The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-05-25
CRAZY FARMER
STABS PRIEST
IN THE CHURCH
Father LubeIey Seriously
Wounded by PariShiOner
at Salisbury, Mo.
MAN LOST HIS SENSES
DURING THE SERVICE
ACTIVITY AND BRAVERY OF A
WOMAN PREVENTED VICTIM
FROM BEING KILLED.

Salisbury. Mo. May 24.-Rev. Father
Joseph F. Lubeley. aged 80 years, pas
tor of ST. JOseph's Catholic church OF
Salisbury, was stabbed twice with a
pocketknife and perhaps fatally in
jured, in church this morning, by Jo-
seph Schuette, a prosperous farmer.
living near here. who is believed to
have become suddenly demented.
The stabbing occurred in view Of 400
WOrshipers, many of them women. The
injured man was taken TO a nearby
residence. where his wounds were at
tended 10 by physicians. His condition
is critical.
Immediately after Father Lubeley
had finished high mass he started to
leave the church. Al the door he was
rushed upon suddenly from behind by
Schuette, who stabbed him twice, fell
ing him. The first blow from the knife
struck the priest in the temple. and
the second cut a deep cash in the neck.
just missing the jugulaF vein. The
crazed man was about to stab the
priest a third time when Mrs. Barbara
Center and John Gates. both mem
beTs of the church, caught the uplifted
hand In the struggle which followed
Schuette stabbed Mrs. Center in the
hand and inflicted a painful cut on
Gates arm. A dozen men came 10 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
a devOut member of St. JOseph's
church, became suddenly deraneed,
and the attempt on Father Lubeley's
life resulted.
Stopped TO Shake Hands.
n,,,.{,,,r H.. ---,-i.. e.-l-,,,+r. 90. g.
the rear of the church. 1t is said he
glared constantly at the priest as il
in great rage.
Following the high mass Father
+ Lubeley started To leave the church.
intending 10 go 10 a school house
near by. where he was To preside over
meeting. The forty wOrshipers were
leaving the church and the priest
stopped in the doorway 10 shake hands
with "A woman.
Without warning, and before anyone
could divine his purpose. Schuette
rushed upon him with a drawn pock-
etknfe. II was not until the priest
had fallen. seriously injured. that the
parishiOners realized what had hap
pened. Frightened women shriked and
several swooned.
Mrs. Ginter and Gates We're the first
to come to the priests rescue. They
who closed in on Schuette and pinionei
him to the ground. Mrs. Ginter and
Gates were slightly wounded.
Desperate Struggle.
Schueue struggled desperately with
his captors and refused to be Quoted,
even when his wife and five children.
who had accompanied him 10 mass,
hurried to his side. He was taken TO
Jail. struggling despera tely.
Physicians who were summoned TO
the house where Father Lubeley had
been taken in an unconscious condition
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 10 say
Of the affair;
Struck From Behind.
He attacked ne from behind and I
had no chance to defend myself. For
tunately. the first thrust of the knife
graZed my temple. II would have
killed me had il struck me direct. The
doctors tell me the second blow missed
my iugular vein by "a narrow margin.
'Schuette and l We're the best Of
friends. and I never did anything con-
sciOusy or uncOnsciOusly TO incur his
i enmity. He must have lost his rea-
son"
Another version of the attempted as
sassination is that Father Lubeley had
publicly reprimanded Schuette for at
lacking member OF the congregation
last SATURDAY.