The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-24


richs was shot and killed when adj
ministering the sacrament at early
mass in ST. Elizabeth's Catholic church,
Eleventh and Curtis streets, this city,
s o'clock this morning. Kneeling at the
altar rail, between two women,
Guarnaccio pressed the muzzle of the
revolver against the body of the priest,
after receiving from him the consecrat-
ed wafer and shot the man of God
through the heart. Exclaiming, My
lGOd, my Cod" Father Leo fell prone
in front of the altar and died without
uttering another word.
With an inarticulate scream of tri-
umph, which the communicates describe
as the yell of a demon, the assassin
sprang into the aisle, and, waving the
smoking gun about his head, dashed
10 the church door.
Women Shrieked and tainted.
For a moment the hundred or more
people in the church were dazed. Then
women shrieked and the congregation
became panic-stricken. Some women
tainted and many became hysterieaI.
Several men rushed to the aid of the
priest and others started in pursuit CT
the murderer. Among the latter was
PatrOlman Daniel Crefin, who overlook
the fleeing italian on the church steps.
Giuseppe attempted to shoot the police
man and was foiled and overpowered
only after a desperate fight, in which
several men had come to the assist
ance of the officer.
Reserves Guard Jail.
The murderer was hur. .edly removed
TO the city Jail, and as threats of sum-
mary justice were made by many men
I'm the crowd which quickly gathered in
frout of the church, Chief OF Police
MiAhaei Delaney called out the reserve
force of patrolmen, who were kept
on guard day and night.
Before the commotion caused by the
tragedy had subsidized, the Franciscan
Brothers connected with st. EliZabeth's
church silently brought candles for the
dead and placed them beside the body
of their superior where he lay. By di-
rection of Bishop MatZ, the church was
closed for the day, and the following
notice was posted on the door:
Owing to the frightful tragedy enact
ed in this church by an unknown Grim
inal the wanton killing of our be-
loved pastor, superior and friend, Fa-
Their Leo, all services will be discon-
tinued for the day. Kindly, reader,
breath a silent prayer for the repose
of the soul of our beloved friend.
FATHER EUSEBIUS."
Shot Through the Heart.
Deputy Coroner Daniel Hayes took
charge of Father Leo's body, which
was removed to the city morSue. A
single hole in the white communion
robes of the priest showed that the
ofv oh 10
The bullets remaining in the revolver
had been sharpened to a fine point.
Guarnaccia was placed in solitary con-
finement at the city jail. He admitted
to a policeman who interviewed him
that the priest whom he had killed was
a stranger to him. and in explanation
of his crime made the following state
ment;
II lust went over there because I
have a grudge against all priests in
general. They are all against the work.
ingman I went to the communion rail
because l could get a better shot. l
did not give a damn whether he was
a German priest or any other kind OF
a priest. They are all in the same
class.
at left Italy three months ago. went
>-sfirst 10 Central America and then came
70 the United States and to Denver.
! am an anarchist and / am proud OF
1t. I shot him and my only regret
IS that could not have shot the whole
bunch of priests in the church. 1 am
q shoemaker, but have not worked since
coming to Denver.
Father Leo Henriechs was born at
Koeln. Germany. August 10. 1857. He
entered the Franciscan order Decem-
Der 4. 1886. and was ordained July 20
1891 He came to Denver last Septem-
Der from Paterson, n. J., where for
three years he was rector at ST Bona
ventures He had previously served
three years I'm Croghan, n. Y, Where
he distinguished himself by reoulldlng
the church, monastery and other Dull6-
ings that were destroyed by fire IN
1902. He was planning to sail 10 Ger
many in June and visit relatives, whom
he had not seen for sixteen years.
Although no actual demonstration
against the murderer of Father Leo
had been made, there was considerable
talk around town throughout the day
OF the justice of lynching him. In or
der to avoid an attack on the city