Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-11-06
FOX. SHOOTS
FOUR TIMES

ATLANTA, Nov. 6.-William S.
Cobuna, attorney for the Simmons
faction of the Knights of the ku
Klux Khan, and prominent figure IN
a series Of sensational events in
volving that organization, was shot
four times and almost Instantly
killed while he sat in his office in
the Atlanta Trust company build
ing at 4 o'clock Monday afternoon
by Philip e. Fox, publicity repre-
sentative for the imperial palace
and editor Of "The Nighthawl," Of
fetal organ Of the Evans faction.
After hurting his revolver to the
floor Of the attorneys office, Fox
ran to the floor below, where he
was caught by Attorney George G.
Spence and held until Officer G.
o. CochlGn arrived FROM his seat
on the street below to take him i'm
custody $50
According to officer Cochran,
Fox declared that he was glad Co
burh was dead. Il may hang for
this, but he was planning to, ruin
me, and / had just as soon be
hanged as for him to have ruined
me"
Fox was held at police station Of
a charge Of murder. 81
Mrs. M. A. HolbroolI, of 226
Stewart avenue, stenographer for
Coburn, and, Mrs. Oscar Heyman.
client, were eye-witnesses to the
shooting. They were closely ques-
ton by the police.
Fox came to Coburn's office
shortly before o'clock, and find
ing Coburn engaged in converse
zion with w. r. Rogers, said to be
an attache of the office 'of Henry
J. Norton, head of Atlanta Khan
No. /, stated that he would return
in about an hour, when we can
talk business in private" accord
ing to Mrs. Holbrook's statement.
He had just about time to reach
the hall and turn around when he
re-entered the office, and without
a word, began firing at Mr. Coburn,
who sat at his DESK" Mrs. hol5rook
said.
Il was so excited ! didn't look
around until the firing ceased
There were four or live shots fired
Mr. Coburn screamed after each
shot. After the last shot was fired
Fox left the office, throwing his
gun to the floor as he passed
through the door.
"When l looked at Mr.. Cobpra
he was lying on the floor, scream
ing, and blood was squirting from
a wound in his face. Mrs. Hey
man and myself ran down the hall
to the office Of the Fulton Finance
company"
w. t. Rogers, who was in Co
burns office when Fox first enter
ed, told the police that Fox had
asked to speak to Coburn, saying:
Il am through with it ALL and [
an going home tonight
Rogers said that Coburn was
busy on the telephone, so he wrose
him a note, saying, Talk to him, +"
indicating Fox. On the same scrap
of paper, Rogers said, Coburn
wrote this reply:
Il will You wait outside"
Rogers said he went into the ad-
joining office. occupied by A. T..
Wilson, Coburn's Law partner, and
shortly five pistol shots rang out.
Opening the door, he said, he saw
Fox leaving Coburn's office by the
door to the hall and throw a pis-
toll back into the office. Fox ran
down the steps to the next floor,
Rogers following.
As Fox reached the floor beneath
police were told by Attorneys Geo.
C. and Nat Spence, Fox told them
that "a man has been shot," in
casual way, in an apparent effort
to divert suspicion frof himself7
the lawyers said.
Attorney Spence, supecting Fox,
commanded him to halt and Fox
surrendered. Officer Cochran. ma