The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-02-27
PRIEST MURDERED AT
ALTAR BY ANARCHIST
Shoot Father Leo Helm.
richs Through Heart
During Devotions.

NEWER, Colo, Feb. 26.-Father Leo
gcinrichs was shot and killed when adj
transferring the sacrament at early
# mass in st. Elizabeth's Catholic church.
Eleventh and Curtis streets. this city.
M 6 O'Clock yesterday morning.
Kneeling at the altar rail between
.wo women Guiseppi sGuarnaccio
dressed the muzzle of q revolver against
he body of the priest, after receiving
from him the consecrated wafer. and
slot the priest through the heart. Ex-
claiming, My Godl My Godl" Father
Leo fell prone In front of the altar and
died without uttering another word.
- With an inarticulate scream, the
assassin sprang into the aisle. and
waving the smoking weapon about his
- head dashed to the church door. For
n moment the hundred or more people
in the church were dazed. Then a
woman shrieked and h congregation
vas panic stricken. Some women faint
cd and many became hysterical.
Several men rushed to the aid of the
nriest and others started in pursuit of
The murderer. Among the latter was
Patrolman Daniel Cronin, who overlook
the fleeing italian on the church steps.
Guiseppi attempted to shoot the police
man and was foiled n oVerpowered
only after o desperate fight In which
several men had come to the assistance
OF the officer.
Priest to Be >canonized. /
In 20 centuries of the history Of tho
Catholic church, members of its PRIEST
hood in this city, declare there Is no
record OF any trassedy to parallel the
killing OF Father Heinrichs. Never be-
fore has n servant of the church been
summoned from the performance OF
his duties in so tragic and dramatic
"A manner. This crime will stand out as
one of the most fearful In the GRIM
tnal records of the world, and its per-
.petration will probably result in the
Elevation OF Father Leo to the posi-
H ton OF a martyr and will lead to his
. canOnization as one OF the saints OF
the church In whose service he fe1
while performing his duty.
Lynehing Feared.
-he murderer was hurriedly removed
&c the city Jail, and as threats Of sum-
mary justice were made by men In the
Ed crowd, which quickly gathered in front
OF the church. Chief OF Police Michael
Delaney called out the reserve force
of patrolmen, who were kept on guard
N3 day and night.
III BY direction OF Bishop Mattz the
church door was closed for the day,
and the following notice was posted: O..
Owing to the frlghtful tragedy enacted
IN this church by an unknown criminal.
the wanton killing OF our beloved pastor,
ISL EuDerlOE hHu ItlElu, y atDCT Leo, ali GGTV-
ices will be discontinued for the day. Kind
ly, reader, breathe a silent prayer for the
repose OF the soul OF our beloved friend.
Father Eusebius.
n Deputy Coroner Daniel Hayes took
charge OF Father Leo's body, which
was removed to the city morgue. A
single hole In the white communion
robes OF the priest showed that the
bullet had gone straight to the heart.
The bullets remaining in the revolver
had been sharpened to a lne point.
~ Boasts Of Deed.
Guiseppi Guarnaccio was placed In
M solitary confinement at the city jail.
He admitted to q policeman who in
terviewed him that the priest whom
he had killed vas q stranger to him
and in explanation of his crime made
the following statement:
4 Jus! went over there because ]
have a grudge against all priests in
general. They are all against the
~ working man. / went to the COM
Nmunion rail because I could get a bet
ter shot. 1 did not give a damn
whether he was a German priest or
any other kind OF a priest. They are
all in the same class.
Il lef; Italy three months ago; went
first to Central America n then
M came to the United States and to Dem
yer. l am an anarchist, but I am
proud OF If. l shot him and my only
regret 81 that + could not have shot
church. / am a shoemaker, but have
not worked since coming to Denver"
n An examination of letters taken
from GuarnAccio showed that the only
definite address he appeared to have
was Nc. 10 Wallez Place, Wakefield,
Mass. Guarnaccio told Chief Of Po-
lice Delaney, Sheriff Nesbitt and sew
. eFpl AaTnnffUnn who questioned him
that he started out this morning with
the intention OF killing -four priests.
Had he succeeded in eluding the po-
licc, he says, he would have gone from
one church to another until his vow
was carried out
Among the papers taken from the
assassin was a list of assassinations
from Gar Paul, OF Russia, to the kill
irg OF the king of Portugal within
tic last month.
Hurried Away.
I'd Although no actual demonstration
against tho murderer of Father Lee
had been made, there was much talk
around town throughout the day OF
the justice Of lynching him. In order
y avoid an attack on the city jail
Guarancclo waS taken to the county
Jail, "a more easily defended building,
where he remained several hours.
Small groups Of men began to congre-
gate near the county Jail and after a
consultation tho authorities decided to
take Guarnnccio out Of town. Accord
irgiy he was hustled into an automo-
bile and a fast run was made to Lit
Teton. II niles from Denver, thence to
Colorado Springs.
Father Leo Heinrichs was born In
Koelh, Germany, August Is. 1857. He
entered the Franciscan order Deem
Der 4, 1886. and was ordained July
70, 1891. He came 60 Denver last
September from Paterson, N. j., where
Tor three years he was rector of st.
Bonaventurcs parish. He had pre-
liously served three FEARS In Orogan,
y. Y, where he distinguished himself
by rebuilding the church monastery
and other buildings that were de-
stroyed by fire In 1902. He was plan
hing TO sail for Germany in June and
II visit relatives whom he had not seen