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Show Diocese of Denver ELIZABETH KELLY, Correspondent. The Infermountaln and Colorado Catholic Js placed on pale at the James Clarke church goods house, 67 California street. Denver, Colo. Father Leo Gets Martyr's Crown. (Special Correspondence by Elizabeth Kelly.) J As truly as ever paint of old earned a martyr's crown for the faith that is founded on sacrifice, the faith that the ; crucifixion of Christ purchased for the erring- son of man. Father Francis Leo Heinriohs, O. F. M., known in religion j as Father Leo, suffered the death of a j martyr in the sanctuary of St. Eliza- j beth's church last Sunday morning, where he was shot and killed while giving: holy communion. ' His assassin, Guiseppe Alio, an an-nrchist. an-nrchist. was captured at the door of the church by E. J. Quigley, a con-ducior con-ducior for the Denver & Rio Grande railroad, assisted by Policeman Daniel Croninand taken to the city jail. Even the fact that Alio will meet speedy punishment, and that retribution retribu-tion sure and swift is bound to be his, docs not make any less keen the consternation con-sternation among- the citizens of Denver, Den-ver, Catholic and Protestant, who resent re-sent 1he slaying of a Catholic priest even as he was lifting his hand to bless a communicant at the sanctuary rail. Alio was taken to Colorado Springs at noon Sunday, because feeling had run po high that mob violence was feared. And it is a significant fact that it was not among Catholics that summary sum-mary punishment was suggested, but . by disinterested parties, men who declared de-clared the killing the foulest plot on ihe police annals of the country. For the tragedy enacted in the dim recesses of St. Elizabeth's church last Sunday has no parallel in all history, Hnd the double crime of Alio having! desecrated the Holy Eucharist the in-Mant in-Mant he fired the shot which terminated terminat-ed the priest's life, makes him stand absolutely without sympathy before the world. The most horrible desecration of "atholic churches in the times of the French revolution, when they were pillaged pil-laged right and left, is the only record in history which can be compared to the terrible sacrilege which prefaced the actual murder of Father Leo. The story is dramatic in the extreme. Guiseppe Alio awoke from a troubled sleep last Sunday morning when the chimes of St. Elizabeth's church called the faithful to prayer. Two full hours before he was awake Father Leo, the pastor of St. Elizabeth's church, was meditating in his bare little room In the monastery which adjoins the thurch. Father Leo was a devout man. He was awake even before his associates associ-ates had stirred, although the monks never sleep after the sun is up. Before 6 o'clock he was in the sacristy of the church donning the sacred vestments. The little acolytes, Joseph Hines and Joseph Miller, were putting on their surplices when an Italian, small and pinched, walked up the aisle. , He was one of the faithful arriving early, they thought, and went right on. . The man was Alio. He had come early that he might select a pew in which to compete his plans for the assassination as-sassination of the priest. He possibly thought there would be a sermon for he knelt close to the pulDit and frequently fre-quently looked up in that direction. The faithful, the men and women who had left their homes before dav- light to assist at early mass, came I gradually to the church but they did not notice Alio. In fact there was nothing unusual about the man. He knelt when the others knelt, he stood when the -others stood, he sat when the other sat, he bowed his head when the others bowed theirs at the solemn parts of the holy mass. : , Then came the bell calling the. de vout to the communion rail. Alio left his pew and clasping his hands as the most pious might be expected to do he took his place at the railing between two women. Still no one turned a cu-' cu-' rious eye upon him. Heads were bowed while the door of the tabernacle was opened and the ciborium taken from its curtained receses. Alio did not look ud. He took th- communion cloth which was flung over the railing and put it under his chin The sacred host was laid on his tongue with the solemn words. "Corpus Domini nostri Jesus Christi custodiat animam meam in vitamn aeternam i Amen. ' The priest passed to the next commu- nicant and raised his right hand with the body eucharist . in blessing when Alio spat the undisolved host from his mouth while a demoniacal grin spread over