The Washington herald., 1921-06-08
A. 7. HERT, G. 0. P.
CHIEF IN KENTUCKY.
DIES SUDDENLY
Stricken While Discuss.
ing Politics with Friends
At Hotel Here.

Alvin Tobias Hert, of Louisville.
republican national committeeman
from Kentucky. who was at one
time slated to be President Hard.
ing's secretary of the navy. died
suddenly in his room at the New
willard hotel at 40 yesterday
afternoon. He was Sc years old.
Hert was lying on his bed talking
politics and matters relating to to-
days meeting of the republican ma
tional committee when he died. A
gasp was the first warning to those
with him. who included Z. T. Frank.
former postmaster of Owensboro.
Ky: Matt Chiffon, of Louisville, who
made the trip here with him, and
two Kentucky congressman, ]. w.
Langley and ]. NJ. Robson.
Death Came Suddenly.
DR.. Lyman Sexton. who had been
summoned to attend Mr.. Hert by
Senator Watson. of Indiana, earlier
in the day when the committeeman
complained of indigestion. arrived a
minute later for a second call. He
made an examination and stated that
death had been virtually instan-
taneous, though he could make no
positive diagnosis of the cause. DR..
Sexton's opinion was that IL was
either apoplexy or pressure on the
heart resulting from acute indiges-
tion.
Mrs. Hert was at once notified at
the home in Louisville, where she
was awaiting his return from the
political meeting. News of the re-
publican leaders death practically
halted all political conferences. The
President sent his secretary, George
B. Christian, jr., to the Hert suite
in the New willard.
Was Native Of Indiana.
The deceased was born in Owens
burg, Ind, April s, 1865. Since 1904
he had been president of the Amer
lean Creosoting company, with its
fifteen plants scattered over the
country. He long had been a factor
in republican politics. He was COM
pleting his second term as national
committeeman from Kentucky. In
1916 he was western manager of the
Hughes campaign.
He was the Lowden floor leader
and virtually the Lowned campaign
manager in the national conven-
tion last year. When the Illinois
governor was eliminated as Hard
ing cabinet possibility, the Ken
tuckian was slated for a. berth, pre-
sumably secretary of the navy. In
the hnal readjustment he was drop
ped. He was offered an ambassa-
dorship, to Spain or Italy, which ne
refused, as he did the proffer of
the place which later went to WAL
ter F. Brown at the head Of the
government reorganization commits
sion.
Planned Call on Harding.
While here Hert had planned to
see the President. Ne arrived on
Monday and spent that afternoon
with Senator Richard Ernst, of Ken
lucky. Yesterday he was in con-
ference with Senator Watson, of
Indiana, and members of the Ken.
lucky delegation. He had been urged
to accept the national chairmanship
to which John T. Adams. of Iowa,
is being elected today-but refused.
Mr.. Hert was considered a very
wealthy man and had no children.
He was a member of many clubs.
including the Pendenpis and Lou
isville county clubs n Kentucky,
the Chicago and Union League clubs
in Chicago. and the Columbia club
of Indianapolis. The body, under
escort of the republican party's
foremost leaders. was sent to Lou
isviile for burial by special train,