The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-02-20
DID BOLSHEVIKI
PLOT CRIME?
Question Uppermost in Paris
as to Attempted Assassina-
tion of CIemenceau.
C0TTlN IMPRIS0N D
Aged Premier Tells Story Of
Attack From Evil Look
ing Stranger.

Paris, Feb. 20.--Was the attempt
upon Premier Clemenceau's life OF
bolsheviki origin. is a question being
insistently asked here. The Matin
today recalls that few days ago a
Geneva newspaper announced that
the bolsheviki in Lausanne. Switzer-
land, were plotting against NJ. Clem..
enceau's life and that two bolsheviki
had crossed the frontier to carry out
the plan.
The Paris police, says the Petite
Parisien, was warned some time ago
| that a plot was brewing against the
premier's life. The newspaper states
| that the wife of member OF the
| French consular service, formerly
stationed in Russia, was in the Rus
sian library In the Avenue Gobelins
a fortnight ago and overheard a dis
| cussion which made her sure that an
attempt against the premier was in
preparation. This library Ia one ire
quented by maximalists. The woman
| informed her husband of what she
had heard and he notified the police.
who assured him that the persons In
question would be closely watched.
| Paris. Feb. 20.--The father and
I mother of Emile Coffin, the would
be assassin of Premier Clemenceau,
| are simple working people. They live
! in Rue Convention, the father work
| ing in a factory in Issy les Moulin
eaux. A brother, age II. also works
| ma factory there. A second brother
is ave and a half years old.
Neighhors Of the family describe
| Emile Coffin as being addicted to
neither smoking or drinking but say
he was a great reader Of novels ana
books. on astronomy and sociology.
| His father tried In vain to combat
| the anarchistic ideas Of his son, but
| the latter ridiculed him as being
old fashioned. When he heard the
news of the attempted ASSASSINATION
he was at work but felt present.,
ment, 1t is said, that the criminal
was his son.
emile Coffin has been under treat,
| ment for an affection OF the neart
and a disease Of the larynx. =
Paris, Feb. 20.-Emile Coffin, VINO
attempted to ssassinate premier
Clemenceau, was taken to Sante
prison last night. An examination OF
| the automobile in which the premier
was riding when he was fired upon
showed seven distinct bullet marks.
| Coffin stated as his reason Tor at
| tacking M. Clemenceau that ne
planned to kill the premier because
| M. Clemenceau. Was the .erfemy OF
| humanity and was preparing for an
o'fYn That IN the a slaant had Been wait.
ing for him foryat least two days ana
that his presence had been noted "
the premier Was revealed by N
Clemenceau today to friends. Seated
in an armchair and wearing ms Ia
vorite skull cap, the aged statesman
gave the following account or the
attack:
yesterday when I was passing
that spot at the corner OF the bou'e'
ward DeIessert | remarked strange
silhouetted figure upon the pavement
showing some one examining me at.
tentiveiy. The silhouette was that OF
| a rather evi, looking man. ! said TO
myself hello, that fellow Is up to no
aood.' This morning at the same
| spot ! perceived the Same sIlhouette
and in,medi iately thought why that's
my friend Of yesterday
II hadn't time to continue the re-
Election for the individuals arm was
raised, revolver in hand. and he fired
at the door of the automobile and
hit the window. l didn't reflect that
there were perhaps other bullets In
the revolver. and as soon as the first
shot was fired | leaned forward to
see. Other shots followed rapidly, one
after another, and / felt sharp
pain low down the back of my neck.
The pain was so intense that / could
not help crying out. | realized per-
fectly that / had been nit"
"What followed" continued the
premier, passed with lightning ike
rapidly. The orderly, seated beside
the chauffeur on the front of the au-
tomobiIe, had, at tho first shot, pulled
his revolver out of his pocket. The
chauffeur at the same time put on
speed and got us out Of range. Then
he turned and brought me back home.
Now | feel absolutely nothing"
The premier paused here and
then added sarcastieally:
my adversaries are really poor
shots. They are exceedingly clumsy"
To Stephen Pichon, the foreign
minister, he said:
"Am ! not a good prophet! Do !
not arrange things ahead! | had ar
ranged to have no meeting Of the
conference today so that | could get
a little rest. Well, I've got it,
Mob Yelled Death"
Paris, Feb 20.-"Death to the boil
sheviki," yelled mob of women after
Premier Cemenceau had been shot
and was calmly walking from his
military automobile to his residence.
The people who had witnessed the
attack were infuriatec beyond meas
ure and, but for the police, Emile
Coffin. the assassin, would have been
torn limb from limb.
Coffin is about IS years old. He
stands six feet and has fiery red hair
reaching to his shoulders. He speaks
French. but with an unusual accent.
Coffin is an anarchist and IS
known among his lawiess associates
as "Mileu.". The man is believed to
be a disciple of the Lenlne regime in
Russia and has frequently boasted TO
his friends that he is "a super -pol-
shevist."
Exhaustive inquiry among the eye
witnesses established the fact that
Coffin was unassisted, and 1T is now
believed that nine bullets were fired
instead of seven. as reported yester-
| day. Traces of nine bullets were
found upon the motor car in which
the premier was seated when the at
4 tack was made. 1T is nothing: l am
all right" exclaimed the premier as
he stepped from the motor car and
started to walk TO his home.
Although he walked amidst an ad-
miring crowd unassisted, as soon as