The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-03-21
out Of every i'll some good is born

Out Of every i'll some good is born
II is a truth as old as time itself
From the blood of the sainted Father
Leo o. F. M spilled wantonly in the
sanctuary Of st. Eliza beth's church, has
come tribute upon tribute for the Cath
ole church and her ministers. Atten-
tion to the church has been attracted;
her most sacred ceremonies have been
openly revered. Best of all, a martyr S
death has carried a message OF courage
i'm the line of duty into every house in
the land.
The blood of martyrs is the seed of
the church" commented Rev. II, l.. Nc
Menamin recently i'm describing the fer
vor with which thousands had that day
received the Communion of Reparation.
While the death of the good Father
Leo was q distinct shock TO the COM
uunty the Catholic heart cannot help
but appreciate the tributes his faith has
received from those belonging to other
religious denominations. The grief
over the tragedy knew no lines of creed
or sect. The most flattering expressions
OF awe paid the dead man came from
those who did not understand his minis
trations and did not know personally
his warm, loving heart.
The city was shocked, the state was
shocked, the country was shocked.
But all that is past history now
There is one thing. though, that Cath
olics of the country should know and
should appreciate. 1t in the tribute
paid the martyred priest last week in
the criminal court building on the west
side of town, where Giuseppe Ala, the
confessed assassin of the Franciscan
Father. was on trial for the murder.
The man i'm whose hands the prosecu-
tion of the criminal was placed under
the law. was not a Catholic. His inter-
est in the case was entirely impersonal
except that he was doing a duty he
some years ago took upon his shoulders
when he was given the oath of office
as district attorney.
He is man who knows nothing Of
the Catholic faith. man whose affil-
iation with the Methodist church has
been a guiding influence i'm his life, and
vet. throughout the trial. he kept be-
fore the jury of twelve men the picture
Of a martyr. The closing address of
District Attorney George Stdiger in the
West Side court room the day jury
found Giuseppe Ala guilty of murder
fin the first degree and condemned him
TO die on the gallows will linger long in
the Catholic mind. and has won for the
district attorney the lasting friendship /
of the men who love the Catholic reli- /
Elpil anu TAKE pIlut III DttitR lllenlDeIS /
of the universal church.
In many respects the address was re- |
markable In striking contrast to the |
stereotyped closing argument in a /
murder trial. Mr.. Stidger painted a /
graphic picture of the martyred priest |
swaying his auditors without being con- |
scious that he was making an address
in any way unusual.
The district attorney was arguing for |
a verdict Of murder in the first degree. |
Z do not ask you 10 sympathize with t
the dead man." said he. Il do not ask |
you TO think of him as a man cut down |
in his sins and hurled unshriven before |
his maker. Father Leo Heinrich was |
good man. He died as many men would |
like to die, in the line of his duty. /
Throughout the ages. men have wished |
10 win a martyrs crown and it came to /
the humble Franciscan as truly as ii t
ever came to any man. / ask no SYM
pathy for him. He was in the sane
tuary ministering to his congregation.
There was a soft light from the early
sun i'm the east. The priests
hands were uplifted in blessing. when
suddenly there came a greater Light,
and Father Leo's work was done.
And ] do not ask you TO sympathize
with his church. The Catholic church.
the Protestant church, the state itself. |
progresses through adversely and has
for all time. | ask only what the state
demands, that you find this man
guilty"
There without intending to excite
for the fate of Father Leo
Mr.. Stidger had wrought a martyrs
crown for him and the audience which
heard the eloquent plea stared with
tear-dimmed eyes at the man who dis
and unconsciously was
paying the most glowing kind of a trib-
Ute to a murdered priest
The reverence with which Mr.. Stidger
handled his subject throughout the
rial was commented upon on all sides.
Although to him the communion SER
vice was not the distribution of the
Body and Blood of Christ. he recognized
[ as the Last Supper and a solemn
CEREMONY. He spoke of it with awe in
MS tones-a reverence which merited
he appreciation of every Catholic who
lad the privilege of hearing him.
In fact. the Catholic people owe Mr..
'tidger debt of gratitude for the gen
line sincerity in which he respected
heir customs and beliefs while he
worked to convict the slayer of the
'riest. Naturally the Christian world
viii not felicitate in the verdict which
brings the Sicilian, Ala. to the shadow
Il the gallows, but it can nevertheless
'xpress its appreciation of duty. well
md reverently done.