Evening star., 1923-05-30
Friend of President Harding
and Mr.. Daugherty Fires
Bullet Into Temple.
ILL HEALTH BELIEVED
REASON FOR HIS ACT
Made Will on Monday on Hotel
Stationery-Played Prominent
Part in Ohio Politics.

Jesse w. Smith. a member of the
inner circle of WashinGtons official
life and a personal friend of the
President, killed himself early today
in the apartment of Attorney General
Haugherty. in Wardman Park Hotel,
where he had lived since the begin
ming of the Harding administration.
lIe was Mr.. Daughertys personal aide.
Lieut. Commander ]. T. Boone, naval
medical aid attached to the White
House and to the Mayflower, ascribed
the act TO brooding over his physical
condition. DR.. Boone said that he
was satisfied that Mr.. Smith had prac-
tically lost his reasoning by his con-
tinual worrying over his health, be-
cause, besides being afflicted with
diabetes. Mr.. Smith was suffering
from kidney trouble, and his general
physical condition was impaired He
expressed the thought that Mr.. Smith
had never fully recovered from at
tacks of appendicitis a year ago, for
which he was operated on in Column
bus. Ohio.
The crack of the pistol about $40
o'clock awakened Warren +. Martin,
special assistant to the Attorney
General. with whom Mr.. Smith had
been sharing the Attorney Generals
apartment while Mr.. Dougherty was
a guest at the White House. Martin
rushed to the room. He found his
friend stretched on the floor beside
the bed, a .32-caliber revolver in his
through the right temple and i'm
bedded itself in the upper portion of
the door frame.
Martin Immediately called William
J. Burns, chief of Department of Jus
tive operatives, who lives on the floor
below. Mr. Burns came Immediately
TO the room. Sergeant j. ID. Marks
and Policemen Mills and Keech of
the subprecinct station at Tennally-
town took charge of the police inves-
LEGATION. Coroner hewitt issued a
certificate of death from suicide and
Hysong's undertaking establishment
took charge of the body.
VIII Dated May 3.
A will, written on stationery of the
Wardman Park Hotel, dated May 2S,
1929, was found in the pocket of a
coat in Mr.. Smiths room. In the will
the deceased had partitioned his
property among Eddie st. John,
nephew, st. Johns mother. and others.
Mr.. Smith was 81 years of age, and
his home was Washington Court
House, Ohio. He left no immediate
family.
Mr.. Smith played golf yesterday
with the Attorney General Mr.. Mar
tin, and Lieut.. Commander Boone,
naval medical aide attached to the
" A he Of ha
round it was remembered he had
complained of being tired.
Since Attorney General Daugherty
has been in official life Mr.. Smith
has handled much of the latters pri-
vate business. Although Mr.. Smith
himself occupied no official position
in Washington, his advice was valued
by many high in councils of the
nation.
News Shocks President.
President Harding, who bad known
MIR Smith for many years. and who
has seen much of him since he en-
tered the White House, was shocked
when he learned OF the tragedy. News
came TO the President when in his
study working on the address he de-
livered at the Memorial day services
ut Arlington cemetery this afternoon.
At the Presidents suggestion, Lieut..
Commander Boone was notified and
asked to hurry to the apartment. DIR.
Boone two hours later returned to
the White House to report to the
President the details.
Attorney General Daugherty was
much affected when informed of his
friends suicide. He was not notified
for some time after DR.. Boone came
10 the White House after his visit to
AIR. Smiths rooms in Wardman Park
Hotel. 1t was thought then by the
President and him to break the news
TO Mr.. Daugherty as easily as pos
sble, it being feared that any great
shock might affect the Attorney
General, who is just recovering from
a long illness.
However, the Attorney General,
who was known to have looked upon
Mr.. Smith as brother, they having
been friends from boyhood received
the news calmly and, although shocked,
he showed no i'll effects
Regarded as the right-hand man of
Attorney General Daugherty in Ohio
politics, Mr. Smith took a prominent
part in the pre-convention campaign
four years ago. which resulted in the
nomination of President Harding
Since that time he has been almost
the constant companion of the Attor-
ney General and was a guest of the
President on many of his vacation
ans speaking trips.
Inaugural Secretary.
After the 1920 election Mr. Smith
was named secretary of the commit
tee which was placed in charge of
arrangements for the inauguration,
and maintained an Office here for sew
eral weeks before the President-e elect
decided that usual Inauguration plans
should be discarded. When the new
administration came in he was des-
ignated by Mr.. Daugherty to look
after various personal affairs at the
Department of Justice, and, although
she never held any official title, he de-
voted most of his time to services of
the Attorney General at the depart
ment.
Several months ago he underwent
An abdominal operation, and although
he apparently had recovered, his
friends remarked that he displayed
frequent signs of nervousness
Maintaining a cheerful demeanor,
he had not communicated to any one
his intention of ending his life. Yes
terday he made several appointments
for today. One of his friends said to-
Slay. however, that Mr.. Smith during
casual conversation yesterday
IN norning mentioned the fact that he
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