his face.' Joseph Hines, the little altar boy, saw hiin do it and saw him at the same instant. lift a gleaming revolver re-volver from under the communion cloth which he still held close beneath his chin. The boy cried, "Look out, father." The priest turned to incjuire of the boy what the danger was but in turning turn-ing to the left he felt the revolver pressed to'ght against his heart. Just then the report of a gun rang out on the sti'l air and the solemn scene was changed to one of wild excitement and turmoil. The Italian with smoking revolver in i hand- hurried down the center aisle Ho pointed it to right and to left, and j women, terrified, sat in their places. A few remained with heads bpwed to I say the prayers "for the dying while I others screamed in confusion. j Mr. Quigley came to church right j from the Union depot, having arrived I on a 5:15 train. He chose a back pew because he did not have time to go home and dress for the service. He saw the Italian start down the aisle and rushed from his pew. He grappled with him. Alio still flourishing the revolver re-volver and Quigley fcaiing momentarily momentari-ly that he would be the next victim of the assassin's bullet. Policeman Daniel Dan-iel Cronin who happened to be in church, rushed to Quigley's assistance and wrested the revolver from him. Untying a horse which stood at the curb, the two men drove the prisoner to the citr jail. j In the meantime the dying priest had lisped his farewell words and had fallen into the last long sleeD. It was a peaceful death, the kind of death that made the monks from the neighboring neigh-boring monastery envious. There was peace w ritten on his full young face and there was an estatic smile on the colorless lips. Father Leo had gone to his reward He had worked long years' in preparation prepa-ration for a future life and that life was unfolded to him in front of God's altar while he was ministering tf the faithful. The assassin's bullet had pierced the left ventricle of his heart. The shock had caused his arm to shake and the ciborium had been tilted. Two tiny hosts fell to the floor and broke. But with his fast waning strength he clung tenaciously to the sacred vessel and as if by a miracle he fell on his knees on the lowest step of the altar dedicated dedica-ted to Our Lady while the ciborium slipped only a few inches from his hand, lighting in an upward position on the highest step. "Are you shot, father?" cried the Hines boy as he saw the priest kneel. "I think so. Joe," he said calmly. "Call Father Eusebius." Father Eusebius is first assistant to the pastor of St. Leo's. Pointing to the broken hosts on the carpet, the priest gasped, "Call Father Eusebius." Father Eusebius was in the sanctuary sanctu-ary in a short time, and he attended to the hosts while Father Wulstan administered ad-ministered the sacrament of extreme unction. Before the last words of the last words of the Latin service which accompanies the administration of extreme ex-treme unction. Father Leo was dead. The few communicants who were at the railing when the tragedy occurred knelt. and together recited the litany, and then turned their tear-stained faces toward the door. The assassin had been arrested. What next? " There were men there whose souls writhed under the awful strain, and there were women who actually prayed that the man would not go unpunished. unpun-ished. Face to face with Chief of Police Michael Delaney, the Italian showed no trace of remorse. "I have done my work well." he said with emphasis. . "I am ready now to let the law take its course. I suppose they will hang me." Then Alio went on to tell how he was high priest of an anarchistic sect which considered the Catholic church the avowed enemy of anarchy and socialism, so-cialism, and that he had been delegated dele-gated to exterminate the clergy, beginning be-ginning with four priests slated to die on Sunday. He admitted that he had no personal grievance against Father Leo. that he did not even know him. and that hi.s slaying him was only the first step in the annihilation of the Catholic clergy of Denver. He pleaded that he was hungry and that he was poor and therefore he was an anarchist. In a short time, though, there was flt-T - - " 1 1 lafX ; ;-trv" 7':'?70l :'X$&i000 a suspicious rumble outside. The chief i of police decided that the life of the Italian was not safe now that the news had spread, and he ordered him transferred to the county jail in West Denver. Even over there in a few hours crowds began to gather, and the same alarm was felt. Alio