MURDER OF FATHER NESLIN

Otago Witness, Issue 3518, 16 August 1921, Page 22

MURDER OF FATHER NESLIN

DETAILS OF THE OR Of E. SAX FRANCISCO, August 6. Father Patrick Heslin, a. well-known Roman Catholic priest, lias disappeared. Archbishop Hanna received an unsigned note demanding a ransom of 50,000 dollars and threatening the death of Father Heslin if the money is not delivered. The note said that the priest was held prisoner in a cal jin in the south of San Francisco, where aeroplanes, bloodhounds, and mounted police are searching. KIDNAPPED PRIEST. NEW YORK, August 8. Archbishop Hanna offered £IOOO for the recovery of Father Heslin, the kidnapped priest, and the police have offered a similar amount. SAN FRANCISCO, August 10. (Received August 12, at 5.5 p.m.) The body of the Rev. Father Patrick Hesl in was found buridd in the sand on the Salada beach with a bullet hole through the heart and his skull crushed, indicating that he had been murdered. The kidnappers did not receive the ransom they demanded, and it is believed that they carried out their threats. LONDON, August 11. Sensational developments are reported in connection with the Father Heslin case. On August 2 an excited and closelymuffled foreigner called at the rectory and induced Father Heslin to accompany him on a visit to an alleged sick friend. Subsequently Archbishop Hanna received a demand for Father Heslin's ransom. On Wednesday a mechanic named Hightower informed the police that he had met a drunken foreigner, who declared that he had killed a man, and he indicated the place where lie was buried. Hightower went to the spot, and digging discovered Father Heslin’s body. Father Heslin had been shot through the heart, and evidently had been dead only a couple of days after being held prisoner. There are several indications that the grave had been dug and the priest placed on the brink and then shot. The police are holding Hightower till they can investigate the disappearance of his alleged informant. HICIIITOWER TO BE ARRESTED. NE\A YORK, August 12. Later details chow that Father Heslin's grave was at the foot of a cliff over 100 ft high. There were six bullet holes in the body, and the skuli was crushed. An CO !oi non-' was found in his pocket. The poln-e infer ti !•'■ : her Heslin was asked to vdk to the edit', and that he was -hot from behind v.h : c- peering nv.o into Jar cave below. T.ie murderers riddled the body with bullets to make sure that life was extinct. The police are preparing to arrest Hightower mi a charge of murder. They believe that at least one other person is involve-:!. They suspect that Hightower feared that the police were on his trail, which was the reason why he voluntarily offered information regarding the location of the body. Liiahtower's room was searched. It revealed a piece of Woody bi Jag. a ride, and newspaper clipping relating to the reward. The police also found an infernal machine such, as that mentioned in the first demand for ransom which was sent to the archbishop. It consisted of a rifle contrivance, and it- would fit on to a door In such a manner as to .make it impossible to open the door without di-charging the ride. The first note- regarding the ransom declared that Father Heslin was held in a room guarded by this contrivance.