The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-07-16
ALA SLEW FATHER
LEO AT ALTAR RAIL
Murderer Narrowly Escaped
Lynching at Hands of
Congregation as He Fled
After Committing the Ter
rible Deed.

Canon City. Col. July 15.-Guiseppe
AHA was hanged here tonight for the
murder of Father Leo Heinrichs at
Denver.
Giuseppe Alias crime, the murder
of Father Leo Heinrichs, OF the OIdeT
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 II
should prove the beginning of gen.
eral plan OF priest murder.
Ala had been in Denver several
weeks. unemployed ana apparently
penniIess. Early on the morning OF
Sunday, February %, 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 a call to worship But he
went not with the thought of thanks
giving in his 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.
through the usual ceremony of bless
ing himself with holy water, and then
seated himself where his view of the
altar would be unobstructed. There
he followed the ritual up to the point
where communion is given to all who
are prepared. Ala approached the
altar and. knee1ing, awaited the arriy-
al of the priest officiating at the com
-rliIniofi, not knowing, Ala has said
or caring who il should be.
A number of other communicates
had assumed the same posture and po
sitions at the communion rail were
practically all taken. When Father
Leo-beloyed by ali who knew hin
both in AID outside the church-ap
peared with the consecrated waters
all at the rail seemed impressed will
the solemnity and sacredneSs of thu
service and inspired with thoughts o
God. Ala, however, according to hi
own statement, could barely restrain
desire to spring at the throat of tn
priest. despite the place, the scene ant
the peculiarly sacred character of tn
action in progress.
The Murder.
Along the line passed the pries
placing upon the tongue of each SUI
Cessive communicate the consecrate
wafer and repeating the lines of tn
mass declaring the Eucharist thus az
ministered is the savior himself /
person. Ala was now the next in line
Father Leo placing the wafer upon In
tongue of the stranger, all unsuspec
ing of the murderous design In Ala
heart. began: Take, eat; this is m
body-" but stopped horror stricken
The subject of the prayer had spa
the blessed morseI from his mout
Almost simultaneously with this de
ecration shot rang out and Fatht
Leo sank to the floor MORALLY woun
ed. A bullet from a revolver fired ,
Ala had penetrated the priests bod
near the heart Father Wulsts
Workman. hearing the shot, rusht
from the adjoining Sacristy Just
time to administee to Father Leo II
last sacrament. Father Leo expiring
moment later in the arms OF his brot
er-priest. Immediately after 1riI
the shot. Ala, with curse. dart'
toward the main aisle of the chur'
and rushed for the door. With ma
disheveled and smoking gun tiouris
ing over his head. he made his WI
TO within ten feet of the portal, whe
he trimmed and fell. Policeman DAM
Cronin. who was among the worsh1
ners- wrenched the gun from A1S
hand and dragged him to the street
an effort to protect him from the ma
dened worshippers. Outside. the
Uceman and his charge were suTroul
ed bv several hundred persons W
were about to tear Ala from the
ficer's hands, when several priests a
Franciscan brothers appeared on [
steps and pleaded with the enraS
people to leave the avenging or I
awful murder to God. The presen