was taken In an automobile to Littleton and there placed aboard -the 1:30 o'clock train for Colorado Springs. Once at the springs he was safely lodged In the El Paso county jail. That was the first time the Italian felt safe. That was the first time since the first fear came over him, that his lips parted and he resumed his story. He reiterated his statement that he had no personal feeling against the priest he had slain. Father Leo came to Denver last September from the tmrent house of the Franciscan Fathers at Paterson. N. J. During all of the time he had been a priest of the Catholic church he had labored in New York state, but he came west willingly, for he had been schooled in obedience, and it mattered mat-tered little to him whether he worked there or hore, so long as he labored in the vineyard of the Lord. He came here to succeed Father Pius, who was recalled. Father Leo was born In Oesterlch, Prussia, Aug. 15, 1867. He was only 16 when he came to America, leaving behind him father, mother, two brothers and two sisters. After a few years he entered en-tered the Franciscan noviate and took thev habit when only 19. He was ordained or-dained July 26, 1891. When he came to Denver last September he became superior of the Franciscan monastery, and was loved by all of those under his charge. No less did the congregation congrega-tion of St. Elizabeth's church love their pastor. The poor never left him unaided, for while as a monk, and under un-der a vow of poverty, he had nothing of his own store to give, he was ever ready to interest those of his friends who were prosperous in the cause of those who suffered. For twenty-two years Father Leo had not seen the fatherland. He had been promised by the American provincial pro-vincial of the Franciscan order that he might return In June of this year, and friends had even offered the money for a ticket to New York City to make sure that nothing would stand in the way of his getting home. He looked forward longingly to seeing see-ing the brothers and sisters he had left behind, and he thought of how proud he would be to go back to his childhood child-hood home with the Roman collar about his neck. It was all like a dream to the priest. But instead, he embarked on the last long journey into the great unknown. Shortly after the tragedy Father Eusebius Eu-sebius telegraphed to the provincial at Paterson, N. J., and received in response re-sponse a message to the effect that Father Leo's associates In the parent house learned with "sublime joy" of his attainment to a martyr's crown. Rey. Father Bieake, the provincial, gave Instructions to have the body-shipped body-shipped to Paterson for Interment in the monastery cemetery there. When Father Leo dropped dead on the altar steps he was in his full vestments. vest-ments. Strange as it may seem, the blood did not ooze from the wound to stain the alb of the priest. His chasuble chasu-ble was removed before the body was claimed by the coroner. Down in the morgue where the body was prepared for burial a girdle of steel, heavily spiked, was filed from the waist of the priest. Bracelets of the same metal were taken from his arms. This method meth-od of disciplining , his flesh had evidently evi-dently been followed by Father Leo for some time, as the girdle was clotted clot-ted with blood and rusted from frequent fre-quent washing. The church recognizes that the commission com-mission of a felony in a structure dedicated dedi-cated to the service of God renders that edifice unfit for further ceremonial until it is reblessed. Accordingly, as soon as the body of Father Leo was removed Father Eusebius Eu-sebius posted this notice on the door Of St. Elizabteh's church: "Owing to the frightful tragedy enacted en-acted in this church by an unknown criminal, the wanton killing of our be-lover be-lover superior pastor and friend. Father Fath-er Leo, all services will be discontinued discontin-ued for the day. Kindly reader, breathe a silent prayer for the repose of the soul of our beloved friend (Sierned' "FATHER EUSEBIUS." Bishop Matz is absent in California, and Monsignor Robinson, vicar general of the diocese, is away in search of health. In the absence of these two Rev. P. A. Phillips, chancellor of the diocese, is acting ordinary. He telegraphed tele-graphed the bare facts of the tragedy to the bishop and asked for instructions about the reblessing of St. Elizabeth's church. Bishop Matz wired his sympathy to Father Eusebius, and delegated Father Phillips to bless the building so that the solemn high mass