Shot at the Alter

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13691, 5 September 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

Shot at the Alter

MI'RDER OP A PHI EST. lfiu.*e(>jx' Alia, who uiuriii-rcii Father \s-« \U inriflis. of tlit- Order of Franciscan -\loi)k>. at the altar tad in St. Elizabeth'* Chinch, in l>enver, while the priest wa« administering the .sacrament.' was- h.mged at Canon City on July 15th. A 'ia had been m Denver twveral weeks, unemployed ami apparently pecituleK.-o Early on the morning of Sunday, February 23. according to hi* ttory. ho was .•uoiK*d from sleep by the ringing of tlw chimes in St, Elizabeth's Chunh. He arose. flttr»<;d hinr*h" lmriiedly, and walked out to tin' church. led by the tone* id she boll, which recalled aIU-god wrong" fX|)fti«-iiipd in hiii native Italy .-uid atlri bur-d by him to the- Church.

Kti'.«-r.iiy tit.- church. Aim went through tin- ;i«u;i! i-. -rt'iiiony of dialing hftnevlf with h< Iv u.it.r, and ili.'ii waieii himself uh.-rv view of the nltnr would br tut titi»trttct.<l. Thetv hj- (uUottvd the titital up n> the |wiu>! wh«rr romimmioii i« giwu id :il! who .ite prepared. Aim approach d

tin ai;;ir ;iful. kt»«-t lint?, awaited (tli.-.-trnv.-i! «.f the priest offii'i.-itnig at the com iiiuiiii'ii, not knowing Aha h.i* *.-tid. or caring «-(m it rdiotilil !>.-. \Vi>. n I'.uhct l.ro ixdoVvd hy ;»(! who kt» V Jiilli, hofh in niid ou<*:d* tti.- I'hutch-:ipj*-;ired with !he r< ti •-••cr.it ed uafeii.. All-'i mvordilJg to on u slcif>-m«-iit. .could hurely iroircuii ;i dcite lo *prii»y ;it ; h.- thr..:it ot tin p!{. ..:. .{.-.pi;.- (h- p!:icc\ the kfiJif, .in.! ihc peculiarly -:u :■ .1 tdiiitJct«-r <>t the ai'Moii in jitn^rvks..

Oil sh- u.d-r }»■■»>{; pr--»ent.-d Aha t-pat i il frtiin h>» tiioufh. :ind almost »;nuii? ;>n j C"ti<--ly M it It tin* d-i .<r:i'.i' ti -i <dio{ i.Uij; <•■•!. JitJii Father !..-.» >.'.nk in t b-* floor ; utoit.iily wounded. A in:!!.-: from a k> i vojver fired hy Al.x h:ui jiciie? rr,t.-d th.- | pr;.**:'-« Immlv iK-ar th. b<-ar*-. Al.-.i, wsth r\ j otir»'~. chitted t'-Wiird* th<- M»:»iti «s>!r of | t}i» ihiircii and ru»h< d for the door, With | hi* h:nr di*'-v.hd :<t.d :> *»ti|iti.iii;> «.:. I ]Mii> over hi" hod he m.«df> hi* ] w;.v to ttittjui t,» fn>t of jh<> {"irfid. wh«i»i hf? mt»f»d .-»»»! fell | I'oiir-nian Dan*-] I'rrntn, who vtm> i iiM't*.»i' th<* w<M«hipp»-n», « r»~«cbed the re v-nhcr from Al»'» hand, and dragged him to the *uv<t in an ttTort hmt /mm the maddened wondiiprwr*. »h«* policeman Pti*{ hi* ch»re<» ««« uttrramidcd br freiwal hundred person*,, Wto were aboot to tear AUa from th** otiker** bands, trltm «ev»-r»l wA Fraoctjscatt brother* appeared on th« swp* ■ >i..i 10-.-i.r.ir.t :.. r.vi-r; mo!. vi/h-» >( -. i S-vn..| !>..„r* Ut*, .V;-:, ~,.,» M ,, : ,r.-i ..„•

of the town in an automobile, and' taken to Colorado Springs. The-trial was comparatively brief,. but every opportunity of defence was given. Insanitv was pleaded, but the best alionBts in "Denver testified that Alia was sane.and he was sentenced to be hanged. A petition from in Aiia's native town in ltalv. pteaded for his life, and declaring that he w:;s undoubtedly insane. w~is forwarded to the Italian Consul, but it was without effect.