San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-03
Sudden Death Came Without Warning as Mrs.
Harding Read to Hm-Refusal to Abandon
Trip to Avoid disappointment of Peo-
ple" Probably Cost Chief Executive
HIS Life.
BY L. c. OWEN.

lips anu MS ldsJ CONSCIOUS IHOusHtS
were made happy by printed words of
appreciation for work we'll done.
The end came without premonition,
without warning. Mrs. Harding sat
beside his bed. She was reading aloud
to him an article written By Samuel
G. Blythe, noted political writer, en-
titled "a Calm View of Calm Man,"
which appeared last week in the Sat
urday Evening Post. The President
and his accomplishments were the sub
ject of the article. Mrs. Harding had
read a paragraph midway Of the arti-
Gle when the President interrupted
her, requesting that she read il again.
That's mighty fine. and it WAS fine
of Sam to say it." was his comment.
Mrs. Harding started to read anew.
She had progressed only a few words
when death interviewed. 1t was inStan-
taneous, the doctors say painless.
While the first cause OF his death was
given out as aroplexy, later diagnosis
leads to the belief that i: came from
cerebral hemorrhage. He passed out
with the happy knowledge that the
strain he had undergone as the ma
TONS Chief Executive were known
and appreciated.
1t has been said tlat he died as
he lived, a soldier to duty. His death
may be attributed directly TO his in
sistence that he carry on; first. last
spring when only partly recovered
from a serious attack of influenza. he
ha bi1r
dens of the presidency and again. only
last week when. already weakened and
sick man. he insisted on "seeing
through" the exhausting programs ar
ranged in his honor at Vancouver an'
Seattle.
In Weak Condition.
Few persons, if any outside his i'm
mediate medical advisers. knew the
weakened physical condition of the
President when he went back TO his
presidential duties following his at
tack Of influenza last spring. IT was
revealed here to the public for the
first time at 8 o'clock this morning
in a statement issued by Brigadior
General SAWYER, the Presidents per-
sonal physician and by Lieut.. Com
mander Joel 7. Boone. who at that
time helped to minister the ailing
President.
/. Since then he has suffered from
hardening of the arteries. high blood
pressure and enlargement of the heart
e Several times in the few months that
, ssintervened before he started on the
Slong and fatiguing trip to Alaska
there were fears of a physical col
lapse. Through it all, however, he
carried on"
= A week ago at Vancouver ne gave
the first evidences of another break
down. He was urged TO cancel all en-.
gagements and seek rest. He refused
II cannot disappoint all these peo-
pie" he declared.
So he carried on.
At Seattle he had become worse and
had developed severe intestinal pains
DIR. Sawyer. Secretary Wallace, DR.
Boone and others, including 'newspa-
permen in his party who knew mis-
real physical condition, again urged
him to cancel all engagements. Agar
he refused.
He would not disappoint the peo
pie" and he did not.
So acute became his illness at Seat
tie that he had great difficulty in fin
rest is fairly well known. After the
Seattle attack he finally capitulated
TO the opportunities of those close "a
him and cancelled part of his timer
airy.
He came to San Francisco anG
once again he showed the indomitablt
spirit to "carry on" His condition
was such that members of his party
.;sIa Ia ha trin
train to the Palace hotel in an am
bulance. Instead he insisted on dress
ing and walking from the train TO ;
waiting automobile.
Would Not Give In.
He did not want people to thinB
that he was seriously i'll, he declared
He arrived here last Sunday morn.
ing. His condition had become SO
alarming that physicians in attend
ance in official bulletins character
lied it as grave Throughout Nor
day his condition was sc critical that
5XJ gen tanks were rushed to the sick
room where the President lay and
every precaution made to combat the
death that threatened. Tuesday morn
ing he had passed the crisis. Since
that time the quintet of distinguished
physicians regarded his condition a.
of continued and cheering improve
ment.
The end that came last night was
like a bolt from the blue. 1t not only
was unexpected. but unthought of
Mrs. Harding, through the long hours
| since last Sunday, had been almost
constantly at his bedside and she was
preparing to obtain her first night OF
good rest since the presidential party
reached San Francisco. Her cOnstancy
and devotion were being rewarded by
the Presidents seeming recovery. Doc
tors who had been in attendance With
one exception, had left the hotel for o
few hours of relaxation. Then death
laid its cold hand on the President
.fhe only persons in his apartment al
the time were Mrs. Harding and two
trained nurses.
Not realizing that the end had come
with Tightening swiftness. Mrs. Hard
ing ran into the hotel corridor.
"Call all of the doctors quickly.
she called 10 secret service man who
was on duty and Ithen she hurried
back to her husbands bedside.
The secret service man failed "a
hear her call. -Four newspapermen. the
only others in the corridor heard. how
ever, and dashed in pursuit of Dr.
Sawyer. and his aides. DR.. Sawyer
was the only one TO be found and
when he reached the Presidents bed
side he realized that it was too late
That the utmost optimism prevailed
regarding the Presidents recovery /: