The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-09-08
To ASsassinate President
Roosevelt
A SUSPECT UNDER ARREST
He Declares That He Went to Oyster
Bay to Lead Back 10000 Troops
to Boston to QueIl the Yegg-
men-Believed to Be Crazy.

oyster Bay, n. ", Sept. S.-The bot
tom was knocked out OF the story of the
alleged attempt to assassinate President
Roosevelt yesterday by statement by
Major Wadsworth, the presidents friend
who was riding with aim when shot
was fired. Major Wadsworth, on his de-
parture to-day, said that while shot
was fired, il was not directed at either
but came from target practicers on a
farm of w. Emlmen Roosevelt, the pres.
ident's cousin.
This, coupled with the investigation
at MineoIa to-day of suspect, COM
pletely upset previous theories. Cougn-
lin, the man arrested, told the United
Press correspondent in the Jail this morn.
ing that he lived at Walpole, Mass,
with his father, James lie declared that
he had not arrived at Oyster Bay until
yesterday morning. The weapon found
on him was empty and there was no
evidence Of its having been fired. There
were no cartridges on his person. Cough
lin will probably be committed to the
Kings Park insane asylum.
Evidence unearthed to-day raised the
belief that the man may be William II.
Coogan, former inspector of police in
Boston, who retired, several years ago.
he is said since then TO have given ind-
cations of mental weakness.
The man described himself as John
Coughlin, detective, and when stop.
ped by the secret service men pre-
scented card upon which was inscribed
his name and the word "0flicer." He
said that he had come to ask the presi-
dent to order 10000 troops to catch
yeggmen who had been tcrrorizing Bos-
ten.
Coughlin is supposed to have reached
Oyster Bay on the 1910 train. He
walked the three miles to Sycamore
Hill, appearing in the grounds shortly
after two o'clock.
One Of the rules for visitors at
fsealuore Hill i that no one shall
come On foot. 10 when Secret Service
Agent John ADAMS caught sight Of
Coughlin toiling up the hin road he mo-
TONED for the man to 90 back. Cough
lin kept right on and Adams ran down
The road to meet him. In response TO
the secret service mans demand as to
his business, Coughlin produced his
card and explained in the most casual
way that he had come to confer with
President Roosevelt concerning the re-
cant outrages by yeggmen in Boston
and lead back such troops as the presi-
dent thought it fit to order out
The secret service man tried to ex
plain that the president was not seeing
visitors at the moment, hoping to get
him quietly out of the grounds. Cough
lin hesitated a moment, glanced furi-
lively about and then slid his hand tow
ard the back pocket Of his trousers.
Adams took the hint and grappled with
his man without further parley. Cough
lin struggled for moment, but he is 4
slightly built man and Adams had no
difficulty in holding him until Agent
James Sloan, ir the chief of the pres-
ident's guard, came to his assistance.
Sloan searched the prisoner and found
iii his hip pockes 32-calibre revolver
Of the @bull dog type. The weapon
was wrapped up in woolen bag and
according to the secret service men
was not loaded
The slight struggle had not been OBJ
served at the house and the secret ser
vice men, without alarming the presi
dents family summoned one of the
government automobiles and carried
Coughlin down to the Oyster Bay town
hall where he was arraigned on a
charge OF carrying concealed weapons
and committed to the county jail at
NTineola. Coughlin viii be examined as
to his sanity.