The New York herald., 1920-01-27
VII HELMSTRASSE SHUT
Mo-. lrchists Believed in Plot to
Overthrow Government on
Kaiser'S Birthday.
PLAN ATTACK ON RADICALS S
Eighteen Armored Automobiles Art
Part of Patrol to Head Off
Uprising.

BERLIN. Jan. 26 (by the Associated
).-Wilhelmstrasse tonight is barri.
caded and under the guard Of numerous
troops. patrol OF eighteen aranored au.
tomooiles and a half-dozen huge motor
trucks loaded with armed troops arrived
early in the evening and Immediately took
up their positions in front of the govern.
ment building and shut off traffic from
the thoroughare.
Inc precautions taken by Minister OF
Deiehce Noske were stimulated, In addi.
tion to the assaut>upon Matthias Erzber.
ger today, by rumors that the monarchsts
would attempt an insurrection on the eve
OF the former Emperor's birthday (Which
occurs tolnorrow), and that the attack
was to be primarily directed against the
independent Socialists and radicals
While the government promptly branded
the rumors as wholly unfounded anc
even ridiculed them, the attempt on Err.
htrger's life prompted Noske to mobilize
lne troops for the protection of the gov.
rument offices.
Not First Attempt mt Murder.
Today's attack was not the first at
ieslpt made to Kill Erzberger. Last June
~ Weimar he barely escaped capture by
= handful OF troops who. as was later
proven. deliberately had planned to lynch
iliu1. The attack at that time was com.
t1cnly believed to have been inspired by
ths Conservatives and Mlitarsts, Err
bctrer escaped in an automobile and re-
lained in hiding for several days.
" hen the present Helfferich- Erzbergel
t..isl began the government assigned two
Tat al fl..,s,
they accompanied him to court the frs
yf but their presence was objected to b,
.he Judge who ordered the detective.
oJt of the chamber and told them e
Wait outside.
ErZberger scarcely made any trips
about the city afoot. mostly using his of
ficial ear, even for such short distances
MS between the Ministry of Finance ant
the Chancellery, which are about two hun
dred yards apart.
Attacked ErxberEer's Record.
The Pan-German organs are promi
ncnty printing reports of the present
trial and accompanying the evidence will
editorial comment praising Helfferich fol
coming forward and exposing" the
Minister.
This mornings session of the Erzberger.
lIelfferich trial was the quietest since suit
started week ago. The evidence con.
cerned the Minister'S relations with the
Thyssen iron firm. after which his atti.
tude toward exports was discussed. There
was less wraagling on the part of the at
torneys. and ErZberger also was spared
much of the grilling that had marked the
previous session.
Erzberger had left the court room and
was seated in his automobile talking tc
his attorney, who was standing on the
running board and holding the door open
when Oltwob Won Hirschfeld. former
cadet officer and son Of Berlin bank
official crept beneath the attorneys arm
and was actually in the automobile wher
he fired. It is said three shots were dis
charged The first hit vest button ane
r,anced off. the second struck Erzberger' !
,yatch and was DETECTED. while the third
Lullet entered his shoulder.
Resting Fairly Comfortably.
The bullet had not been extracted al
fContinued on Page Five, Column One)