The Washington times., 1919-02-20
SHOT PUNCTURED
PREMIER'SL LUNG
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Coffin las been closely connected
with Russian prisoners who were re-
Gently repatriated.
No decision had been reached today
whether Coffin will be tried by
military or civil tribunal.
Exhaustive inquiry among the eye
witnesses established the fact that
cottin was unassisted. It Is now be
lieved that nine bullets were fired.
instead Of seven, as reported yester-
day. Traces of nine bullets were
found upon the motor car in Wnicn
the premier was seated when the at
tack was made.
During the medical examination
President Poincare, A. ]. Balfour, inc
British Foreign Secretary and most
OF the members Of the peace CONFER
ence called.
Crowd Gathers.
In the meanwhile a great crowd had
gathered outside OF the premiers resi-
dence and were shouting Long i've
CIemenceau-"
The motive for the crime is not yet
certain, but 1t is believed to be the
act of an isolated anarchist to remove
one OF the strongest figures In the
peace conference.
During his fifty years in public life
Premier Clemenceau has made many
political enemies, notably amonS
the socialists, Notwithstanding the
fact that the premier has always
classed himself as a socialist. 1t Is
noteworthy circumstance that the So
cialists were among the first TO con-
denim the crime.
The shots were fired at a distance
Of about six feet, but fortunately the
This is the concrete story Of the
various eye witnesses:
The premier emerged from his resi-
dence in the Rue Franklin shortly be-
fore 8 o'clock. He wore a fur-lined
overcoat and derby hat and carried a
portfolio under his right arm. Step
ping briskIy across the sidewalk N
Clemenceau entered a military limou-
sine driven by a soldier chauffeur.
The Rue Franklin short street
was completely empty.
As the motor car moved slowly
away II was accompanied by four
bicycle policemen. Two were front
and two behind.
Aims Deliberately.
Just as the car turned from the
Rue Franklin into the Boulevard de
Lesson a man, wearing a>>raincoat
| jumped from a crowd OF women
shoppers in front Of a grocery store.
This man stood at the curb with a
| pistol in his hand and took deliberate
aim at NJ Clemenceau as the auto
mobile passed by.
At the first shot the driver Of the
| car threw 1t into high speed, and 1t
literally leaped from Che ground as
| II bounded forward. 'As the final
| two. shots crashed into the rear Of
/ the limousine, the chauffeur brought
it to a halt with a grinding Of
wheels.
A large crowd, attracted by the
noise OF the shooting, ran toward the
motor car.
In the meanwhile, NJ. CIemenceau
! had remained seated, although he
/ had momentarily leaped to his feel
after being struck by the first bull
let.
When the car stopped. he calmly
opened the door and stepped out anc
commenced to walk toward bone, {
| short distance away.
The crowd and the policemen leap
ed upon the assailant, bearing him Il
the ground. After a brief struggle
the man was disarmed, but while thi!
was happening the rage Of the peo
pie had arisen to such a pitch tha
they were shouting for his blood.
"Death to BOIshiViI<L"
The first impression OF the mel
and women was that the man was I
BolsheviS, and il was then that the!
shouted Death to the Bolsheviki."
The belief is universal that N
| Clemenceau will soon be up an
about, and take his active part Il
the peace conference negotiation
within a few weeks.
Sarch was made today Of the apart
ments of Dreyfus, the anarchist VIII
helped defend Coffin after the shoot
ing, and a trunlSful of anarchist lit
erature was found.
After Dreyfus was seized yesterda
morning he overpowered the police
man who was holding him and fle
shouting:
'He did WE'LL
Dreyfuss was quickly retaken.