Customer Reviews

The Crescent City Lynchings: The Murder of Chief Hennessy, the New Orleans "Mafia" Trials, and the Parish Prison Mob

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Say New Orleans and one thinks Mardi Gras, wash-board music, unique American cuisine and most recenetly the destruction wrought by hurricane Katrina. As many of New Orleans' citizens feel forgotten and remain in residential limbo, this historical book focuses on a lost but eminently interesting and important story in American history.

Toward the end of the last century the Irish-American chief of Police, David Hennessy, was shot, claiming "the dagos" did it. The chief took a long time to die, during which time he thought mostly of his dear mother and reassuring those who depended on him that he would recover. Ultimately 19 Italian men were indicted for Hennessey's murder. The verdict did not make the non-Italian citizens of New Orleans happy. The prisoners, however, did not go free, they were lynched by a mob of their fellow New Orleans residents. The incident, which has all but disappeared from American History, in its time brought the United States to the brink of war with Italy.

Author Tom Smith's research is impeccable and deep, making sense out of the many layers of New Orleans society and justice. Smith's thorough, detailed research is almost eclipsed by his style of writing. Smith's use of intensely personal historoical detail pulls emotional reaction from the reader almost without the reader's being aware of this reaction as it begins. Our emotions are conflicted just as histories and view points conflict. Without taking side Mr. Smith gives an elegant and at the same time a very exciting experience.

One must take notice among the list of people he thanks, the New Orleans city librarians who now live in a city without a libraby. "The Crescent City Lynchings" reveals how essential a library is to the preservation of city archives in the unique, mysterious, colorful character of New Orleans.

I reccommend this book without reservation to those who like period stories of American history, true crime, emotionally involving characters , surprising "plot" twists: to all who enjoy excellent writing and an engrossing read.

Sweet Bess

Excellent story, incredibly well told. The author obviously did painstakingly thorough research..

highly recommended.....

I have heard about this all my life and have friends who are descendents of the actors. If this is good scholarship and not historical factoid-fiction, it is worth the read.