The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-24
ANARCHIST KILLS PRIEST AT ALTAR Communicant Shoots Denver Pastor as He Administers
 Sacrament at Early 4
 Mass. T
MOB THREATENS ASSASSIN
When Locked Up Italian Declares He Has Grudge Against Priests. All of Whom Arc Against
 Workingman.


 Heinrichs was shot and killed to-day by Giuseppe Guarnacoto, an avowed anar- chist and priest -hater, while the priest was administering the sacrament at early mass in St. Elizabeths Roman Catholic church at Eleventh and Curtis streets. While on his knees at the al- tar rail, between two women, Guarna- coto pressed the muzzle of a revolver against the body of the priest, after receiving from him the consecrated water, and shot him through the heart Exclaiming My God, my God, Father Leo fell prone in front of the altar and died.
 With an inarticulate scream the as sassin snraug 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 wo- man shrieked and the congregation became panic stricken Several wo- men tainted and many others became hysterical. Several men, including Pa trolman Daniel Cronin started in pur, suit of the murderer. Cronin overlook the fleeing Italian on the church steps Guarnacoto attempted to shoot the po- liceman, but was foiled and overpower- cd after a desperate struggle in which several men assisted the officer
 The murderer was hurriedly removed to the City jail Threats of summary vengeance were made by men who quickly gathered in front of the church so Chief of Police Michael Delaney called out the reserve force of patrol men who were kept on guard all day and tonight
 Before the commotion caused by the tragedy subsided tho Franciscan broth CTS. connected with St Elizabeths Ro- candles for the dead and placed them beside the corpse Of their superior where 1t lay. By direction of Bishop Matz, the church was closed for the day and tho following notice was post | ed:
 owing to the frightful tragedy en- acted In this church by an unknown criminal. the wanton killing of our be- loved pastor, superior and friend, Path CT Leo. all services will be discontinued for the day. Kindly, reader. breathe a silent prayer for the repose of tho soul of our beloved friend.
 (signed)
 FATHER EUSEBIUS."
 Deputy Coroner Daniel Hayes took l charge of Father Leo's body. which was removed to the city morgue. A single | bullet hole In the white communion robes of the priest showed that the lead went stralnght to the heart The bull lets remaining in Guiseppe's revolver | had sharpened points.
 Giuseppe was placed in solitary con finrment. He admitted 10 policeman | that the priest whom he killed was a stranger to him and In explanation of his crime said
 'l just went over there because I | have a grudge against all priests in general They are all against tho working man. I went to the commun- ] ion rail because I could get better shot. l did not give damn whether he was a German priest or any other kind of priest. They are all in the same class.
 '1 left Italy three months ago and went first to Central America and then came 10 Denver. am an anarchist. and I am proud of it. shot him, and my only regret is that I could not shoot the whole bunch of priests in the church. I am a shoemaker. but have not worked since coming to Denver"
 Father Leo was born in Koeln, Ger i many August 15 tS6i He entered the 1 Franciscan order on December {. 1886. and was ordained on July 26 1891. He came to Denver last September from Paterson. x. J.. where for three years he was rector He lead n parish in St Benaventure' in ' Croshan. N. Y., where he distinguished himself by rebuilding a church. non- astery and other buildings, which were destroyed by fire in 1902 He planned i'd sail for Germany In June to visit rela tives whom he had not seen for six teen years.
 Although np actual demonstration was made against the murder of Fa- ther Leo, much talk of lynching caused the police to remove Guaranacoto to the county jail where he remained sev- eral hours. Small groups of men be- gan 10 congregate near this building and the sheriff decided to take Giuseppe out of town Accordingly he was bus. tied into an automobile and hastil, driven to Littleton, fourteen miles from Denver, where he was placed in train for Colorado Springs.