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PRESIDENT HARDING
CLAIMED BY DEATH
DIES IN SAN FRANCISCO—MRS.
HARDING WAS AT BEDSIDE.
DEATH WAS SUDDEN
COOLIDGE IS swoil BY HIS FATHER
Entire Nation Shocked At Sad News—Death Came
As Surprise To Attending Physicians.
Funeral Party Leaves For East.
HOW PRESIDENT
HARDING DIED
Palace Hotel, San Francisco,
August 2. —Here is how Presi
dent Harding died:
Mrs. Harding was seated be
sides his bed, reading from a
magazine.
At the end of a paragraph
she paused and let the maga
zine drop into her lap.
‘‘That sounds good; go
ahead,” said the president.
They were his last words.
A moment later he threw his
right hand over his head —
and sank down, dead.
San Francisco, Calif., August 3.—A
nation today mourns the passing of
its leader. The American people
from coast to coast and from lakes
to gulf and in the territories beyond
the seas bowed their heads in grief,
for their President was dead.
In the early hours of last evening,
after a day which had brought re
newed hope of recovery, death came
suddenly and struck down Warren G.
Harding with a stroke of cerebral ap
plexy.
The end came instantaneously and
without even a second of warning at
7:30 o’clock. There was no time to
summon additional physicians, no
time to call the members of his offi
cial family, and no time for medical
skill to exercise its knowledge. It
was all over in. the twinkling of an
eye, and it left a nation and the
world shocked and in grief.
Mrs. llarding, the constant compan
ion of her distinguished husband, was
faithful until the end. She was read
ing to him a few minutes before 7:30
o’clock when she noticed a shudder
run through the frame of the men
she had loved, encouraged in adver
sity and praised in success. Before
she could arise from her chair, Mr.
Harding collapsed in his bed and she
rushed to the door calling for the
physicians to come quickly.
DOCTOR’S ST AT EME NT ' '
The physician’s statement follows:
“Last spring, following a long pe
riod of overwork and great strain,
President Harding was confined to
his bed with an attack of influenza,
which was followed by a few noctur
nal attacks of labored breathing. His
recovery was slow, and he had not
fully gained his normal strength and
health when he started out on the
trip to Alaska. He had also had some
attacks of abdominal pain and indi
gestion and, at times, he had some
pain associated with a feeling of op
pression in the chest. For some years
his systolic blood pressure had ranged
around 180, and there was evidence of
some arterial sclerosis, enlargement
of the heart and defective action of
the kidneys.
"Except for fatigue and the fact
that his heart and blood vessels were
some years older than the rest of his
body, he was in reasonably good
health.
"On the return trip from Alaska
he had an acute gastro intestinal at
tack, associated with abdominal pain
and fever. In spite of his illness he
Insisted on putting through his pro
gram of speaking in Vancouver and
Seattle. He had considerable difficul
ty in completing his addresses in
Seattle because of weakness and pain.
Because of this he was persuaded to
come directly to San Francisco and
arrived at the Palace hotel Sunday
morning, July 28. He dressed and
walked to the automobile from the
train.
Broncho-Pneumonia Develops
"Sunday evening a consultation
was called because his temperature
had risen to 102 and his pulse and
respirations were abnormally rapid.
The abdominal difficulty had by this
time became localized in the gall blad
der region, but there was a general
toxemia with fever and leucocytosis.
A central broncho pneumonia soon de
veloped on the left side. It was ac
companied by short circulatory col
lapses and cold sweats and an irreg
ular pulse. Most disturbing of all was
the rapid and irregular breathing sug
gestive of arteriosclerosis of the brain
vessels in the region of the respira
tory center.
“Under treatment marked improve
ment in the pneumonia and circula
tory disturbances took place, and
Thursday, August 2, he was free from
fever and pain; the acute lung condi
tion was practically gone. He was
resting comfortably in bed and con
versing with Mrs. Harding and Gen
eral Sawyer when he died instantly
without a word or a groan.
“We all believe he died from apo
plexy or a rupture of a blood vessel
in the axis of the braid near the
respiratory center. His death came
after recovery from the acute illness
was in progress. It might have oc
curred at any time. One of his sis
ters dies suddenly in the same man
ner.
(Signed)
“C. E. SAWYER, M. D.,
“RAY LYMAN WILBUR, M. D.,
“C. M. COOPER, M. D.,
“J. T. BOONE, M. D.,
“HUBERT WORK, M. D.”
It was announced in a fourth offi
cial statement issued at 8:32 p. m.
that Mrs. Harding had withstood the
shock of her husband’s death and con
tinued to be “the bravest member of
the group.” Her first words when
she realized the president had died
were: "I am not going to break
down.”
As the news began to reach those
on the streets there were scenes of
sorrow' such as had not been wit
nessed here in many years. Never
before had Washington been so un
prepared to hear of the death of a
chief executive; and the circle of Mr.
