The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-02-25
PRIEST SHOT ON AL TAR
Anarchist Stays Clergyman Who
Gave Him Holy Sacrament.
THEN TRIES TO KILL cAPToR

Assassin Flees, but Is Caught on Step
of Church In Denver and Rushed
From the City In Auto to Prevent
a Lynchine.
Denver, Feb. 25.-Father Leo Helm
richs was shot and Killed here by Giu-
seppe Alto, an avowed anarchist and
priest hater, while the priest was adj
ministering the sacrament at an early
mass in st. Elizabeth's Roman Cath
Ollie cathedral, Eleventh and Curtis
streets.
Kneeling at the altar rail between
two women, Alio pressed the muzzle
of a revolver against the body of the
priest after receiving from him the
consecrated wafer and shot the priest
through the heart Enchanting MY
God, my Godr' Father Leo fell prone
in front of the altar and died.
Tried to Shoot Policeman.
With an inarticuIate scream the as
sassin sprang into the aisle and, wav
ing the smoking pistol about his head,
dashed to the church door. For a mo-
ment the hundred or more persons in
the church were daZed. Then wom-
an shrieked, and the congregation be-
came panic stricken. Several women
tainted, and many others became hys-
terical. Several men, including Patrol
man Daniel Cronin, started in pursuit
of the murderer. Policeman Cronin
overlook the fleeing Italian on the
church steps. Alto attempted to shoot
the policeman, but was foiled and over
powered after desperate struggle, in
which several men assisted the officer
The murderer was hurriedly remov-
ed to the city jail. As threats of sum
mary vengeance were made by men
who quickly gathered in front of the
church, Chief of Police Michael De-
laney called out the reserve force of
patrolmen, hustled the assassin into
an automobile and hastily drove to Lit
Teton, fourteen miles from Denver,
where he was placed on a train for
Colorado Springs. He will be kept
there until the excitement abates.
Shot Through Heart.
Before the commotion caused by the
tragedy subsidized the Franciscan broth
ers connected with the church silently
brought candles for the dead and
placed them beside the body of their
superior where he lay. By direction of
Bishop Matz the church was closed for
the day, and the following notice was
posted:
lowing to the frightful tragedy en-
acted in this church by an unknown
criminal, the wanton killing of our be-
loved pastor, superior and friend, Fa-
Their Leo, all services will be discon-
tinued for the day. Kindly, reader,
breathe silent prayer for the repose
of the soul of our beloved friend"
Deputy Coroner Daniel Hayes took
charge of Father Leos body, which
was removed to the city morgue. A
| single bullet hole in the white COM
munion robes of the priest showed that
the lead had gone straight to the heart.
| The bullets remaining in Giuseppe's
revolver had sharpened points.
Alio was placed in solitary confine-
ment. He admitted to a policeman
that the priest whom he had killed
was a stranger to him and in eXplana-
of his crime said:
Why He Slew Priest.
81 just went over there because I
have grudge against all priests in
! general. They are all against the
workingman. l went to the COM
munion rail because l could get a bet
ter shot. l did not give d-n whether
he was German priest or any other
kind of a priest. They are all in the
same class.
Il left Italy three months ago and
went first to Central America and then
came to Denver l am an anarchist,
and am proud of it, | shot him, and
my only regret is that couldn't shoot
the whole bunch of priests in the
church. | am a shoemaker, but have
not worked since coming to Denver"
Father Leo was born in Koen, Ger
many, Aug. Is, 1867. He entered the
franciscan order ON Dec, 4, 1886, and
was ordained on July 26, 1891. He
came to Denver last September from
Paterson, n. ]. He was for three
years in Oregon, n Y, where he dis
tinguished himself for rebuilding a
church, monastery and other build
ings that were destroyed by fire in
1902. He had been planning to sail
for Germany in June to visit relatives
whom he had not seen for sixteen
years. The body of the murdered
priest will be shipped to Paterson for
burial.