1891 New Orleans Lynchings — the full case file

A mob killed eleven men at Parish Prison the morning after a jury acquitted six defendants. On March 14, 1891, a mob in New Orleans broke into Parish Prison and killed eleven Italian American men held in connection with the October 1890 killing of police chief David Hennessy, a day after several of the defendants were acquitted at trial. It remains the largest single mass lynching in American history. On October 15, 1890, New Orleans police chief David Hennessy is shot while walking home; he dies the following day. On October 17, 1890, Newspaper salesman Thomas Duffy shoots suspect Antonio Scaffidi inside Parish Prison. On October 23, 1890, the Committee of Fifty publishes an open letter to the Italian community urging cooperation with the investigation. On February 16, 1891, Trial begins for nine of the nineteen men charged in Hennessy's murder. On March 13, 1891, Trial concludes; six defendants acquitted, mistrial declared for three others. On March 14, 1891, a mob breaks into Parish Prison and kills eleven Italian American prisoners. On March 15, 1891, the New York Times reports the lynching under the headline "Chief Hennessy Avenged.". On March 17, 1891, a grand jury convenes to investigate the lynching. On May 5, 1891, Grand jury issues report claiming it cannot identify any lynching participants; no indictments follow. In May 1891, Italian consul Pasquale Corte leaves New Orleans at his government's direction amid protest over the lynchings. In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison declares the first nationwide celebration of Columbus Day, partly to ease tensions with Italy. In 1893, Gaspare Marchesi, who survived by hiding in the prison, is awarded $5,000 in damages after suing the city of New Orleans. The case remains unsolved. This case file is kept in memory of its twelve victims and the people they loved. The full sourced case file, with every fact cited, is at casepin dot org.

Transcript from the video’s narration track. For every source, open the case file.