Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-24
PRIEST SHOT ON ALTAR
Anarchist Stays Clergyman Who
Gave Him Holy Sacrament.
THEN TRIES TO KILL CAPT0R
Assassin FIees, but Is Caught on Step
Of Church In Denver and Rushed
From the City In Auto to Prevent
a Lynching.

OF Church In Denver and Hushed
From the City In Auto to Prevent
a Lynching.
Denver, Feb. 24.-Father Leo Helm
richs was shot and killed here yes
terday by Guarnaccio, an avowed an
archist and priest, hater, while the
priest was administering the sacra-
ment at early mass in st. Elizabeth's
Roman Catholic cathedral, Eleventh
and Curtis streets. ..
Kneeling at the altar rail between
two women, Giuseppe pressed the muz.
zle Of revolver against the body Of
the priest after receiving from him
the consecrated water and shot the
priest through the heart Exclaimins
my God, my Godr' Father Leo fell
prone in, front of the altar and died.
With an inarticulate scream the as
sassin sprang into the aisle and, way
ing the smoking pistol about his head,
dashed to the church door. For mo-
ment the hundred or more persons in
the church were dazed. Then a 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. Guarnaccio attempted to
shoot the policeman, but was foiled
and oyerpowered after a desperate
struggle, in which several. men assist
ed 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
tleton. fourteen miles from Denver,
where he was placed on train for
Colorado Springs. He will be kept
there until the excitement abates.
Before the commotion caused by the
tragedy subsided 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-
ther Leo, all services will be discon-
tinued for the day. Kindly, reader,
breathe a silent prayer for the repose
of the soul of our beloved friend"
Deputy Coroner Daniel Hayes took
charge OF Father Leo's 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.
Guarnaccio was placed in solitary
confinement. He admitted TO a po-
lieman that the priest whom he had
killed was stranger to him and In ex.
PLANTATION of his crime said:
"t just went over there because
have a grudge against all priests in
general. They are all against the
workingman. L. went to the com
munion rail because could get bet
ter shot. did no: give d-n whether
he was a German priest or any other
kind of a priest. They are all in the
same class. -f
II left Italy three months ago and
went first TO Central America and then
came to Denver. am an anarchist.
and I am proud of II. shot him, and
my only regret is that couldn't shoot
the whole bunch OF priests in the
church. 1 am a shoemaker. but have
not worked since coming to Denver"
Father Leo was born in KOeln. Ger
many. Aug. 10. 1867. He entered the
Franciscan order on Dec. 1, 1886, and
was ordained on July 20. 1891. He
came to Denver last September from
Paterson. n. J. He was for three
years in Oregon. n. ". where he dis
tinguished himself for rebuilding a
church. a monastery and other build
ings that were destroyed by fire in
1902. He had been planning to sail
for Germany in June to fisit relatives
whom he had not seeh for sixteen
years. The body Of the murdered
priest win be shipped to Paterson for
h.,~f.F