Harding’s friends was one extending
down to some of the lowliest of the
residents of the capital, for during his
two and a half years in the white
house he had made a place in many
hbaT ts ' b'y ■■’ Ms iiumut! tjUiiiiT itJa " ■ aud ’
his attitude of constant helpfulness
toward every one.
COOLIDGE TAKES OATH
Plymouth. Vt., August 3. —In the lit
tle living room of his father’s home
here, Calvin Coolidge early today took
the oath of office as President of
the United States. The oath w*as ad
ministered by his father, John C.
Coolidge, at 2:47 a. m., eastern stand
ard time.
A telephone had been installed in
the Coolidge farm house within an
hour after word of the death of Presi
dent Harding had been received, and
by communication with Washington,
the exact form of the oath was ob
tained.
In a clear voice the vice president
repeated after his father the words
prescribed by the Constitution:
“I do solemny swear that I will
faithfully execute the office of Presi
dent of the United States, and I will,
to the best of my ability, preserve,
protect and defend the Constitution
of the United States.”
Then, although the Constitution
does not require it, he added:
“So help me God!’’
The vice president, in need of rest,
had gone to Plymouth, knowing he
would be practically out of touch
with the rest of the world. He has
been receiving telephonic reports at
a general store, across the street from
his father’s house, but tonight, in the
emergency, the telephone operator at
tempted in vain to get a response at
the store.
There was nothing to indicate that
the change of chief executive would
greatly alter the present makeup of
the administration or would result in
any immediate summoning of congress
in extra session.
HENRY COUNTY WEEKLY, McDONOUGH, GEORGIA.
COOLIDGE IS
■ PRESIDENT
Oath of Office Administered by
His Father in Early Morn
ing Hours.
TO FOLLOW HARDING’S PLANS
New Executive Makes Statement In
Which He Promises to Carry Out
Policies of Predecessor—
Roused From Bed to Take
the Oath.
Washington,—President Calvin Coo
lidge is now thirtieth president of the
United States, succeeding Warren G.
Harding under the provisions of the
Constitution. He has retained the cab
inet, at leaqt for the present, asking
the co-operation of those associated
with his predecessor in office.
Calvin Coolidge took the oath as
President of the United States at
Plymouth, Vt., at 2:47 a. m. Friday,
August 3. The ceremony took place
In the living room of the residence of
the new President's father, John C.
Coolidge. The oath of office was ad
ministered by the father, who Is a no-
V ■' ’ U': J ' -J x.: ~.' L 5 i, „ ' : '
tlal oath had been telephoned to Mr.
Coolidge at Plymouth from the White
House.
Statement by New Chief.
President Coolidge received the news
of the death of President Harding and
of his own elevation to the presidency
at ten minutes before midnight, stand
ard time, Thursday.
Mr. Coolidge received the first news
through telegrams from George C.
Christian, Jr., secretary to President
Harding.
Mr. Coolidge issued the following
statement:
“Reports have reached me, which
I fear are correct, that President Hard
ing Is gone. The world has lost a
great and good man. I mourn his
loss. He was my chief and my friend.
It will be my purpose to carry out the
policies which he has begun for the
service of the American people and for
meeting their responsibilities wherever
they may arise.
“For this purpose, I shall seek the
co-operation of all those who have been
associated with the President during
his term of office. Those who have
given their efforts to assist him I wish
to remain in office, that they may
assist me.
“I have faith that God will direct
the destinies of our nation.”
The following telegram was sent to
Mrs. Harding:
“Plymouth, Vt., Aug. 3, 1923.
“Mrs. Warren G. Harding, San
Francisco, Cal.: We offer you our
deepest sympathy. May God bless you
and keep you.
“CALVIN COOLIDGE,
“GRACE COOLIDGE.”
Message Tells of Death.
The telegram announcing the death
of the President was as follows:
“Palace hotel, San Francisco, Cal.
Aug. 3, 1923. —Mr. Calvin Coolidge
Plymouth, Vt.: The President died, in
stantaneously and without wurnlng,
while conversing with members of his
family, at 7:30 p. m. His physicians
report that death was apparently due
to some brain embolism, probably an
apoplexy.
“GEORGE B. CHRISTIAN, JR.,
“Secretary.”
This telegram was brought to tht
Coolidge home at Plymouth Notch by
W. A. Perkins of Bridgewater, whe
owns the telephone line running from
Bridgewater to Plymouth. About five
minutes later newspaper men arrived
In Ludlow.
A drive of thirty miles through the
mountains brought them to the Cool
idge summer home.
