Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1908-07-18
i7iAN GOES TO HIS DOOM IN COLO
RADIO PRISON WITH MALEDIc-
TloN FOR THE CATHOLIC
CLERGY ON HIS LIPS.
SHOT PRIEST
AT CHURCH RAIL
WAS AT FIRST BELIEVED TO BE
PART OF ANARCHIST PLOT TO
ASSASSINATE PROMINENT MEN,
BERS OF THE CLERGY.

Colorado Springs, Colo, July 16.-
Giuseppe Ala paid the penalty for
the murder of Father Leo Heinrichs
last night The man who slew the
priest at the altar who was about to
administer the sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist, went to his doom as he had
lived for the last few weeks-with a
curse.
To the last he maintained his saw
age attitude toward the priesthood,
and refused to listen to the prayers
of priest, though approached by
members of the Catholic clergy. ALA
made no attempt to delay the proceed
ings centering about his death, and
walked to the gallows with stolid in
difference only broken by an occasion
al curse for the events which brought
about his condition
He paid no attention to the food
which was brought to him on the last
day, and declined the offer of a final
physician who on former occasion
had forced the man to take nutri-
ment.
Alias Crime.
Giuseppe Alias crime, the murder
of Father Leo Heinrichs of the Order
of Franciscan monks, at the altar rail
in St. Elizabeth's church in Denver
while the priest was administering the
sacrament Of the Eucharist struck
horror to the heart of every person in
Denver and awakened anxiety
throughout the Catholic world lest it
should prove the beginning of a gen.
era plan of priest murder.
ALA had been in Denver several
weeks, unemployed and apparently
penniless. Early on the morning of
Sunday, February 23, according to his
story, he was aroused from sleep by
the ringing of the chimes in st. Eliz-
abeth's church. He arose, dressed
himself hurriedly and walked out to
the church, led by the musical tones
pealing forth call of worship. But
he went not with the thought of
thanksgiving in mind for he declared
and many times repeated, after his ar
rest that the chimes recalled alleged
wrongs experienced in his native Italy
and attributed by him to the church.
Blessed Himself.
Entering the church, Ala went
through the usual ceremony of bless
ing himself with holy water and then
seated himself where his view of the
altar would be mobstructed. There
he followed the ritual up to the point
where communion is given to all who
are prepared. ALA approached the
altar and kneeling' awaited the arrival
OF the priest officiating at the com
munion, not knowing, ALA has said, or
caring who it should be.
A number of other communicates
had assumed the same posture and
positions at the communion rail were
practically all taken. When Father
Leo-beloved by all who knew him
both in and outside of the church.
appeared with the consecrated waters. |
all at the rail seemed impressed with
the solemnity and sacredness of the
service and inspired with thoughts !
of God. Ala however, according to |
his own statement could barely re- |
strain desire to spring at the throat |
Of the priest, despite the place, the
scene and the peculiarly sacred char
aeter OF the action in progress.
Spat Morsel Out.
Along the line passed the priest
cessive communicate the consecrated
wafer and repeating the lines of the
mass declaring the Eucharist thus ad- |
ministered is the Savior himself in
person. Ala was now the next in |
line, Father Leo placing the wafer !
upon the tongue of the stranger, all |
unsuspecting of the murderous de-
sign in Alias heart, began: "Take, |
&c
horror-stricken. The subject of the
prayer had spat the blessed morsel
from his mouth Almost simultane-
ously with this desecration a shot |
rang out and Father Leo sank to the
floor mortally wounded. A bullet from
a revolver fired by Ala had penetrato,,
the priests body near the heart. |
Father Wulstan Workman, hearing
the shot rushed from the adjoining
sacristy just in time to ad minister to
Father Leo the last sacrament, Faith
er Leo expiring a moment later in the
arms of his brother-priest. Immediate
ly after firing the shot, Ala, with
curse, darted toward the main aisle
OF the church and rushed for the door.
With hair disheveled and smoking
gun fourishing over his head he made
his way towithin ten feet of the portal
where he tripped and fell Policeman
Daniel Cronin, who was among the
worshippers, wrenched the gun from
Alias hand and dragged him to the
street in an effort to protect him from
the maddened worshippers. Outside,
the policeman and his charge were
surrounded by several hundred per-
sons who were about to tear Ala
from the officers hands. when several