The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-02-20

and the entire world were to be con-
graduated on the fact that the as
sassin had failed in his purpose.
Ferdinand Larnaude, in the name
of these expressions of sympathy.
Great Crowds Gather.
In the meanwhile a great crowd
had gathered outside of the premier's
residence and was shouting Long
live Clemenceau"
The motive for the crime is not yet
certain, but 1t is believed to be the
act Of an isolated anarchist who
sought to remove one of the strong
est figures in the peace conference.
During his fifty years In public
life. Premier Clemenceau has made
many political enemies. notably
among the socialists, Notwithstanding
the fact that the premier has always
classed himself as a socialist. It is
a noteworthy circumstance that the
socialists were among the first to
condemn the crime.
fff Bad Marksman.
The shots were fired at distance
Of about six feet, but fortunately the
assailant was a bad marksman. One
bullet. which had crashed through
the glass in the door of the automo-
bile. entered the right shoulder, strik-
ing the blade and travelling down.
ward toward the right breast. II
lodged there, but luckily escaped the
lung. ,t'
This is the concrete story of the
various eyewitnesses:
The premier emerged from his resi- =
dence in the Rue Franklin shortly
before 9 o'clock. He wore a fur
lined overcoat and derby hat and
carried a portfolio under his arm.
Stepping briskly across the sidewalk.
M. Clemenceau entered a military
limousine driven by a soldier chauf-
feur. The Rue Franklin--a short
street-was completely empty. AS
the motor car moved slowly away II
was accompanied by four bicycle po-
licemen. Two rode in front and two
behind.
Took Deliberate Aim.
just as the car turned from the
Rue Franklin into the Boulevard De
Leisert. a man wearing a raincoat
jumped from crowd of women shop
pers in front of grocery store. This
man stood at the curb with a pistol
in his hand md took deliberate aim
at M! Ciefiencean as the automobile
passed by. At the first pistol shot.
the driver Of the car threw II into
high speed and it literally leaped
from the ground as it bounded for
ward. 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. M. Clemenceau
had remained seated. although he
after being struck by the first bullet.
Premier Was Calm.
When the car stopped. he calmly
opened the door and stepped out and
commenced to walk towards his
home. short distance away.
Good News From Sick Room.
Paris. Feb. 20.-Good news came
early this morning from the sick
room Of Georges Clemenceau, where
he was being attended for the wound
inflicted upon him yesterday by the
anarchist, Emile Coffin, in the at
tempt to assassinate the French pre-
mier While all France. and in fact.
al lliC "oliu, was III ou-
spense for word of his condition, the
announcement was made that the
aged statesman was resting COM
fortably, that no fever had developed,
and that no complication had ap-
peared.
Nothing definite however. can. be
known as to what the results Of the
premier's injuries are likely to be un-
til an X-ray examination of the
wound. taken this morning. is de-
veloped and examined by the doc
tors. The wound in itself. is slight,
but necessarily serious for a man az
old as is the French premier. The
physicians. however, say his heart
and arteries are young and they point
out that he has been lifelong ah-
stainer from alcoholic drinks. has
not smoked for twenty years. and
that he has followed a careful rule of
living. This has resulted in making
him an extraordinary vigorous man
for his years-one who has triumphed
over the usual ills to which old cge
is subject, while as stimulant to-
ward his recovery. he has the know
ledge OF the heartfelt sympathy and
good wishes of his own and every
civilized country.
The crowd and the policeman
leaped upon the assailant bearing
him to the ground. After brief
struggle. the man was disarmed. but
while this was happening the rage of
the people had arisen to such pitch
that they were shouting for his
carts blood. ..--
The first impression of the men
and women was that the man was
bolshevik, and it was then that they
set up the cry Of: death to the boil
shevilli."
The departure OF NJ. Clemenceau
from his horne was unusually early.
He had made an appointment the
preceding evening to meet Col. r.
NJ. House. and Mr.. Balfour. at the
Hotel Crillon to take steps for speed
ing up the work of the peace confer
ence and he was on his way to the
Crillon when the attack was made.
Act Regarded Abominable.
The earliness of the shooting
showed that the assassin had ar
rived on the scene at an early hour
and was prepared to wait long time
for his intended victim.
The belief is universal that NJ.
Clemenceau will soon be up and
about and will take his usual active
part in the peace conference nego-
tiations within few weeks.
THAT a Frenchman should fire up
on a man nearly 80 years Of age. is
abominable," said Marcel Sombat. In
the social newspaper L. 'Heuere. to-
day.
rho newsnaner Intransigeant, pro-