Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-08-09

| Z Z, lu20. 3
l% Inaugurated March A, 1921. 3
& Died August 2. 1928. &
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speak to the newspaper men as they
| gathered around him on his way down
to his own quarters. Tears were run
ming down his cheeks and he seemed
to be stunned by grief as he made bis
way to the elevator.
Mayor James Rolph of San Fran
cisco was the next to arrive, and he,
too, after visit to the death room
was inarticulate.
oflclai Statement
1t was about twenty minutes from
the time Mr.. Harding was stricken
| (7:10 p. m.) until he died & :30). The
circumstance is told briefly In the fol-
lowing formal announcements:
'The President died at 7:30 p. m.
Mrs. Harding and the two nurses, Miss
Ruth Powderly and Miss Sue Drusser,
were In the room at the time. Mrs.
Harding was reading to the President
when utterly without warning slight
shudder passed through his frame. he
collapsed. and all recognized that the
end had come. A stroke Of apoplexy
was the cause of his death.
within few moments all Of the
Presidents official party had been
summoned"
DR.. Boone said later that Miss Pow
derby looked at the President while
Mrs. Harding was reading to him and
was struck by great Improvement in
the patients appearance.
Doesn't he look fine" she said,
turning to Mrs. Harding.
Then the nurse turned back to look
at the President to verify her COM
ment. Mrs. Harding looked, too They
saw shudder pass over the sick
mans frame. That marked the stroke
that produced death.
The following telegram from the
members of the cabinet who are here
was Immediately sent to Vice Presi-
dent Coolidge, Chief Justice Taft, and
those members Of the cabinet who
WGfc uOL III f3dD II TduCfSCOs
1.-The President died at 7:80 p. m.
from a stroke Of cerebral apoplexy.
The end came peacefully and without
warning.
"DAUGHERTY,
WORK,
WALLACE,
HOOVER"
A Shocking Surprise.
Nothing could have been a more
shocking surprise. But an hour ear,
lier General Sawyer had been telling
newspaper men that Mr.. Harding had
had the best day since he became Sc
riously Ill the preceding Saturday. He
said that the President had definitely
entered upon the stage Of GONZALES
cence and that everything went to
show that Mr.. Harding was on the
road to ultimate recovery.
The members Of the official party
those who had accompanied the Pres
ident and Mrs. Harding-had no warn
ing that the President was In danger.
They, like the newspaper men, had
been assured that fatal termination
Of the Presidents Illness was a thing
not to be expected, in view of his APP
parent mprovement-the evident less
ening Of serious symptoms-in the
last 48 hours.
George B. Christian, Jr., secretary
to the President and his devoted
friend, was in Los Angeles with Mrs.
Christian. He had gone there at the
Presidents solicitation to read at a
Masonic gathering an address which
the President had prepared in the ex-
pectation that he would deliver 1t in
person.
The newspaper men had an engage
ment with General Sawyer for 8
o'clock. He was to tell them then
how the President was progressing
toward recovery. The bulletin came
at 1880.
Regarding the manner In which Mrs.
Harding sustained the shock, an off, |
cial statement given to the press by |
Judson D. Welliyer of the White
House staff, member Of the Presi-
dents official party, said:
Mrs Harding, who from the begin
ming of the Presidents illness had ex-
pressed complete confidence in his re-
covery, did not break down. On the
other hand, she continued, as from |
the beginning, the bravest member of |
the group. When it was realized that |
the President had actually passed |
away. she turned to those in the room,
whose concern had turned to her, and |
said: I am not going 20 break down."