The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-04-03
THINK BLIND MAN
JUMPED FROM BRIDGE
Relatives of Frank Coffin Be.
Ileve He Committed
Suicide

Frank Goffin,-27 years, blind man,
is now believed by the police to be
the man who leaped from the Wa
basha street bridge. distance of
ersoon.
Joseph. Kovotsch, the Austrian, at
first thought to have jumped from the
bridge, is still alive. Kovotsch was in
Minneapolis on Friday afternoon and
returned to his boarding house. 512
East Seventh street, late Saturday
night. when he learned of his report
ed death.
Frank Coffin has been missing from
his home, 500 Hudson avenue, since
Friday morning. and was last seen
about 2 o'clock Friday afternoon. when
he bid several friends goodby. saying
they would never see him again. The
hat found on the. bridge. where it had
been left by the suicide. has been iden-
tilted as Goffin's by his brother Joseph
and several acquaintance of the miss
ing man. The blind boys father also
identified the hat and before being
shown the head piece accurately de-
scribed a tag bearing the size of the
at-7b-pasted on the inside of the
band.
Left Home Friday
Frank has not been home since Fri
day morning." said the elder Coffin last
night. He left the house about 10 o'clock
saying he was going to Minneapolis TO
visit friend. another blind man, and
that he would be home by night. He
was very down hearted when he left and
kept talking about something he had
done. L did not know what / was do
ing. father he said to me, just before he
tried to find out what the trouble was, but
he would not tell. Frank never stayed
away from home over night before and
/ am afraid he jumped into the river
Joseph Coffin. brother of the missing
man. positively identified the hat at the
central station yesterday afternoon and
his statement was corroborated by L.
w illiamson. barber at 1876 Payne ave-
nue.; Henry Dege, a saloonkeeper at Payne
avenue and Reaney street, and Frank
StranZ. SAG FauQuier street.
Friday morning about 10 o'clock the
blind man entered Wiliamson'S barber
shop and said that he had come TO bio
Williamson goodby.
Il asked him where he was going.
said Williamson. and he said never
mind, am going where no one will find
me and you will never see me again. L
laughed at him and told him to brace
up. but he kept saying goodby and he
finally left the shop. L did not see him
again"
H. Dege proprietor of the saloon at
that Friday afternoon about o'clock
Coffin came into the saloon and offered to
buy drink for a number of men who
were sitting around the place. This is
my last drink, he said, according to the
story told by Dege. After paying for the
drink, he shook hands with every one IN
the saloon and left the place.
Frank StranZ, 646 Fauquier street. met
Coffin on Payne avenue a short distance
from the saloon and asked him where he
was going.
Il have no friends on earth" the blind
man replied, land am going away"
Stranz was the last person who saw
his brother since last Wednesday. but
said that at that time Frank was feeling
blue and frequently remarked that he
was tired Of living.
Able to Travel Alone
Blind since his birth. Coffin acquired
wonderful faculty of taking care of him
self and for the last five years Travelled
rarely used a cane and always walked
at rapid gait with his hands clasped In
front of him. He knew tire city like
book and frequently made bets that he
could find any number of any street
alone. Several times his ability was test
ed and he never failed to find the place
said that at one time he sent the blind
man from the saloon on Payne avenue to
a place on Dale street with a message
and that in two hours Coffin returned with
an answer. Coffin was frequently seen
about the downtown streets of the city
peddllng shoe strings. 1t was his boast
that he knew the length of every bridge
in the city.
Coffin wore a dark coat at the time of
his disappearance which comedies with
the description of the clothing given by
witnesses of the suicide. He was about
feet 10 inches, weighs about $50 pounds
was heavy set and had dark eyes and
hair. Witnesses to the suicide described
the mans hair as black.
1t is the theory of the police that COT
fin headed directly for the Wabasha
street bridge after leaving Dege's saloon
Friday afternoon, and walking brislxly as
was his custom, to the highest point hurled
himself over. He would have been able
10 tell when over the river. they argue
by the air on his face. Coffin was, Of
course, unaware of the existence of the
Wire running underneath the planking or
the bridge. which would account for him
jumping directly onto it. The body has
not been recovered, although an active
search is going on among the fishermen
along the river.