Mr. Coolidge and Mrs. Coolidge had
retired about an hour before the death
messages were received. Ten minutes
after the arrival of the newspaper men
Mr. and Mrs. Coolidge came downstairs
into the sitting room of the Coolidge
home. Mr. Coolidge was dressed In a
black sack suit and wore a black neck
tie. Mrs. Coolidge wore a black and
white gown, white shoes and stockings
Mr. Coolidge was very pale and showed
deep regret for President Harding’s
death. He seated himself at a table,
while Mrs. Coolidge brought a lamp
and read the telegrams he had re
ceived.
He then called Ills assistant secre
tary, Irwin Gelsser, and dictated to
him his statement and the telegram to
.Mw. Hording.,.
Mrs. Coolidge Weeps.
In the meantime people were arriv
ing from all directions. Mr. Coolidge,
seeing the house becoming crowded!
gave orders that an adjoining house
be opened for use as press headquar
ters.
Meanwhile, the new first lady of the
laud sat weeping softly and exclaim
ing in sympathy for the bereaved first
lady in San Francisco.
“What a blow—what a terrible blow
to poor Mrs. Harding,” she said. “She
had had such a heavy burden, in her
own illness, to bear up under —and
now this!”
Finally Secretary Gelsser returned
with the press copies of the state
ments, and pushing back the old
photograph album and the family Bible
on the center table, Mrs. Coolidge
busied herself with the work of help
ing distribute them.
The newspaper men had scarcely
gotten out of sight when another tele
graph messenger arrived with a copy
of the presidential oath from Wash
ington. In the same sitting room
with Its hand-braided rugs, Its clutter
of venerable colonial furniture, its old
wood stove and its family Bible—Cal
vin Coolidge received the oath of office
from his father.
President Coolidge left Plymouth
early Friday morning by automobile
for Rutland to catch a train for New
York, where he Immediately boarded
a train for Washington. He was ac
companied by Mrs. Coolidge.
He was mentioned as a possibility
for the presidential nomination prior
to the 1920 campaign, but he made a
public announcement that he would
not consider the .nomination Hi®
nomination and election to the vice
presidency followed.
Jam &Jel!y Making
new an exact science
Fresh Fruits are Plentiful!
Use the short CerTOProcess for
making jam and jelly with Berries,
Cherries, Peaches and other fruits in
season. You will find they are the best
jams and jellies you ever tasted.
Certo is sold by grocers everywhere
or sent postpaid tor 35 cents.
1 MINUTE’S BOILING
2 POUNDS OF FRUIT
3 POUNDS OF SUGAR
4- ounc& u of Certo
5 makes
POUNDS OF JAM |gg
Wrapped with every bottle
is a recipe booklet which
tells the story. EBeßk
Douglas-Pedin Corporation g
4 Granite Bldg., Rochester, N. Y.
(Sunyell)
No reason now her tongue to tell
That sad old story "It did not jell”
Her jam’s now perfe<3—jelly, too
She uses CERTO —so should you 1
\ Mothers!!
\ 1 " Write for 32-
\ Booklet,
\ “Mothers of
the World” a
4 Pat. Process •
'Lloyd A
Loom Products A Mf^° 4
Baby Carriages waJufulTcZti
D*pt. E
Use This Coupon / P , e
The Lloyd Miz booklet,' 'Mothers of th»
Company World -"
(Heywood. - Wake- v
field Co.) Name..., *
Menominee iy
Mich. Street
W) S City State
ps&FRIE*
(i» ipr 82 book —how tokatp your ■
do* well how to care for him B
When sick. Result of 85 years’ expert- fl
ence with every known dopr disease. B
Mailed FREE. Write today. Dept. 90. %
H. CLAY CLOVER, V. S.
. 12ft West 2*th St. New York H
EARN S2O WEEKLY
spare time, at home, address
ing, mailing music circulars.
Send 10c for music, informa
tion.
AMERICAN MUSIC CO.
1658 Broadway, Dept. 14-Y., N. Y.
COUNTRY NOT ALL BARBARIC
Women in Certain Tribes in the Sahara
Said by Travelers to Be Held in
High Esteem.
A Danish mission to the Hoggar (a
mountain pass in the center of the
Sahara), recorded a number of inter
esting scientific facts and drew up
>t!V',./|f st.riet. ovjilorpri, , ?av£*.
the Detroit News.
The Touaregs live under large tents
made of skins; they are socially divid
ed into nobles and commons, and their
manual labor is performed by blacks,
who were formerly slaves, but who
were liberated when the French occu
pied the territory.
The religion practiced by the Tou
aregs is Islamic in origin, but does not
strictly follow the usual Islamic rites
and customs, as is shown by the fact
that women play a prominent role in
the administration of the government
of the country and the home. The
women are not veiled; their skins are
very fair and they often have beautiful
features. In marked contrast with
strictly Mohammedan communities,
Uouareg women are allowed to receive
isltors In the absence of their lius
%nds.
mm
If coffee
disagrees
drinks
Pos turn
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