of requiem for Father Leo might be held In the church where he was slain. At 3 o'clock Monday afternoon Father Fa-ther Phillips, assisted by several other priests, conducted the service which restored the church to its good standing. stand-ing. Father Phillips was' assisted in the solemn ceremony by Rev. J. J. Brown, S. J.. president of the college of the Sacred Heart; Father Bertrand, S. J.; Father Desaulniers, pastor of the Church of St. Mary Magdelen; Rev. Father Deatcher, assistant pastor of St. Leo's; Rev. Father Dubbel of Breckinride, and all of the Franciscan fathers from the monastery. All through the afternoon the body of Father Leo lay in the parlor of the monastery with myriad candles burning burn-ing around It and hundreds of the faithful kneeling in prayer. The church ' I was being draped in black for the funeral, and early Tuesday morning the heavy black casket was carried into the sanctuary, to repose in front of the altar, on the spot where death had come to him in the discharge of his sacred duty. The candlesticks were draped in somber som-ber wrappings, and the festoons of black bunting lined both side walls of the church. Solemn high mass for the repose of the soul of the dead priest was offered while a congregation which taxed the capacity of the church knelt in prayer. The body lay before the altar all through Tuesday, and at 10 o'clock on Wednesday morning the faithful gathered gath-ered for the funeral service. There was not standing room in the wide aisles, and the choir loft was unable to hold one-half of those who tried to gain entrance to it. The celebrant of . the high mass of requiem was Rev. Father Francis O'Neil, O. P., pastor of St. Dominic's church in North Denver, selected because be-cause of the friendship existing between be-tween the Franciscan and Dominican orders. Father William O'Ryan, the close neighbor of the monks at St. Elizabeth's and the pastor of St. Leo's church, preached the following sermon: "That any sermon is attempted on this solemn occasion is not because of Father Leo, the simple Frarciscan friar, who is dead, nor even because of the high offense against the Almighty Father of us all, who lives, but because of the society In which we live and its outraged and loosened bond of law. Crimes such as that of last Sunday are assaults on no mere individual; they I are against you and me and all of us. They strike and wound law and Justice in her holy sanctuary whence breathes the very life of the civilized state. "Father Leo was struck down, the murderer confesses, because he was a priest and not for any fancied grievance griev-ance or Imagined injury that the murderer, mur-derer, had received from him. He never nev-er knew the dead priest; he had never spoken with him; their lives except in that one dread moment of blood and sacrilege had never touched. Nor did he kill him, as priests have been killed, in hatred of his special creed. But the fiend knew that the priest was some outward symbol and present ambassador ambassa-dor of that only authority by which kings reign and magistrates execute Justice and human law rears itself In awful dignity and finds its sanction the authority and governance of God. And because the murderer had revolted revolt-ed against God's authority his rebellion went to its uttermost logical conclusion in action; he revolted against its presence pres-ence in the world of human law and broke it until it gushed human blood; he revolted against Its outward symbol, the priest, and slew him. "The murderer was logical. The anarchist an-archist is never truer to his diabolical principles than when he slays a Catholic Cath-olic priest and slaps him at the altar of Qod. It matters not that the individual indi-vidual priest possesses little of the world's power or goods, nor desires them for himself; It matters not even that he is a follower of that blessed Francis who chose Lady Poverty for his bride and gave his great love to the poorest things and the most unloved. Wrherever he Is the Catholic priest in some great way carries in himself that church of authority and of God and ex-ternates ex-ternates her to men. He is an officer in that great army whos tramp is around the world: whose discipline ' is most perfect: whose organization ts most minutely refined; whose banners are forever set against the enemy of disorder and anarchy in the hearts, in the speech and in the actions of men as opposed to Just human government and divine rule. "Yes, he was logical. He might hate the ministers of other Christian bodies, but not with