PRIEST SHOT IN THE CONFESSIONAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1719, 9 April 1913, Page 5

PRIEST SHOT IN THE CONFESSIONAL.

$ assassin confesses he killed THE WRONG MAN. With Ihe cry "You have stolon my patron samt!" a half-crazed Dutch cominercial traveller named Weinand shot a Catholic missionary, Father Wenger, whilst ho was hearing confession in St. Mglebert s Church, Hulheim-on-Rulir. on icbruary 19, he church was in semi-darkness, the time being G. 30 a.m., when the missionary as usual was hearing confessions belor'e ?■ ,-7. -it 7. Just as the verger was lighting the cadles a man slipped into the church carrying a double-barrelled shot-gun. Wearing felt shoes, he did not make any noise, and was thus able to approach. tho confessional box at tho back of tho church unobserved. On a hassock at the side of tho box knelt a young girl. Weinand slipped' past her, suddenly thrust tho gun through the curtains of the box, and fired twice. Both shots took fatal effect, the priest dying instantly. The noise of the shots and the screams of the young girl, who was seized ' with hysteric kughtel, brought tho verger and other hurrying to the spot. AVeinand did not malre any resistance, and handed to the police a long-bladed dagger and thirteen cartridges. Wlien ha saw the dead missionary's face he said, "I have made a terrible mistake. I did not intend 'o kill this man, but Father Welter, who stole m.v patron saint." ' Father Welter is the parish priest, but his place was being taken by another priest who was conducting a mission.