intention” In this court, which act carries with it the renunciation of allegienco to his native country. It is a noteworthy fact in connection with the uprising that no injury whatever was done to either person or property beyend the act which seemed to have been the object of the assemblage at the parish prison. We have referred to the largo number of citizens participating in tho demonstration, estimated by judges at from 6,000 to 8,000, and regarded as a spontaneous uprising of the people. The magnitude of this affair makes It a difficult task to fix the guilt upon any number of the participants—ln fact the act seemed to Involve the entire people of the parish and city of New Orleans, so profuse was their sympathy and extended their connection with the affair. In view of these considerations, the thorough examination of the subject has failed to disclose the necessary facts to justify this Grand Jury in presenting indictments. Respectfully submitted. George H. Vennard, S. R. Graham, W. L. Saxon, P. J. Christian, W. H. Chaffee, Foreman: O. Carriere. G. A. Hoositt, Jr.; G. C. La Faye. Emile E. Hatry, H. Haller, David Stuart, E. Gauche, T. W. Castleman. John Jackson, A. S. Ranlett. W. B. Leonard.