The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-02-29

meant and raised his right hand witt
the body eucharist in blessing whe1
Alio sDat the undisOlved host from his
| mouth while a demoniacaI grin spread
over his face. Joseph Hines, the little
| altar boy, saw him do it and saw hin
at the same instant lift a cleaning re-
volver from under the communion
cloth which he still held close beneath
his chin The boy cried, Look out
father
The priest turned TO inquire Of the
! boy what the danger was but in turn
/ ing 10 the left he felt the revolver
| pressed tight against his heart. Just
! then the report of a gun rang out on
the still air and the solemn scene was
changed to one of wild excitement and
turmoil.
The Italian with smoking revolver in
hand hurried down the center aisle.
He pointed it to right and TO left, and
women, terrified, sat in their places
A few remained with heads bowed TO
say the prayers for the dying while
others screamed in confusion.
Mr.. Quigley came 10 church right
from the Union depot. having arrived
on 5:15 train. He chose a back pew
because he did not have time to go
home and dress for the service. He
saw the Italian start down the aisle
and rushed from his pew. He grappled
with him. Alio still flourishing the re-
volver and Quigley fearing momentari-
ly that he would be the next victim of
the assassin's bullet. Policeman Dan
iel Cronin who happened to be in
church, rushed TO QuigIey's assistance
and wrested the revolver from him
Untying a horse which stood at the
curb, the two men drove the prisoner
TO the city Jail.
In the meantime the dying priest
had lisped his farewell words and had
fallen into the last long sleep. 1t was
a peaceful death, the kind of death
that made the monks from the neigh
boring monastery envious There was
peace written on his full young face
and there was an estate smile on the
colorless lips. Father Leo had gone to
his reward
He had worked long years in prepa- |
ration for a future life and that life |
was unfolded to him in front of Gods |
altar while he was ministering to the |
faithful.
The assassin's bullet had pierced the |
left Ventricle of his heart The shock |
had caused his arm to shake and the |
,iborium had been tilted Two tiny
hosts fell to the floor and broke But
With his fast waning strength he clung
to the sacred vessel and
IS if by miracle he fell on his knees
'n the lowest step of the altar dedica-
ed to Our Lady while the ciborium
slipped only a few inches from his
land, lighting in an upward position
IN the highest step.
Are you shot, father?" cried the
Hines boy as he saw the priest kneel
Il think so, Joe he said calmly
Call Father Eusebius''
Father EuSebius is first assistant to
he pastor of st. Leo's.
Pointing to the broken hosts on the
arpet, the priest gasped, Call Father
GusebiuS.
Father Eusebius was in the sanctu-
ry in a short time, and he attended
o the hosts while Father Wulstan ad-
ninistered the sacrament of extreme
motion. Before the last words of the
asst words of the Latin service which
companies the administration of ex- ,
RENE JUNCTION, Father Leo was dead.
The few communicates who were at
he railing when the tragedy occurred
melt and together recited the litany. .
nd then turned their tear-stained j
aces toward the door !
The assassin had been arrested. I
What next?
There were men there whose souls :
nthed under the awful strain. andl r
lere were women who actually PRAYED ;
lat the man would not go unpun- '
he'd. )
Face to face with Chief of Police
-ichael Delaney. the Italian showed h
D trace of remorse +
Il have done my work WE'LL he said Y
ith emphasis. L am ready now to n
t the law take it's course. / suppose f
ley will hang me- f
Then Alio went on to tell how he n
as high priest of an anarchistic sect il
hich considered the Catholic church
e avowed enemy of anarchy and So il
alfsm. and that he had been dele h
tied to eXterminate the clergy. be- h
nning with four priests slated to die h
Sunday. a
He admitted that he had no personal d
leVance against Father Leo. that he
O not even know him, and that his lc
aging him was only the first step in
e annihilation of the Catholic clergy 6,
Denver. He pleaded that he was p
ngry and that he was poor and s,
erefore he was an anarchist. F
In short time, though. there was h,