Imperial Valley press., 1923-08-03
FUNERAL TRAIN
ROUTE IS GIVE.
Confined from page y

were in the corridors togc her.
All showed the marks Of deep
grieI.
In the lobby of the hotel guests
came and went but there was the
hush of death over the Palace.
Traffic in the street outside was
slowed down to avoi. unnecessary
I clatter
Multitude Offer Sympathy
san Franc.srauS who had made
/ elaborate plans TO receive and en-
I tertajn the president and his party.
and who showed the utmost solici-
tude and desire to serve in his i'll
ness, crowded by thousands about
the hotel when newspaper extras
arnouncel the pre- dent : death. It
was finally necessary for Chirf vi
Police 0 'Bri,n to order the corri
doris and lobhies cleared so many
men ana women crowded in. There
were many openly in tears in the
crowd and the hush of death pre-
vaded the throngs. Even the noisy
roar of Market street seemed to
, grow quieter
The President 5 four starred flag,
which has flown constantly from
staff over the presidential suite,
was hauled down and i'm its place
the Stars and Stripes were run to
half mast. All over the city the
/ flags which yesterday flew 1T fail
staff were half masted in morning
and the hotel and public buildings
rs we'll as many private structures
bore entwinod rcd. vui;c and blue,
put there in honor OF Mr.. Harding's
coming, and the deep black Of
mourning.
Military Chiefs Offer Aid
General Pershing was among the
first at the hotel. He and Rear Ad-
miral Simpson represented the army
and the navy, and Captain r. B.
Dwyer representing Major General
George Barnett, in command of the
Pacific division, marine corps, off
cred the services of their respective
branches of the service Major
General Barnett arrived in san
Francisco early today.
Alfred Holman, magazine editor,
who was close personal friend Of
Mr.. Harding, was summoned by re
quest of Mrs. Harding. She told
him of the presidents $ last moments.
He said she was bearing up with
wonderful bravery.
Mrs Harding was understood to
have discussed with Holman state
=, la ~ Il.
later.
Mrs Harding retired to her room
about midnight.
During Mr.. TIarding's illness
Mrs. Harding got so many thous-
ands Of messages trom people in al
walks Of life in the United States
and abroad that she was unable to
read them all and two stcnograph-
ers were devoting their entire time
to the hopeless task Of trying to.
acknowledge all these messages.
Mrs. Harding was asked to author
ize publication of messages from
former President Woodrow Wilson.
Chief Justice Taft, King George Of
England and many other Of the
world 5 n0tables. She declined on
the ground that to her and the pres
idcnt these messages were only rs
precious and not Il whit more 80,
than the unnumbered thousands
that came from plain American
men and women who poured out
their affection and sympathy. If
all of them could not be published,
none should be, she decided.
Simply Thanks ALI
And in her simple, direct way, she
thanked today all whose hearts
turned to her.
Speaker Gillett of the house of
representatives, hurried in from q
social engagement. He was toe
shocked for words. In fact none of
the presidents official party could
find words to express the deep and
abiding hurt, the terrific sense Of
shock they felt over Mr.. Harding S
death.
George b. Christian, the Prcsi-
/ dent s secretary, who was i'm Los
/ Angeles representing his chief at a
masonic celebration was summoned
/ by wire and arrived in San Francis
/ 60 early today He was too broken
I up over the President 5 death TO say
/ ANYTHING. Christian was almost iik.
son to the President and Mr..
Harding.
Reports spread like wildfire that
/ Mrs. Harding had collapsed when
she realized her loss, and that her
! condition was serious. But Dr..
SAWYER, in an official statement
over his signature, denied emphatic
ally that Mrs. Harding had broken
/ down in the slightest degree.
VERY Brave Womar,"
II regret. his statement read,
''that the statement has been print
/ ed in the early editions Of the pap
ers that Ml4. Harding collapsed
after the death Of the President.
Mrs. Harding is very brave
( woman. From the beginning She
I has known OF the serious and
threatening phases Of her husband 's
! illness, and size prepared herself for
anv emergency. She has been WitA
him constantly, ministering to his
wants and watching over A4m.
Death came suddenly, without
warning as she was reading to him
at the end Of a day sf apparent i'm
+ provemcnt. She was shocked Of
J course and at first unable to realize
that she had lost the husband who
had made up all the interest in her