The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-27
SOLEMN HIGH
MASS FOR THE
SLAIN PRIEST
Funeral of Father Leo Helm
rIchS, Victim of the An
arChiSt AIi0.
EULOGY PRONOUNCED
BY REV. FATHER O'RYAN
BODY FORWARDED TO PATER-
SON, N. j., HEADQUARTERS
OF THE FRANClScANS.

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50 Colorado Springs. Colo, Feb. 20. 2
:" Giuseppe Aiio, the murderer of {:
o Father Leo, declared today that 9
g he would plead guilty to the g
g There is no chance for me-" ne (:
9 said, and l have no fear of g
g death" o.
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Denver, Feb. 2s-With the solemnity
and reverence due to his holy position
and spotIess character, the body of
Rev. Father Leo Heinrichs was taken
from St. Elizabeth's Catholic church
today to the Union station, where it
was placed aboard the afternoon Bur-
lington train to be forwarded to Pat
erson, n. j., where the Franciscan
fathers have their American headquar-
tiers.
The funeral procession was a notable
one and was witnessed by thousands
who stood bareheaded as the hearse
passed them The parade was led by a
squad OF police. and a company of the
Knights of St. John in full uniform
and with drawn swords acted as a
guard of honor. The knights of Col
umbus and representatives of numer-
Gus Catholic societies followed on foot
and a long line of carriages brought up
the rear.
When the services were begun in the
church at 10 o'clock this morning eV-
cry available seat was filled and a
crowd of 5000 people waited patiently
outside until the church ceremony was
over. Inside the church were many of
the prominent citizens of Denver, in
Guiding Governor Henry A. Buchtel
and Mayor Robert w SpeeT.
Solemn high mass was recited and the
service was impressive. Rev. Father
/ William Organ delivered the funeral
esermOn, in which ne highly eulogized
s'the martyred priest.
Father Organs Sermon.
Rev. Father Organ said in part:
That any sermon is attempted on
this solemn occasion is not because of
Father Leo, the simple Franciscan
friar, who is dead, nor even because of
the high offense against the Almighty
Father of us all, who lives, but because
of the society in which We live and its
outraged and loosened bond of law.
Crimes such as that of last Sunday are
assaults on no mere individual: they
are against you and me and all of US.
They strike and wound law and justice
in her holy sanctuary whence bTeathes
the very life of the civilized state.
Father Leo was struck down. the
murderer oonfesses, because he was a
priest and not for any fancied griev-
ance or imagined injury that the muir
derer had received from him. He new
er knew the dead priest: he had never
spoken with him; their lives except in /
that one dread moment of blood and |
sacrilese had never touched. Nor did
he Kill him, as priests have been killed, |
in hatred of his special creed But the /
fiend knew that the priest was some /
outward symbol and present ambassa-
dor of that only authority by which /
kings reign and magistrates execute !
justice and human law rears itself in I
awful dignity and finds its sanction
the authority and governance of Cod |
And because the murderer had revolt |
ed against Gods authority his rebellion 1
went TO its uttermost logical conclusion 1
in action; he revOlted against its pres |
broke it until it gushed human blood; /
he revolted against its outward symbol /
the priest, and slew him
Murderer Logical.
The murderer was logical The an |
archist is never truer TO his diabolical /
principles than when he Stays a Cath |
Ollie priest and slaps him at the altar /
of God. 1t matters not that the indi- /
Vidual priest possesses little of the /
worlds power or goods, nor desires /
them for himself; il 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 unlOVed. /
Wherever ne is the Catholic priest in |
some great way carries in himself that /
church of authority and of God and ex-
ternates her 10 men. He is an officer
il that great army whose tramp is |
around the world; whose discipline is
host perfect: whose organization is
fnost infinitely refined; whose banners
are forever set against the enemy of
disorder and anarchy I'm the hearts. in
the speech and I'm the actions of men
as opposed TO just human government
and divine rule.
Continued on PAGE 2