The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10
MOTIVES FOR MURDER.
Are Being Brought Out by the State
in Ala Case.

Denver, March 10-When the trial Of
Giuseppe Ala. charged with the muir
der of Father Leo Heinrichs, was re-
sumed at 10 o'clock today before Judge
Greedy W. Whitford in the criminal di-
vision of the district court, the indica-
lions were that the state would be able
to present it's entire case, including the
testimony of its insanity experts before
the close of the day and that the pris-
oner's defense would be heard tomor-
row. The jury is composed of plain
business men, all non-Catholic. who
they are not opposed to hanging and
would not be influenced by the fact that
the murdered man was priest.
In his opening stats 1Isaar District District.
sketched the life of Ala as obtained
from him. In Sicily where he was born
Mr.. Stidger said Ala abandoned the
Catholic belief and associated himself
with protestant church AS the dis
trict attorney described the shooting of
Father Leo there was deep silence In
the court room He spoke in simple
words with no effort att eloquence but
his description Of the murder made a
deep impression upon the Jury. Mr..
Stidger told how Ala while in the
county Jail told a consistent story of
his life and of the shooting and later
on when he was being examined by
alienists, he began to claim he could
not remember until finally his answers
became foolish. After being admon-
iShed he answered questions for time
in rational way.
The first witness was DIR. Hugh l..
Taylor, who assisted in the autopsy
on the body of Father Leo. He said
bullet wound in the breast. DIR. Ed
ward F. Dean who performed the
autopsy testified to the same effect.
Coroner r. P. Rollins told of the in
quest and produced the bullet which
caused the death of Father Leo.
During the entire morning session
eight alienists watched Ala very close
ly. AS during the progress of the trial
yesterday Ala sat most of the day with
downcast eyes, but occasionally he
with blinking eyes would seem to be
trying to make out what was going on.
August L. Mattel, an Italian, who
acted as interpreter in the various in
terviews with Ala held by Mr.. Stidger
and the several alienists testified along
the line of the opening statement of the
district attorney in regard to the man
ner in which Ala answered questions
in the first interview and in the later
interviews. He testified that Ala at
one time declared that If the physicians
wished to make him out insane he was
willing to act the part.
On croSS-eXamination Mattel said
Ala told him he was communicated
from the Catholic church because he
had been seen coming from Protest
ant church.
For that reason he could get no work
nor a place to live in Italy. He there
fore left for South America While
there he was told by a countryman OF
his that his wife had been untrue to
him with a priest. He told these stor-
les to Mattel without any show of feel
ing The only time ALA showed any
excitement, Mattel said, was when he
told of the killing.
DR.. George A. Moleen, one of the
alienists who examined ALA was the
next witness. He read the testimony
from notes he made during the exarni-
nation. His story confirmed the testi-
mony of Mattel in regard to Alias life
and the story of the incidents sur
rounding the shooting. All these de-
tails were clear in Alias mind with the
exception of the actual figure Of the ia
tai shot
DR.. George A, Newhouse read his
testimony in regard to the examination
he had another time from that which
DIR. Moleen had testified. His testimo-
nv confirmed that Of the previous wit
nesses.
ReoesS