The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-02-22
French Premier to Recover From
the Wound inflicted by
Assassin.
GRAPPLED WITH AssAILANT
"Tiger of France" Injured in Shout
der While Entering Auto in Front
of Home in Paris-WouId-Be
Slayer Is Arrested
Said to Be Russian.

Paris, Feb. 2O.--Georges Clemen-
ceau, Frances aged bur vigorous pre-
mier. was shot and slightly wounded
on Wednesday morning as he was en-
tering his automobile for drive
Five shots were fired by the assas-
sin, and it was at first reported hat
the premier had been wounded in this
head 1t developed, however, that the
wounds were in M. Clemenceau's back
and shoulder, and he apparently is not
dangerously hurt.
Premier on Way to War Office.
The shooting took place at 6 :55 In
the morning as the premier was leav-
ing his house in the Rue Franklin 10
60 to the war office.
The assassin was an ordinary look
ing man dressed as a workingman.
Five shots were fired, of which one
took effect in the premier's shoulder.
The assailant was arrested.
Policeman Goursat, who was wound
ed in the right eye by one Of the as
sassin's shots, said that Premier Jlc-
menceau rushed up to the assassin and
grappled with him.
Assassin From Russia.
1t was learned at the city hall that
the assailant of Premier Clemenceau
was a man named Emile Coffin, TWEEN
ty-five years old and born at Creil
The man said his home was in the
Montrouse quarter Of Paris. The POI
ice, however, dc not Believe the pa
pers he possesses belong to him and
are inclined to think him a Russian.
He is fair, with long, light har and is
tall of stature.
On Way to Confer With House.
Premier Clemenceau, when he was
shot, was on his way to a conference
with Col. E. M. House of the American
peace delegation and Arthur J. Bal
four, the British foreign secretary. The
conference had been fixed for ten
o'clock at the war office, when an i'm
portant question was to have been
taken up concerning more rapid pro-
cedure before the supreme council.
The news of the attempted assas-
sination reached Colonel House by
telephone from the foreign Office just
as he was starting from the Hotel de
Crillon with Secretary Balfour to meet
Premier Clemenceau at the DUAL
dOrsay.
Doctors Find Condition Good.
Professors Laubri, Gosset and Cuts
sier examined the wound in Premier
Clemenceau's shoulder. According to
their diagnosis, the premier was struck
In the posterior part of the right shout
der blade The bullet penetrated with
out visceral lesion. The doctors re-
ported general and local conditions as
perfect.
Assailant Said to Be Anarchist.
Coffin who shot Clemenceau, is said
to be a well-known anarchist. Glenn
eneeau was reported to attach no po-
litical significance to the attack,
One of the witnesses of the shoot
ing, Henry Moulin, a BARRIERS assis-
tant told a correspondent that when
he heard the first shot fired he be-
lieved 1t was the Americans firing in
the air, "as they are in the habit Of
doing" he said.
Assassin Beaten by Crowd.
Moulin rushed out of his shop when
he saw what was happening, however,
crying, "They have assassinated Glenn
enceaui" He closed with the premier's
assailant, Moulin added, and the man
threw away his revolver and held up
his hands.
Walters from a nearby restaurant
Joined in holding the assassin, whom
the police had some difficulty in get
ting from them, and before the police
secured the assassin he was beaten
by the crowd One of the men in the
crowd seemed to wish to help the pre-
mier's assailant and the crowd beat
him badly.
Policeman Goursat gave his descrip-
ton of the shooting to the correspond
ent In the city hall, where the arrested
man was brought.
Poincare Visits Wounded Man.
An enormous crowd, which observed
a respectful silence, assembled near
M. Clemenceau's residence after the
occurrence. Within half hour Pres
ident Poincare arrived. He was quick
ly followed by various members of the
cabinet, high officials Of the govern
ment and representatives of the army
and navy, as well as Of the diplomatic
corps, including William Graves Sharp
the. American ambassador.