Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-04-20
SLAIN AT THE ALTAR.

A Spanish Priest Murdered in His Own
Church.
MADRII, April 16.-A most horrible
deed was committed yesterday in a
church at Anglesola, village in the
of Good Friday were being OBJ
served, and the church was filled
to its utmost capacity with de-
vout worshippers Everything was
calm as became the solemn ceremonies,
and Father Francisco Marti, the priest
in charge of the parish, was kneeling at
the altar. Suddenly, without word of
warning, man, armed with
revolver and short sword
sprang out from behind the pulpit, to
the left of the altar, where he had been
concealed, and rushed upon the priest,
braudishing his sword.
Father Marti, whose back was to the
congregation, seemed to have instructive
warning that danger threatened him.,
and he partly turned his head in the
direction of the man, but he was
too late to do more than raise
his hand to attempt to ward of
the sword blow he saw aimed at
him. The man stood over his kneeling
victim, and in an instant the priest lay
dead in front of the altar, where he
had long served. The assin's blow had
struck the back of his neck and
the keen blow almost severed the
head from the body. The corpse fell
forward, and the blood flowed down
the altar steps. Part of the hand the
priest had raised in his vain effort to
ward off the blow was cut off, and lay
beside the bleeding body.
By this time the people realized the
awfulness of the tragedy they had just
seen enacted. Women shrieked in
terror and many of them tainted away.
Some of the more cool-headed men at
tending the services made an attempt
to seize the murderer, but they were
thwarted by the assassin, who had
armed himself with a revolver for
Just such a contingency. Leveling his
weapon he fired right and left, and
drove his would-be captors to seek safe
ty III fight. One woman, shrinking and
crouchipg close to the altar rails, was
hit by one of the bullets. She uttered
q most piercing shrek, threw up her
hands, and fell dead to the floor.
The wOrshippers were panic-stricken.
A general rush was made for the doors,
and many of the people were thrown
down and trampled upon by the excited
throngs behind them. Several of them
were quite seriously injured in
this manner, among the number
being some children, who it is
believed, will die. The assassin, whose
revolver was now emptied, sprang into
the crowd, with his sword still dripping
withe blood Of the murdered priest, he
slashed right and left, cutting his way
to the street. The crowd hud-
died closer together to avoid
the vicious blows aimed at
them, making, as far as possible, a clear
path for the murderer, bnt quite a num-
Der of them were hit by the sharp
weapon and very dangerously wounded.
Once ne reached the street, the assassin
started on run and soon vanished.
The civil guard was alarmed by the
frightened people, and a pursuit was
Immediately organized. The village
was thoroughly searched and mem
bers of the civil guard were sent
to scout the surrounding country.
Thus far every effort to capture
the murderer has been vain, but
the search has not been abandoned.
From descriptions given of him, the
murderer has been identified as a re-
tired soldier. The tragedy has caused
widespread sorrow and indignation, and
the whole village OF Anglesota is in
mourning for Father MART, who was
universally Ioyed and respected by his
parishioners.
1t is thought probable that the assas-
sin has sought some secluded place and
there killed himself. No reason is
known for the crime, and it is believed
by almost everyone that the man was
insane.