Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-24
SLA YSPRIES7
AS HE KNEELS
ATTHE ALTAR
MADMAN SHOOTS AS HE RE-
CEIvES SACRAMENT
ASSASSIN, WAVING GUN, RUsHEs
THROUGH CHURCH
Worshipers Bowing In Prayer Horrl-
fled as They See Father Helm
richs Slain by FanatIcaI
italian
By Associated Press.

By Associated Press.
DENVER, Feb. 23-Father Leo
Heinrichs was shot and killed when
administering the sacrament at early
mass in ST. Elizabeths catholic church,
Eleventh and Curtis streets, at &
o'clock this morning.
Kneeling at the altar rail between
two women, Alic Giuseppe, an Italian,
pressed the muzzle of a revolver
against the body of the priest, after re-
ceiving from him the consecrated
wafer and shot the man of God
through the heart.
Exclaiming MY God! My God!"
Father Heinrichs fell prone in front of
the altar and died without uttering an
other word
With an inarticulate scream of tri-
umph which the communicates de-
clare was as the yell of a demon, the
assassin sprang into the aisle and
waving the smoking gun about his
head, dashed to the church door.
A policeman on the street overpow
cred the maniac after desperate fight,
in which several men had to come to
the assistance of the officer.
Deputy Coroner Hayes took charge
of the priests body.
Victim Stranger to Him
Giuseppe was placed in solitary con-
finement in the city Jail. He admitted
to a policeman who interviewed him
that the priest whom he had Killed was
stranger to him, and in explanation
of his crime made the following state
ment:
II just went over there because
have grudge against all priests in
general They are all against the
workingman. | went to the communion
rail because / could get a better shot.
/ did not care whether he was a Ger
man priest or any other kind of a
priest. They are all in the same class.
| Il left Italy three months ago Went
first to Central America and then came
to the United States and to Denver.
1 am an anarchist and proud of it,"
Father Leo Heinrichs was born in
! Koel-l. Germany, August 15, 1867.
Lynehing Feared
Although no actual demonstration
against the murderer of Father Leo
had been made there was considerable
talk around town during the day of the
| justice of lynching him. In order to
avoid an attack on the city jail Gui-
seppe 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 the authorities decided TO
take Guiseppi out of town. Accord
ingly he was hustled into an automobile
and a fast run was made to Littleton,
fourteen miles from Denver, where a
train was boarded for Colorado Springs.
Planned to Xiii Four Priests
An examination of letters taken from
| the prisoner show that the only definite
address he appeared to have was 10
Wales place, Wakefield, Mass. He told
Chief of Police Delaney, Sheriff Nesbit
him that he started out this morning
with the intention of killing four
priests. Had he succeeded in eludine
| capture he says he would have gone
! from one church to another until his
vow had been carried out
He displayed no remorse for his
crime and reiterated his previous state.
ment that he believed he was benefit
ing the poor people by taking the life
of the priest. He said the church kept
the people poor while priests lived or
the fat of the land.
Among papers taken from the as
sassin was list of assassins connect
ed with the murder of Ozar Paul OF
Russia in 1901; also the killing of the
king of Portugal. A miniature Italian
flag pasted at the head of the list he
declared had no significance. No notes
or comment of any kind were inscribed
or attached to the list. The prisoner
was closely questioned concerning his
residence at Paterson, N. j., but moth
ing important was learned. He de-
clared that he knew nothing of Father
Leo when the latter lived at Paterson
and in fact, had never seen or heard
of him before today.