The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-11
REMAINS SHROuDED IN
CASSOCK UNEARTHED ON
CLIFF AT SALADA BEACH
Murderers Lure Pastor
From Parish on Plea of
Aiding Dying Man.

naped priest of COIma, CaIif-
has been found murdered.
Six men early today dug his
crumpled body from a rude
grave on the windswept cliffs
of Salada Beach, some twenty
miles south of San Francisco.
The body was shrouded in a cas-
sock of broadcloth.
On it was a medal bearing the
likeness of Christ on one side and
on the other the blessed virgin I
Mary.
In a little velvet case was the
sacred host Father Heslin had TAX
en- from his home at Colma a week
ago Tuesday night for use in the
last sacrament he had been called
by his kidnapers to administer "to
a dying friend"
Papers, including a railway rate
certificate, a garage bill. bills of
lading for furniture and similar
articles were also found.
Hears Girls Story.
William Hightower, a mechanic,
furnished the clew which led TO the
discovery and guided the search
ers composed of himself, Chief of
| Police Daniel O'Brien of San Fran
| cisco, Constable S. A Landini of
| Colma and four newspaper men to
the grave. Hightower had found
the grave first through a story told
him by woman known as Dolly
Mason of Salt Lake City, whose
suspicious had been aroused by the
disconnected statements OF drunk
en- foreigner who had called upon
her.
You better be afraid of thia
gun" the foreigner had told her.
1T has killed a man.
But he is not alone. Beside his
grave sits a man also frying pan
cakes
Hightower found the grave with
in sight of a sign, familiar in the
| west, pictuTing an old desert rat
frying pancakes over little fire.
Hightower had found signs of a
grave, but had investigated no fur
ther. He told a newspaper report
er, and last night the searching
party went out and unearthed the
body of the missing priest
Father Heslin had been shot
through the heart, probably at the
| brink of the grave. Cartridges were
scattered nearby.
| There was nothing to indicate
| how long Father Heslin was held
captive by his kidnapers before he
was murdered.
| Hightower was detained by the
I police pending the investigation of
the case and a search for Dolly
Mason was instituted She was be-
| lieved to have left San Francisco
for Portland. Ore.
The body was exhumed by the
light of a lantern.
Hated Church.
San Francisco, Calf, Aug. IL
ASSOCIATED Press.)-At times the
foreigner. Dolly Mason told High
tower, expressed hatred for the
r Catholic church.
+ Hightower said he pondered over
the matter for three days, and last
: night, after a further visit TO the
> find" resolved to go to the resi-
dence of Archbishop Edward J.
= Hanna of San Francisco and tell
: the high authorities of the church
: his story. The archbishop was in
7 conference at the time and High
g tower told his story to newspaper
reporter, who Immediately took the
man to his newspaper office and
police officials were called.
Anonymous Letter.
Last Aug. 3, a week ago last
night. Archbishop Hanna received
\ an anonymous letter demanding
1 500 in small bills for the safe re
turn of Father Heslin. and yester'
day the archbishop received aqoth'
er letter demanding $4,000 ran
;. som.
Father Heslin was last seen alive
about 8 O'Clock on Tuesday eve
ming, Aug. 2, when stranger drove
I'M TO the parochial residence a.
! Colma in an automobile. Under thf
pretense that he wanted the priesi
. to deliver last sacrament to dy-
: ing relative, Father Heslin lefl
I with him.
Suspect HightOwer.
= San Francisco, Aug. ia searcf
of the room occupied by W A
! Hfghtower, a baker, who last nlghl
: led the poIice to the grave OF the
Rev. Patrick Heslin, missing priest
: revealed a rife. articles OF bloody
lapparel, and clippings from local
lnewspa pers showing the amount o.
the reward offered for the priest
return.
i The police said they would con-
} front Hightower at once with theif
| findings.
). 1905