Governor Nicholls to Mr. Blaine.
Baton Rouge, December 2, 1890.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your communication of the 21st day of November, 1890, inclosing a copy of a letter of the Italian consul at New Orleans to the foreman of the grand jury for the [Page 662] parish of Orleans relative to alleged ill treatment of certain Italian prisoners in confinement in the parish prison in New Orleans.
You state that the copy of the letter mentioned had been transmitted to you by the Italian minister at Washington, with the request that you should bring it to the attention of the proper authorities; and you ask that I should give the matter my consideration and kindly inform you of the result of my investigation, so that you might make reply to Baron Fava.
In reply, I would state that the letter written by the Italian consul to the foreman of the grand jury received due consideration from that body. An investigation has taken place, resulting in the bringing in of indictments against two persons for various acts of brutality against prisoners in the parish prison. In due course of time these cases will be brought to trial and justice meted out.
The acts complained of were, in these particular instances, acts against Italians confined under charges, but the nationality of the prisoners had nothing whatever to do with the outrages committed upon them. It seems that a vicious system has prevailed for some time in that prison of selecting and giving to some one of the prisoners, under the designation of captain of the yard, control of the others. As might have been expected, this so-called official would not only be a tyrant and a brute, but also frequently a felon.
The investigation spoken of has brought this system to light and has effectually broken it up.
I have, etc.,
Governor.