The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1908-02-27
PRIEST KILLED At ALTAR
Father Heinrichs Shot Down While
Administering Sacrament in a
Denver Church.
ASSASSIN WAS AN ITALIAN ANARCHIST

Dastardly Act and Talks Freely Of
Himself to His JaiIers-Came to
America Only Two Years Ago From
Sicily.
Denver, Col,. Feb. 25.-Father Leo
Heinrichs was shot and killed when
administering the sacrament at early
mass in st. Elizabeths Catholic
church, Eleventh and Curtis streets,
this city at 6o'clock Sunday morning.
kneeling at the altar rail, between
two women, Giuseppe Guarnaccio
pressed the muzzle Of revolver
against the body of the priest after
receiving from him the consecrated
wafer, and shot the man Of God
through the heart. Enchanting my
God, my God" Father Leo fell prone
in front of the altar and died without
uttering another word.
With an inarticule scream OF
triumph which the communicates de-
scribe as the yell Of demon, the as
sassin sprang into the aisle and wav-
ing the smoking gun about his head
dashed to the church door. For mo-
ment the hundred or more people In
the church were dazed. Then a WON.
an shrieked and the congregation be.
came panic stricken. Some women
tainted and many became hysterical.
Several men rushed to the aid of the
priest and other started in pursuit of
the murderer. Among the latter was
Patrolman Daniel Cronin, who over
took the feeling Italian on the church
steps. Guarnaccio attempted to shoot
the policeman and was foiled and
overpowered only after a desperate
fight in which several men had come
to the assistance of the officer.
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 his heart
The bullets remaining in the revolver
had been sharpened to fine point.
In the 20 centuries of history of the
Catholic church, members of its priest
hood in this city declare there is no
record Of tragedy to parallel that of
the killing of Father Leo White admin
istering the sacrament. to Giuseppe
Guarnaccio at the altar of st. Eliza
beth's church Sunday morning. Never
before has a servant of the church
been summoned from the performance
of his duties in so tragic and so dra-
matte a manner. This crime will stand
out as one Of the most fearful in GRIM
inal records of the world, and its per-
petration will probably result in the
elevating of Father Leo to the position
of martyr and lead to his canonization
as one of the saints of the church in
whose service he fell while performing
his duty.
Father Eusebius, senior assistant
pastor of the St. Elizabeth church, re-
ceived a telegram Sunday night from
the father provincial in Patterson, N.
j., instructing him to forward the body
of Father Leo to that city for inter-
ment. Father Eusebius will accom-
pany the body.
Funeral services will be held at st.
Elizabeth's church at 10 o'clock
Wednesday morning, when solemn re-
QUEEN high mass will be celebrated,
probably by Father Eusebius.
Father William Organ, pastor of st.
Leo's church, will deliver a eulogy and
a sermon against anarchy and Social
ism. The funeral services will be at
tended by 500 members of the Knights
of Columbus and the entire body of
the knights of st. John and other
Catholic orders.
1t is a custom of the Franciscan
order that no eulogies be preached for
it's deceased members, but on account
of the tragic circumstances and the
general effect in this case of the as
sassination upon the public, the rule
will be set aside.
Giuseppe Guarnaccio, the murderer,
talked freely in jail concerning him
self and his act, for which he declared
he had no regret. He said he was
native of Sicily, Sc years old. He be-
came a socialist and anarchist at 80
years of age. He is shoemaker by
trade. He came to America two years
ago and has since been teaching an
archy, working but little at his trade.
He lived before coming to Denver in
Paterson, N. j.. in mill towns of Mas
sachusetts and in Chicago. He came
to Denver two weeks before Christ
mas.
The statements Of Guarnaccio, that |
he is an anarchist is borne out by let |
tiers and pamphlets taken from him.
Among his effects was a printed list |
of the murders of the worlds rulers,
from the assassination of Gear Paul of |
Russia in 1901, down to the recent kill
ing of the King of Portugal a few
weeks ago. He also had many pages
Of anarchistic literature, in his own
and on printed slips.
After examination of letters found
In the room which the slayer of Father