similar hate the impotent impo-tent hate that slays, for they, alas, are too divided to be dangerous to him. He might hate a king, for he rules: but kings come, and go and kingly policies pol-icies have their chances and changes. But the Catholic priest Is slain but to live and the Catholic policy, the Catholic Cath-olic accents of morality are unchanged id unchangeable as the throne of God. He saw this at home in Italy, that it is not the parliament of the king , that saves his crown to him; it is not the army of Italy that saves her from the spoiling of the socialist and the red hand of the anarchist; though weakened by many defections, the one strong, coherent, unyielding power Is still an imprisoned pope and an ill-used ill-used church. "And hence the whole foul brood of them, the Socialist who preaches and the anarchist who translates the ser-mon ser-mon into red deeds, come here hating the church and the P"esthd. Here they learn to hate all other things that are consecrated to us, the power of our president, the wisdom of our senates the majesty of our courts and the quiet dignity of our homes. "Great God, brethren, what are we doing? Of what are we thinking. A great president of our country is slain by a degenerate who was nerved to tne deed by socialist and anarchist vapor-ings. vapor-ings. We read that anarchy has Its seat in New Jersey; that she sits in council in New Orleans or Chicago. They have a propaganda, a red press, 'an appeal to reason,' for sooth; we are made aware that some of them come here from southern and eastern Europe Eu-rope in every shipload, and with supine indifference we look on. Have we found the pearl beyond price that we may roll it in the dust like a child's plaything? Have we grown so cold in our love toward the fair vestal, liberty, liber-ty, that we feel no Indignation when the ruffian and the stranger treat her as if she were the harlot of the public place?" Rev. Edward Barry. S. J., of the Church of the Sacred Heart, was deacon, dea-con, and Father Eisler, C. SS. R., of St. Joseph's church, was sub-deacon. Every priest in Denver, though, was present in the sanctuary, with Father Phillips officiating as master of ceremonies. The casket was borne in solemn procession pro-cession to the union depot, from which it was shipped to Paterson. The Knights of St. John formed the guard of honor, which walked on either side of the black hearse. The Knights of Columbus also appeared in line at the call of Grand Knight Delehanty, but the other organization being the stronger in St. Elizabeth's thurch, and having originated there years ago, the honor of acting as 'escort fell to it. The Christian Mothers, a society of the women wo-men of St. Elizabeth's church, attended attend-ed in a body. St. Elizabeth's is one of the three churches in the diocese of Denver to enjoy the distinction of being consecrated conse-crated edifices. ' The consecration took place on June " 1902, some years after the church had been opened. It was built by the German Catholics of Denver, Den-ver, and is the handsomest Catholic church in the entire state. Its frontage front-age is sixty-seven feet, and it extends to a depth of 132 feet. Adjoining it are the monastery and parochial school. The last parochial appearance of Father Leo was on Thursday evening of last week, when he addressed the bi-monthly meeting of the Knights of St. John in St. Elizabeth's school hall. The slayer of Father Leo is a Sicilian Sicil-ian shoemaker. He was born in 1857, and left his native land for Buenos Ayres in 1905. He arrived in New York last year, and came to Denver only a few weeks ago. He shared vj room at 1600 Fifteenth street with Michael Mi-chael Brunetti. In that room after the arrest of Alio were found bullets like that he had fired into the heart of the priest, sharpened to a needle's point. The successor to Father Leo has not been officially named, but it will doubtless doubt-less be Father, Eusebius. Father Eusi-bius Eusi-bius is familiar with the wants of the parish, having worked long as assist ant to the- beloved Father Francis. He has only recently returned to St. Elizabeth's Eliz-abeth's after a long time in New York, where he had one of the large downtown down-town churches. To the Franciscan Fathers throughout through-out the entire country who will most keenly feel the loss of the martyred priest, The Intermountain Catholic extends ex-tends sympathy. Requiescat in Pace. Lenten Regulations. The Lenten regulations will be read next Sunday in all the churches of the diocese. They will in