The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-08-09

! frlenQ, 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 it 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. Instead of informing them
that the Presidents condition contin-
| uedsto improve it gave them the as
founding information that he was
| dead.
Remembering the manner in which
Mrs. Harding sustained the shock, an
| official statement given to the press
| by Judson D. Welliver of the White
House staff, member of the Presi-
dents official party, said:
"Mrs. Harding, who from the be-
ginning Of the Presidents illness had
expressed complete confidence in his
recovery, did not break down. On
the other hand, she continued, as
from the beginning, the bravest men,
Der of the group. When it was
realized that the President had actu-
ally passed away, she turned to those
in the room, whose concern had turned
to her, and said: 81 am not going to
! break down."
The special train with the Presi-
dents body left San Francisco at
p. m. Friday, routed directly to
the capital by way of Reno, Ogden,
Cheyenne, Omaha and Chicago.
The train carried the presidential
except those necessary for its opera
ton. The body of the president was
borne in the rear car. The car was
| lighted at night, and at all times two
soldiers and two sailors, a part of a
naval and military guard of sixteen
| enlisted men stood at attention guard
in the casket.
The train carried the presidential
party as composed during the trip
across the country to Alaska and also
| General Pershing, Attorney General
Daugherty, and Mr.. and Mrs. E. +.
! Remsberg and family, Mrs. Rerls-
berg being sister of the President.
Untold thousands of American citi-
zens stood with uncovered heads, day
and night, as the train passed.
Through Nevada in the hours of
daylight and darkness there were
mourners at the stations. Utah con-
| tributed its thousands the next day.
Wyoming's citizens mourned en-
masse. And so on across the con-
| tinent. At the cities, especially,
large crowds assembled at the sta
| tions -
! The special train carrying the body
of President Harding and party ar
rived at Washington Tuesday eve
ming shortly after 1000 o'clock East
ern time nine hours late. The spec
ial arrived at Chicago practically one
! hour late but was delayed by the
thousands upon thousands who had
thronged the railroad yards to pay
tribute to the deceased president.
The special was compelled to pick
its way through a multitude of sor-
rowing citizens at every point east
of Chicago.
Arriving at Washington the body
was tenderly moved from the train
| and placed on an artillery caisson
where it was taken through the lane
of sorrowing thousands to the great
mansion which had been Mr.. Hard
ing's home.
Arriving at the capitol, President
Coolidge, high officials of the gov
eminent, and the military escort,
withdrew, leaving Mrs. Harding with
her dead.
Wednesday, the nation claimed its
departed President and carried the
honored casket to the rotunda of the
capitol where the body lay in state
until this Thursday morning when it
was again returned to Mrs. Harding
and placed on a special train for the
old home at Marion, Ohio where SIM
pie funeral services will be held Fri
day.
! Twenty-one years, 10 months, and
% days. ago at 8 :38 P. M, funera.
train crept into Washington bearing
the body of the martyred president
Mckinley, murdered by an assassin !.
When the funeral train crept into
Washington, Tuesday evening hun
dreds of persons were there to re-
call just such an occasion 81 years
! aoO