The Irish standard., 1908-02-29
While in the Performance of His Sacred
Duties Last Sunday Morning the
Awful Deed IS Committed.
Perpetrator of the Crime Identified as Aneelo
Gabrielle, a Siciian and an
Avowed Anarchist.

The Denver Times of Monday, Feb
ruary "a. contains the following ac-
count Of the assassination of Rev.
Father Francis Leo Hcinrichs at st.
morning last:
With Il blessing on his lips as he dis
tributed the holy sacrament OF the
Catholic church and with a prayer in
his heart for those Of his parishioncrs
who knelt before him at the chanccl
rail at 6 o'clock Sunday morning in the
church of ST. Elizabeth at Eleventh
and Curtis streets, where since last
September he had been the beloved
PASTOR Father Francis Leo Hcinriclls
was shot and killed by Angelo Gabri-
Gle, a. sclf-confessed Sicilian anarchist,
who had come to the church appilr-
entity to take part in the most solemn
rites of the Catholic church, but in
reality to slay the priest, now knowing
or caring who he WAS, but merely to
carry out the precepts OF an ungodly
faith, to kill a. great and good man and
in The event he was not captured to flee
to other churches and repeat his mur-
dcrous act.
Even while the wounded man was cx-
piring in the arms of other prelates
his murderer made n dasl, for liberty.
was ovcrtaken by (. patrolman who was
attending mass, rushed to the police
station, where in fear Of mob violence
he was taken to the county JAIL only
later in the day to he rushed to Colora
do Springs for safckeepins.
Today Gabrielle boasts of his crime
in Il cell in the Springs Jail; while
over in the monastery adjoining the
church Of st. Elizabeth, on IL plain bier.
in an uncarpeted room, rcposcs the life
less clay Of the man he shot down
without reason or provocation. "a man
he admits lie had never seen, a man
who had naught but goodness ascribctl
against his name at tho Judgment bar
Of the God TO whom he had often gone
on his knees for others. and before
which he now appears himself.
Catholics Bowed With Grief.
Wednesday morning there will be q
funeral in Denver, services will be held
over one who was universally beloved
before he is taken back to the city
from whence he came. Parishioncrs
will weep and the whole city regardless
of creed will mourn.
Next week there will be a murder
trial In the West side court, which will
only consume "a few brief hours. Ret
ibution will strike swift and sure. And
few tears will be shed. There will be
little grief.
The murdcr-for murder it was, cold
and bloody-occurred at o'clock Sun
day morning. just as the first gray
strcaks of dawn were beginning to il
lumine the tall spire Of st. Elzabeths, s,
standing dark and somber into the mel
lowing sky.
Inside the edificc Father Leo was ad
ministering the sacrament Of holy COM
munion. one of the most solemn rites
Of the Catholic faith. to about hun
dred Of his parishioners.
Approaching his murderer, who
crouched at the altar rail, one hand
over his eyes in the attitude of prayer,
the other gripping the IA in his hip
pocket Father Leo placed upon tho
tongue OF Gabrielle the holy water, en-
blcnatic of services.
Splitting out the wafer in broken
pieces, which fell at the feet Of the
priest even while he was bowed in
benediction, and giving expression to a
horrible oath that rang through the
| still church like sacriligious shout
without moving from where he crouch
cd, Gabrielle drew the revolver and
fired the one shot that pierced the
heart Of the prclatc.
Take, eat; this is my body"