The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-03

Wildfire through the downtown dis lflcts and even far out on the resi- dential streets within a few min utes after the official bulletin an- hounclng the death had been issued Confident Of Recovery.
 The brought shock to crowns which few minutes before were sure that the city's distinguished guest was well on the road to recov- cry had started out to spend the evening | theatres, dances or other amusements.
 Even before that reports of the death had spread far and the tele- phone switchboard at the hotel be- came damned with outgoing tfficial eaIIs ana incoming inquiries for inc formation concerning the report
 National, state and party officials came hurrying to the hotel in num- bers and gathered for conferences on the eighth floor rotms or corridors near the presidential suite to discuss what should or must be done. ] Everyone who came from the pfes- ldentiaI suite was beseiged wi'e i duestioners, officials. newspaper and merely curious. None could add much to the information already given out officially. Largely this was because the end came with such shocking suddenness that comparatively few of , US details had been noted. O o O
 Children Brought Flowers.
 Several minutes of the Presidents last hour alive was devoted. as was much of his life, to childhood and its interests. Two little girls came to the presidential suite before o'clock with flowers, seeking to present them to the President.
 Mrs. Harding, who shares the Presidents lifelong love of children. eraciously came from the sick room to speak a word to the two tots and accepted their gift. Returning to the i President, she took with her a few Lf the blossoms and these were in the room few minutes later when he died
 Secretary Work met with several of the other cabinet members in a room on the seventh floor, immediately be- low that on which the presidential suite is located, to arrange details. Col. W. W. Shipley, district passen- ger agent tf the Baltimore and ohio railroad, and in charge of the train which carried the President on his ill-fated journey, and Paul ShOup, vice president of the Southern Pa tific railroad, also met in confer cuce.
 Even after the President was dead | the tcleErams- which have been com ing in ever since his Illness, all ex- pressing hopes for his recovery, or qualification that he had made such satisfactory progress, were continu- 1 ing tC flow in. A minute or two after his death a messenger brought in a large bundle of them.
 Several of the state and national figures, who hurried to the presi- dental suite to express their sympa- thy and leave condolences, later is- sGed formal statements on the Presi- q SD was Representative Charles F. ] Curry of California, who said.
 Was Patriotic American. ] "President Harding was a patri- | Ctic American and a genuine true l Christian. Hiss passing will be not ! only a national, but an interna tional calamity. We mourn his passing and pray God that his successor will carry out his policies
 "For hii family we have the great est sympathy and pray to God that He Wll protect the republic in its hour of need. Only an hour or two before his death President Harding WIS carry ng tu, though not in per son, one ot the activities to which he had looked forward as one of the most pleasant duties of his abandoned trip. This was the presentation of the r.Veltug heauseapt of the Knights Femplar to the Hollywood com maudry."
 In th.s action. the President, as the representative of his own commandry. Marion. was to have delivered the emblem to the California body of his follow Knights as one step of it's Journey round the world, passing from commandry Co commandry across continents and oceans. Ir O O O
 Christian In Los Angeles.
 .'1t his illness ha0 intervened a.i rathe- than tn presentation should not be made at the appointed time. he had sent his secretary, George B.
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