nowise differ from those of previous seasons. In Logan Lo-gan avenue chapel the weekly devo tions will be on Wednesday and Friday evenings. Rev. Father McMenamin will deliver a series of sermons of "The Christian Family" during Lent. Next Sunday the explanation of the new-marriage new-marriage regulations, the reading of which was commenced on Sunday, Feb. 16, and continued last Sunday, will be concluded. Great care has been taken to make all points of the law clear to the faithful. Church Notes. Rev. "Joseph P. Carrigan. pastor of St. Patrick's church, Count Pasqual Corte and the new Italian consul, Baron Bar-on Losti, were among the speakers at the North Side Neighborhood house on Washington's birthday, when the Daughters of the American Revolution presented the boys ; -.v.. " ' house with a mjatiiii, . T ' flag. Rt. Rev. Bishop x , present in San Oiep.. . '! : is the guest of th- Sist. ."r" fc their hospital. He wi:: ,-,, ,",'t"rry : Denver until late in M,,r ;; ' lr'1 Rev. Father Walsh jj... . ,. . chaplain of Mercy s;.:.:vrr..",!.r- -i joying a brief vaeati..;i '' ! Springs. rW. Rev. Father Ph-'l;in. ...... . attending to the duties ..r ' '""a Brady during the latt. r ; ,."' fh;i:'fJ the city, is ill at Sr. j.-..-. . t.. '' ff'M Father Brady aec.rrra.. '.'.'! ' .'.,,",!'ita: Mgr. Robinson on h;--- V, f Springs in search of , ' Rev. Joseph Dubbel f ;, km who has been for soni .''J?'' hospital, where he u:.'l, r . .: V '' eratinn, has now r-"-. , . -,.r " f'P-to f'P-to be able to travel, .-in -,;.; ,'.',', week to visit hi.s br.th. . , ' r, Dubbel. pastor of t!i, ' .: "J'""' heim. Cal. Ana- The next monthly hk -. : ,; s. cent's Orphans' Aid .. :i h';; at the home of the George T. K earns, l::. Wri;.', V ,,t'" Tuesday afternoon. Marrl ?.. "? The Sacred Heart f .a.-j, ciety will hold its next r... .. ,,. ing Thursday afternoor,. y...r, n -' the home of Mrs. O. I. Smith r'-Race r'-Race street. The so.-j.ty , ., t-mpiat".! giving an afternoon can! : i'ty in near future in order to ra; -. n ".,,nv meet the ever-increasing ! !li.inis"Un'1 " on its treasury. The ladies of the parish si. j ... Magdalen, the new chun-h at Big.'! water, invite their friends :, a ,j and social to be given f-.p r;,. bonefi of the church Monday eve:Lins, Man, 2. at Goss hall. Eliot street ar i Xan. j ty-fifth avenue. ' I Wedding Bells. Miss Johanna T. Hotter an! iiHn,-0 W. Bohl were married Wednesday a, ernoon in Sacred Heart c hut e h. Th, ceremony was performed by Rev. ward Barry, S. J., pastor of the church. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bohl are very wi known in Denver, where they have :'. sided for a number of years. Mr. is in the employ of the Burlington' road. Personal. The ladies in charge of the enteru:;. ment for the benefit of the libra-fund libra-fund of the Young Women's Sodalitt of Immaculate Conception parish, ar full of enthusiasm and promise a delightful de-lightful evening to their guest? a-Granada a-Granada hall Friday evening. The officers of-ficers of the sodality having the a.Tai-in a.Tai-in charge are Miss Anna Frenztl. pr. feet; Miss Mamie A. Barry, first assistant; as-sistant; Miss Marie Weisenhorn, second sec-ond assistant; Miss Mary Bagley. secretary; sec-retary; Miss Maud Miller, treasurer, and Miss Marie Geise, librarian. The library is now accessible to any mem ber of the parish upon payment of the j small sum of $1 per year. The hour I are on Sunday from 10 to 11 a. m. and j from 7 to 7:30 p. m. On week day. ( except Saturday, the hours are from 3:30 to 4:30 p. m. se j M. J. Dolan and family have movei from East Colfax avenue to 1532 Emer- 1 son street. j ! Mrs. John A. Flynn spent part nf last j week with her mother in Central City Anna Marie, the little daughter o! Mr. and Mrs. P. Mulrooney of 1029 Easr Continued on Page 3. DIOCESE OF DENVER. Continued from Page 2. Seventeenth avenue, wh has been iLL with diphtheria, -is now on the road to recovery. John Seiler is recovering from a veny serious illness. Mr. P. J. Sullivan has gone to New York on business. " Miss Florence Flavin of 3202 Humboldt Hum-boldt street is expected home shortly from a delightful visit in Montana. Mr. and Mrs. Will Thurber celebrated celebrat-ed the third anniversary of their wedding wed-ding on Wednesday evening, Feb. 26, by entertaining their many friends at a dancing and card party at Hynd-man Hynd-man hall, on Downing and Twenty-eighth Twenty-eighth avenues. Unique invitations, printed on leather, were sent out. Mr. Thurber has been 'for some rears an usher in Logan Avenue chapel. |