Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-25
FOUR HUNDRED
SEE EFFORT TO
KILL PRIEST
BELOVED PASTOR STABBED AT
SERVICE
ASSASSIN is FARMER SUDDENLY
DEMENTED
TWO Wounds Are inflicted with Pocket
Knife, and II Is Feared That
They May Prove to
BE Fatal
BY Associated Press.


SALISBURY, Mo-, May 24-Rey.
Father Joseph F. Lubsley, aged S3.
pastor of st. Joseph's Catholic church
of Salisbury, was stabbed twice with
a pocket knife and perhaps fatally In
jured In church this morning by Jo-
seph Schuette, a prosperous farmer'
living near here, who is believed 10
have became suddenly demented
The stabbing occurred In view OF 400
worshippers, many of them women.
The injured man was taken to a nearby
residence where his wounds were at
tended to by physicians. His condi-
tion Is critical.
Immediately after Father Lubeiey
had finished high mass he started 10
leave the church. At the door he was
rushed upon suddenly from behind ny
Schuette, who stabbed him twice fell
ing him. The first blow struck the
priest In the temple and the second cut
a deep cash In the neck, just missing
the Jugular vein.
The crazed man was about to stab
the priest third time when Mrs. Bar
bara Center and John Gates. both
members of the church. caught his up
lifted hand. In the struggle which fol-
lowed Schuette stabbed Mrs. Center In
the hand and inflicted painful cut on
Gates arm. A dozen men came to the
aid of Mrs Center and Gates and
overpowered Schuette. Struggling and
fighting he was taken to jail.
1t is believed Schuette. who has been
q devout member of st. Josephs 8
church, became suddenly deranged and
the attempt on Father Lubeleys life
resulted.
During the service Schuette sat in
the rear Of the church. 1t is said he
glared constantly at the priest as II In
great rage.
Following the high mass Father
Lubeley started to leave the church. in
tending to go to a school house nearby,
where he was to participate In a meet
ing. The forty worshipers were 1eav-
ing the church and the priest stopped
in the doorway to shake hands with a
woman.
Without warning and before any one
could divine his intention Schuette
rushed upon the priest with drawn
pocket knife. It was not until the
priest had fallen, seriously injured, that
the -arishioners realized what had hap
pened. Frightened women shrieked
and several swooned.
PInion Assaiiant f s.
Mrs. Ginter and Gates were the first
to come to the priests rescue. They
were quickly assisted by a dozen men
who closed in on Schuette and pinioned
him to the ground. MIS-. Glnter anu
Gates were slightly wounded.
Schuette struggled desperately with
his captors and refused to be quieted,
even when his wife and five children,
who had accompanied him to mass.
hurried to his side. He was taken to
1ail struggling desperately.
Physicians who were summoned to
the house where Father Lubeley had
been taken in an unconscious condi-
tion following the attack dressed his
wounds. The priest quickly regained
his senses and despite the wound in his
throat directed those about him.
Later Father Lubeley had this to say
of the affair:
HE attacked me from behind and /
had no chance to defend myself. For
tunately the first thrust of the knife
grazed my temple. 1t would have killed
me had it struck me direct. The doc
tors tell me the second blow missed my
jugular vein by a narrow margin.
eSchuette and Il were the best of
friends, and / never did anything con-
sciously or unconsciously to incur his
enmity He must have lost his reason"
Another version Of the attempted as
sassination is that Father Lubeley had
publicly reprimanded Schuette for at
taclking member of the congregation
last Saturday.