The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-07-16
HIS CRIME ENORMOUS ONE
Shot Father Leo Heinriehs To Death
While He Was Administering the
Sscrement In ST. Elizabeth's
Church in Denver.


Catholic priesthood and shouting in
Italian, Long live Italy, long live the
Protestants. Giuseppe Ala. slayer of
Father Leo Heinrichs, was carried to
the death trap and exactly at $50
o'clock tonight paid the extreme pen.
atty for his crime.
Perhaps more sensational and
thrilling scene was never beheld by
any of the sixteen persons present
than the execution of this Italian.
whose cries and screams were only
hushed by the automatic springing OF
the mechanism which forever silenced
the tongue that cried for vengeance
against those whom ALA had consider.
ed the destroyers of his home and
happiness.
At I o'clock this afternoon Warden
Cleghorn of the state penitentiary.
through an interpreter, Antonio Sas-
so, prison guard. read the death
warrant 10 Ala. Contrary TO expec-
tations. the prisoner exhibited no
emotion, and when the reading was
finished, said IAN right ! am ready
to die now
At 6 o'clock supper was served TO
the prisoner. Before eating it he d.
vided 1t into five portions. saying
that one was for his wife, one for
himself and one for each of this three
children. lie then ate with apparent
composure and relish.
At I o'clock Guard Sasso came To
him with the information that within
an hour the execution would take
place. Ala again said he was ready
at any time. He further said he felt
no sorrow whatever for having killed
! Father Leo. He was certain that
| Father Leo was the man he had been
searching for during many months
/ and claimed that he had recognized
| the priest by scar on the side OF
his face. Ala said he had worked
for Father Leo in Portugal and was
| sure that he had killed the right
man. Ala said he did not believe
/ there was a God. for If so. he would
not have been permitted to be In his
present predicament. lie said ht
found no fault with the law, but thai
the priest did wrong in breaking NJ
his family.
At $50 o clock, everything being il
readiness. the warden assistants ap
preached Alias cell and led the con
demned man to the execution house
where the black cap and moose wer'
adjusted by the deputy warden.
During this procedure Ala became
frantic and shouted Long live Italy
Long live the Protestants," Ala wa
placed upon the trap, Chaplain Blak'
of the prison uttered a short prayer
the dripping water of the automau
mechanism released the great weigh
and at exactly $50 the body wa
jerked into the air.
Unfortunately, Alias neck was no
broken, because OF the slipping of tn
rope and he died of strangulatior
After nineteen minutes Alias bod
was cut down and he was pro
nounced dead.
Giuseppe Alias crime, the murde
Father Leo Heinrichs, of the Orde
f Franciscan monks, at the altar ra
in St Elizabeths church in Denve
while the priest was administering tn
sacrament OF the Eucharist struc
horror to the heart of every perso
in Denver and awakened anxiet
: throughout the Catholic world lest
should prove the beginning of a gei
eral plan of priest-murder.
Ala had been IN Denver sever;
weeks, unemployed and apparently pei
niless. Early on the morning of SUI
day. February 80, according to n
AlbIgt ne was dlOuStu lIbhi Slt'p u
the ringing Of the chimes in St. Eliz
beth's church. He arose, dressed hin
self hurriedly and walked out to III
church. led by the musical tones pea
ing for the call TO worship. But b
went not with the thought OF thank
giving in mind, for he declared an
many times repeated after his a
. rest. that the chimes recalled alleg,
: wrongs experienced in his native Ital
, and attributed by him to the churc
} Entering the church, Ala we
through the usual ceremony OF bles
ing himself with holy water. and th'
seated himself where his view OF Il
altar would be unobstructed. The