Bisbee daily review., 1908-03-03
ELOQUENT TRIBUTE TO
MURDERED FATHER LEO

DENVER, March with the so
lemuity and reverence due TO his high
position aud spotless character, the
body of Rev. Father Leo Heinriehs
was taken from ST. Elizabeth's Caths-
dral TO the Union Station, where it
was placed aboard the afternoon Bur
lington train to be forwarded to Pat
erson. n. ]. where the Franciscan
Fathers have their American head
quarters.
The funeral procession was a nota-
BILE one and was witnessed by thou
sands. who stood berehaadeS as the
hearss passed them. The parade was
led by squad of police, and com
pany CT the Knights Of ST John in full
uniform and with drawn swords acJed
as n guard OF honor. The Knight of
Columbus and representatives OF aum-
eTOus Catholic societies followed on
foot. When the services We're beSCn
in the church at 10 o'clock this morn
Ing every available seat was filled
and a crowd OF 5000 people waited
patiently outside until toe church Ger
emory was over. Inside the church
were many of the prominent citizens
OF Denver, Including Gov. Henry NJ.
BuchteI and Mayor Robert W. Speer.
Solemn high mass was recited and
the -arviee was impressive. Rev.
Father William Organ delivered tae
funeral sermon, in which he highly
eUlogized the martyred priest.
Rev. Father Organ said. in part:
THAT any sermon attempted ON this
solemn occasion is not because 3i
TDTl -
friar, vino is dead, nor even because
os the high offense against the Al
mighty Father of us ALL who lives,
but because of the society in which
we live and its outraged law.
Crimes such as that OF last Sun
day are assaults on no mere indiviG.
ual! they are against you and me, and
all Of Us. They strike and wound law
and justice in her holy sanctuary,
whence breathes the very life of the
civilized state.
Father Leo was struck down, the
murderer ConfesSss, because he was a
priest. and not for any fancied grisv-
ance or imagined injury that the muir
derer had received from him. He
never knew the dead priest; he had
never spoken with him; their lives,
except in that one dread moment of
blood and sacrilege, had never touch
ed Nor did he kill him, as priest
have been killed, in hatred of his
special creed. But the fieud knew
that the priest was an outward symbol
| and present ambassador of that only
authority by which kings reign AID
magistrates execute justice and hui
| man law rears itself in awful dign5y
and finds it's sanction-the authority
and goysrauce of God. And because
the murderer had revolted against
Gods authority, his rebellion went
/ to its uttermost logical conclusion in
action; lie revolted against it's pres
! ence in the world of human law and
/ broke it until it gushed human b.oou
he revolted against its outward sym
Dol, the priest, and slew him.
The murder was logical. The an
| archist is never truer to his diabolical
| principles than when ne Stays Cath
ole priest, and Stays him at the altar
! of God. 1t matters not that the in
| diyidual priest possesses little of the
] worlds power or goods, Nor desires
| them for himself; it matters not even
| that he is a follower OF that blessed
Francis who chose Lady Poverty for
his bride and gave his great love to
the poorest things and the most un-
loved.
Wherever he is,> the Catholic priest
| in some great way carries in himself
that church of authority and of God
and demonstrates her to men. He Is
an officer In that great army whose
| tramp is around the world; whose dis
cipline is mosc perfect; whose organi
| cation is most infinitely refined
| whose banners are forever set against