The newspapers ran editorials in support of the vigilante murders. One paper lauded the crazed mob for its self-control in that only the Mafiosi were killed, which was not true. The episode became an international incident, drawing rebukes from several European leaders. The Italian ambassador lodged a complaint with the president, as did the Italian government. Rumors of a potential war between the United States and Italy filled the newspapers, though that was more idle speculation than a real, concrete threat. The president of the United States, Benjamin Harrison, denounced the incident, and the government paid settlements to the families of the murder victims. None of the vigilante mob or the men who incited them were brought to trial.

Matranga's Legacy

Charles Matranga ultimately had all charges dismissed, and he laid low after that. The lion's share of the $25,000 sent to the families of the victims ended up in the Mafia's coffers. After the massacre, the newspapers announced that the Mafia was dead and buried. But the press was dead wrong. Matranga was able to hold onto his power base, as he watched the Provenzanos lose theirs. The New Orleans Mafia continued to do quite well in its illegal enterprises. The man who guided the New Orleans crime family through most of the twentieth century, Carlos Marcello, will be discussed at length in later chapters.