The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-04-24 00:00:00

SHOOTING OF A BISHOP:

Palm Sunday of 1886 has been inaugurated in
Madrid in a shocking manner. On the door-step of
the pro-cathedral of San Isidro the first Bishop of
Madrid, which was converted into an episcopal See,
jointly with Alcala de Henares; little more than
year ago, Monsignor Martinez Izquierdo, was shot at
three times and mortally wounded by a priest named
Cayetano Galeote. who was suspended from officiating
as curate in the church of San Criso by the prelate
whom be has assassinated. Waiting for the bishop to
bless, as is customary, the palm branches, an immense
crowd had collected inside and outside of San Isidro.
Shortly before 10 o'clock in the morning the bishop
arrived. Scarcely had he left his carriage when
Galeote, in the garb of a priest, making a feint of
a deep salutation, drew a six-chambered revolver and
fired three shots at the bishop, who fell back in the
arms of those behind him, wounded in two places. The
first ball passed through the left side of the body to the
vertebrae, injuring the spinal cord, the second produced
a slight wound of the thigh and left leg. Bathed in
blood, the bishop was removed to the sacristy. The
first moments of stupor having passed, much confu-
sion and excitement ensued. The assassin was seized,
with his revolver, having three chambers loaded, still ia
his hand, by the police, and, but for the prompt action
of a couple of Civil Guards in placing him in the car-
riage, which drove quickiy off, he would have fared ill
at the hands of the crowd. The news of the attempt
on the bishop's life spread indignation among all
classes. The bishop was placed on a mattress in the
sacristy, and everything possible was done to alleviate
his sufferings and to stop the bleeding. Being asked
if he had recognised his assassin, he replied in the
negative. The bishop's weakness increasing, the
sacraments were administered, and the Nuncio, who
in the meantime had arrived, gave the absolution.
The Nuncio also telegraphed to Leo XIII. for the
Papal benediction. All the authorities and immense
numbers of the principal inhabitants have been to
San Isidro, whence it has been impossible to remove
the bishop, who suffers terribly. The Queen-Regent,
on hearing the news, burst into tears, and the whole
of Madrid was agitated. In recent years there has
been only one analogous case, when a verger in th e
church of Saint Etienne stabbed Monseigneur Sibourt
Archbishop of Paris.
Narcissus Martinez Izquierdo was born in the pro-
vince of Guadalajara, close to Madrid, and was in his
56th year. Of humble origin, he had risen by :his
talents, virtues, and irreproachable character. lie
was not merely distinguished as a priest, but was,
during the period in which he represented Salamanca
in the Senate, one of the most powerful and brilliant
orators in the Chamber. In politics he was really a
Liberal, but he owed his selection by the Conserva-
tive Cabinet for the see of Madrid to his personal
merit. He was determined that the clergy of the
metropolis should be men of blameless lives' and since
his accession he had suspended all priests who did not
satisfy his strict views in this respect.
Galeote comes of the hot blood of the South. Ire
was born at Velez Malaga, and is 47 years of age.
Not much is known of him except that he is of plea-
sant manners, and has lived in one of the principal
streets with a housekeeper rather younger than is
generally approved of in the case of priests. It seems
that, on the way to prison, Galeote, who from the first
made no attempt to escape, said, "I have avenged "
myself. I had reasons for what I did, and my con-
science is tranquil."
The above, divested of all exaggeration, and dis-
carding the thousand and one rumours such as that of
an organised clerical conspiracy on the part of bigoted
clerical elements—of which it is alleged Galeote was
the selected instrument—is, says the Times corre-
spondent, a succinct account of an occurrence which
has caused a profound eensation in Madrid, and which
mins the entire Christian world.
The colcr-blooded crime resulted—as was expected
from the first—in the death of the victim, who ex-
pired at a quarter past five o'clock on Monday after-
noon, after some 30 hours of intense suffering. His
condition from the first precluded any attempt to
extract the ball.