Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-08-03


Cabinet officers. headed by Secre-
tary Hoover of the commerce de-
partment, FASTENED up and down the
hall, Fastening to express their con-
dolences to Mrs. Harding or hurry
ing back for hasty conferences
among themselves or with other
government officials.
Lieutenant Commander Joel r.
Boone, assistant physician to the
President, hurried up from down
stairs, where a newspaperman had
found him in response to Mrs. Hard
ing's frantic appeals.
Rumors began to fly about, each
wilder than its predecessor and all
denied soon by official bulletins
which were issued in dozen words
telling the news. or which had been
rushed from the press too fast for
more than picture and the phrase
Harding Dead" circulated like Wild
fire through the down town streets
and even far out on the residential
streets within a few minutes after
the official bulletin announcing the
death had been issued.
This brought a shock 10 crowds
which few minutes before were
sure that the city's DISTINGUISHED
guest was we'll on the way to recov.
cry. had started out to spend the
evening at theatres. dances or other
anusements.
Even before that reports of the
death had spread far and the tele-
phone switchboard at the hotel be-
came damned with outgoing official
calls and incoming inquiries for i'm
formation concerning the report
National, state and party officials
tn he Lrfa ~ L.,
bers and gathered for conferences in
eighth floor rooms or corridors near
the Presidential suite to discuss what
should be or must be done. One or
two secret service men who had been
out for a few hours relaxation hur-
RED back to aid in handling a situa-
ton made more difficult by it's sud-
denness.
Everyone who came from the
Presidential suite was besieged with
questioners. official newspaper and
merely curious. None could add much
t. the information already given out
officially, largely this was because
the end came with such shocking
suddenness that comparatively few
Of it's details had been noted.
Plans for Special Train
Secretary Work met with several of
the other cabinet members in a room on
the seventh floor Immediately below
that on which the presidential suite is
located. to arrange details Col. w. w.
Shipley, district passenger agent of the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and in
charge of the train which carried the
president on his Inflated journey, and
Paul Shoup. vice president of the
Southern Pacific Railroad, also met in
conference.
Even after the president was dead.
the kilograms which have been coming
ever since his illness, all expressing
hopes for his recovery or qualification
that he had made such satisfactory
progress. were continuing to flow in.
A minute or two after his death a
messenger brought in a large bundle of
them.
Formal Statements
Several of the state and national fig
ures who hurried to the, presidential
suite to express their sympathy and
leave condolences later ISSUED formal
statements on the presidents death.
Among those who did SO was Repre-
sentative Charles +. Curry of Califor-
MO. who said
president Harding was a patriotic
American and a genuine true Christian.
His passing will be not only a nation
al, but an international calamity.
I'VE mourn his passing and pray God
that his successor will carry out his
policies.
For his family we have the greatest
sympathy and pray to God that He will
protect the republic in it's hour Of
need"
Arrangements for the funeral of the
nations chief still were indefinite
three hours after his passing. Mem
bers of the presidential party. con-
ferring among themselves but de-
ferring decision until communication
could be had with George B. Chris
tan, Jr., the executive secretary,
who went to Los Angeles today to
deliver an address for the president.
1t was believed probable that the flu
neral train would leave San Francis
co tomorrow evening, either to
Washington or Marion. Ohio. on the
saddest rans-continental trip in the
history of the nation.
Until the departure of the train
from San Francisco the body of the
chief executive will remain at the
Palace Hotel, on the top floor of
which he had been since Sunday
when he was brought to the city of
the Golden Gate, sick man.
Conferences We're in progress late to-
night at which details of the sad trip
will be worked out. 1t generally was
believed that the body would be taken
to Washington to lie in state in the
capitol rotunda, as have the bodies of
several of the presidents who passed
before Mr.. Harding.
1ntcrmcrt undoubtedly will be at Ma
ron. the tsmall city where Warren C.
Harding struggled determinedly for
ward, first as a newspaper publisher,
then as lieutenant governor. and then
as United States senator, to the highest
office within the gift of the American
people.