Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-02-24
ANARCHIST STAYS
DENVER PRIEST
Rev. Father Shot
While Officiating
at Mass
ASSASSIN IS CAPTURED
Boasts of Deed =. Spirited
Away to Prevent
Lynching.

Denver Colo, Feb 24.-Father Leo
Heinrichs was shot and killed in st.
Elizabeth's Catholic church in the
presence of large congregation yes
terday morning by Giuseppe Guahna-
ceio, to whom he had just administer
ed the sacred wafer. Guarnaceio fled,
but was captured. He said he was an
anarchist and had started out yester-
day with the purpose Of killing four
priests. He said he considered all
priests enemies OF the common peO-
pie.
In twenty centuries of the history
of the Catholic church local priests
say there is no record of a tragedy
parallel to this. 1t will probably re-
suit they say in Father Leo being can
onized as a saint. His body will be
shipped to Paterson, New Jersey, for
interment by order of the Franciscan
Brothers, of which he was member
Father Leo was native of Germany
and was born in 1867.
Guarnaccio, the assassin of Father
Leo, talked freely concerning his act
for which he expressed no regret He
is native of Sicily, Sc years of age.
He said he became Socialist and an.
archist at the age of 35 years. He
came to America two years ago and
since then has been teaching anarchy,
working but little at his trade, that OF
shoemaking. He came to Denver two
weeks before Christmas from Chicago.
In his possession was a list of all the
murders of the worlds rulers since
the assassination of Paul of Russia in
1901.
Assassin Removed to Colorado
Springs.
Colorado Springs, Colo, Feb. "a
G. Guarnaccio, slayer of Father Leo
Heinrichs, was brought to this city
for safe keeping late yesterday after
noon by George Sanders, inspector OF
the bureau of Identification at Den
yer, and Deputy Sheriff Leonard De-
low. The man had been rushed from
Denver in an automobile to Little
ton, fourteen miles this side, where
the party took the train for Colorado
Springs.
"Guarnaccio came to Denver from
Paterson, New jersey said Inspec
tor Sanders, "and is no doubt mem
ber of the Italian anarchists. 1t is
strange that Father Leo also came
from the same city and it is very
probable that he had in some way
made himself Objectionable to the
society
There is little doubt in my mind
that Guarnaccio was delegated by the
society to do the deed, although in his
statements to our interpreter he said
he had never seen the priest before
he murdered him. The mans story
would indicate that he killed Father
Leo simply because he made money
without manual labor, and because Of
a hatred for the priesthood in gen
eral. The man will no doubt try tt
protect his society and hide his con
nection with the organization as Is
always the case with such sworn as
sassins.''
Former Parishioners Mourn Murdered
Priest.
Paterson, N. j., Feb 24.-The mur
der in Denver of Father Leo Helm
rich or Father Leo as he was best
known here created a sensation in this
city, one large section of which Is II
the parish of st. Bonaventure ant
connected with the church in the mon
astery of that name, the father house
in this country Of the Franciscan or
der, of which Father Leo was prom
inent member. At Vespers In st. Bon
ayenture church last night the congre
CATION wept throughout the service
At the monastery no public expression
was made by the priests. In this city
Father Leo was widely known and by
his parishioners he was greatly loved
He came to this country in 1886 ant
December s, 1887 he took the simple
VOWS in the monastery. He took the
final VOWS in 1900 and the following
year he was ordained a priest by Bis
hon Wigger of the diocese of Newark