Year: 1869

.C0rrcSpOn 0encc OF the LONDON Ilmcs.


BERLIN, August lie believe in God
the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
Ghost"


You lie :"


A shot, cry T.; general commotion.
On Sunday, August s, in the presence Of
q numerous congregation, this sacrilegious
scene was enacted in the cathedral church
of Berlin. The Rev. H. Heinrich was stand
ing before the altar reciting the Belief,
when young man, rising from front seat
and interrupting the clergyman, gave him
the lie, and at once discharged pistol at
his breast. The next moment he was in
the hands of the sexton, and quietly suffer-
ed himself to be led away to the vestry. a
portion of the congregation, seated at a
distance, having only heard the report and
seen the curling smoke, without any definite
notion of what was going on, Immediately
began to move toward the door, and created
considerable tumult but those near the
altar, who had been witnesses Of the daring
attempt, retained their seats. In pre-
serving their composure they but initiated
the noble example of the clergyman whose
life had just been placed in such jeopardy.


The Rev. H. Heinrich was unhurt; nor





body the ball had missed been shaken. No
sooner had the trying interludc, the details
of which seem to have been observed with
terrible distinctness by those near come to
an end than the intended victim calmly re-
sumed reading the Greed, and with rcdou-
bled fervor proclaimed that belief the ut
terance of which had imperilled his life.
After this the services were continued in
accordance with the prescribed ritual. The
Rev. H. Heinrich left the altar, when the
Rev. DR.. K0gel ascended the pulpit and
preached O sermon, in which he introduced
n passage expressive of his thanks to God
for the miraculous escape of his clerical
brother. Quiet had been speedily restored,
and the greater portion of the congregation,
agitated as they we're by the most powerful
emotions, left the church only after the
final bcnediction.


In the mean time the criminal had been
conducted by policeman to the nearest sta
ton and examined by superior officer.
TO all the questions put to him nc replied
with the utmost trankness and composure.
He said:


"My name is BLAND, l am nineteen
wears of age, q Protestant, and the son Of a
blacksmith in the village of Lank, county
of Lower Barnim, few miles from Berlin.
Ny parents sent me to a grammar-school:
wishing me to become a candidate for the
ministry in the Established Church But
nv eyes were soon opened to the creed l was
expected some day to teach, and my dislike
was increased to disgust when | perceived
that many of those protesting to believe it
were liars at heart. l refused to pursue a
career which had become so hateful to me,
and resisted all attempts Of my parents to
force me to perseyere.


Eventually saw myself left by them to
my own devices, and began to study art
the dramatic art, mean. | wished to be-
| come an actor, and to preach to the public
in my own way; but the religious men
| dacity rampant around me gave me no rest.
Some l saw uttering deliberate untruths,
while others, knowing them to be such, lis
tened with contemptuous Indifference.
| Gradually taught myself that some strlk-
ing decd was indispensable to rouse the
public mind from its apathy and chase
away the mists of superstition.


81 therefore determined to seize the first
favorable opportunity that offered for shoot
ing a clergyman while in the act of utter
ing his accursed perjuries. have done 1t.
! have myself cast the ball and done my
best to render the shot fatal. l am sound
in body and mind, and scorn the suggestion
that have acted under the disturbing in
tiuence of temporary insanity. | perfectly
knew what was about, and am convinced
there are many able to comprehend the dis
interestedness of my purpose, though they
may, perhaps, not approve the method
chosen to compass it. My design was to
shoot Mr.. Heinrich, and was prepared to
pay the penalty of the deed.''


Such in substance was the statement OF
the reckless, misguided young man. In
quiries seem fully to confirm his words.
His having missed at a distance of three
PAGES at first gave rise to the surmise that
he had fired with blank cartridge but it
is only too true that there was ball in the
barrel. The course of the ball has been
exactly traced. Passing within an inch of
the clergyman's head, it penetrated the
open balustrade of the gallery in which the
Dom Mor-celebrated for its vocal per-
formances-was stationed, and grazed the
cheek of one of the choristers, boy OF
twelve. The little fellow, although his
cheek instantly began to swell, did not
leave the church, but sang his allotted part
to the end. The Prince Adalbert, the only
member of the Royal family present, when
the service was over fastened to express his
sympathy to the clergyman and the little
chorister boy.