The Washington herald., 1915-02-25
AID To
TAFT KILLS SELF
Capt. Arthur E. Harding, u.
S. M. C., Commits Suicide
in Philadelphia Club.
WIFE GETS WORD HERE
Was Preparing to Join Him in Quaker
City When Wire Tells of
Death.
WIFE GETS WORD HERE

Philadelphia. Feb 24.-Capt Arthur T.
Harding. u. $. NJ. c., hero of the
Boxer uprising, shot himself through tine
head shortly after 3 o'clock this morning
in his bedroom at the Racquet Club. af-
ter telling his physician he was feeling
well. He was found dead few minutes
later by a valet Capt. Harding was
marine aid to William II. Taft while he
was President. The body has been claimed
by Officers of the Marine Corps
Capt. Harding arrived at the Racquet
Club February l6. He became ill last
night and sent for DIR. Walter A Wood
The physician diagnosed his trouble as
nervous indigestion and gave him some
medicine. TIL captain then went to bed
At So o'clock. this morning Capt. Hard
ing rang for valet. The captain asked
the valet TO get the mail. While Wag-
shaft was on the way to the first floor
bellboy was sent up with two letters
for Capt. Harding, one from his wife
Mrs. Marie Harding. of Washington the
otner from the headquarters of the Ma
r1ne Corps. referring TO routine business
of the organiZa ton.
The letter from Mrs. Harding in
formed the captain that she intended
TO come to this city today. and asked
him to wire her where he could meet
her. Both letters were found opened
en- 4 bureau.
Finds Body on Bed.
When WaEshaft returned he found
tbs door to Capt HardinS's room oper-
ed. The caTtain was lying across the
bed, half-clOthed. There was a bullet
hole through his head. A large caliber
automatic service revolver lay at his
side. within a few inches OF his right
hand.
The valet notified officials Of rhe club.
who Sent for Br Wood. He pronounced
Capt. Harding dead. \ h if hour EAR
lier the ply Si':idn had :eiephOncd To
the club TO ask Capt. Harding how he
was feeling. AT that time the captain
replied that he felt greatly improved.
Capt. Harding was fortytwO years
old and had been stationed at Wash
inEton. - c. He was an out-of-town
member of the Racquet Club, and was
frequent visitor there. Last night
he talked to other members and eN-
hibited no symptoms of worry. No one
at the club heard the shot that ended
his life.
Capt Harding's home originally was
in Madison, Ill, but for some years he
had lived at Washington.
He served with distinction and was
breveted for his courage in the presence
of the enemy near Pekin. during the
served one month in Vera Cruz last year.
He was in the Judge Advocate Generals
office at Washington.
Capt. Harding entered the service dur
ing the Spanish war. He was captain
OF Company f. Fifth Illinois Volunteer
Infantry. and became first lieutenant
July /, 1899. and later captain In the
Marine Corps. He served in the Philip
pine Islands during the Spanish war. He
was born in Madison, Ill. where his
mother resides, in August, 1872.
Both Capt. Harding and his wife
were well known in Washington.
where he was a prominent member
of several clubs during the time he
was an attache at the White House,
and his wife a member of Maj Will
lam Overton Calls Chapter of the
Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton. Mrs. Harding was in Washing
ton when the news of her husbands
death reached her and hurried to
Philadelphia yesterday evening.
Before her marriage, Mrs. Harding
was Miss Marie q. Jenkins. of Beau
fort, y. c. She also had lived in
She was a descendant of one of the
sieners of the Declaration of indie
pendence. On March IL, 1914, she and
Capt. Harding announced their mar
riage, which had taken place some
months before. She was presented
with a beautiful wedding gift by the
n. A. r. Chapter with which she was
affiliated. She worked in the Belgian
relief endeavors of that organiza ton
and helped raise the $3.50 given by it
to the general d. A. r. fund.