The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-08-03

az half mast today. Ia following
an lmmcmodal custom, flaEs on
al public buildings we're lowered 70
half mast when the news Of Tho
presidents death sproad Lake
Washington and Puget Sound boaia
also brought their flags down 10
half mast. All army and naNy
establishments have been ordotod
10 fly their flags az half maHt
ana unbellef blended on their faees'
Women fnHped
Telephone calls were put IA for
members Of tho official party. some
Of whom last night FOR the first
time since reaching san Francisco
had accepted dinner Invitations, hT'
lloying the president virtually out OF
danger IN fow momsnta they be.
gan arriving. their faces hlnnehed
az thu news. Tho thrOnEn IN the
surrounding tho preai'
Dental suite opened silently 20 lot
them pass. and they went with bow
I'd heads into the chamber Of death.
In a FEW minutes Judson G, Welt
yer. President liarding's friend ana
general chief Of White House pub
licIty. came out with a short typed
sheet Of paper II was snapped up
by waiting Newspaper men and In
moment tho wires woro carrying TO-
a shocked country this official an
nounocmsnti
Tho president died inaiAniane-
ousiy ana without warning and while
eonversing with members Of hia. fam
Ny at fa0 >. m. Death was appar-
entity due 20 some brain 5yolyement.
probably an apoplcxy. During the
day no had been free from disoom-
fort and there was every iustlflea.
lion for anticipating prompt re
covering islgnedl c. r. Sawyer. Ray
Lyman Wilbur. c. ~. Cooper. J. 7,
Boone. Hubert Work"
few minutes later a second state
ment WAS issued. telling Ia brief
tho circumstances surrounding The
deathbod scene II read,
Tho president died at ITO p. m.
Mrh. Harding ana the two nurses.
Miss Ruth Powderiy and Alua Sue
DanAser, we're IN tho room AZ the
time. AirH. Harding was reading 10
tho president. when utterly without
warning. a slight shudder passed
thru hla frame. ho collapsed, and ~
recognized that tho sad had come.
a stroke Of apoplrxy waH the Gauss
Of bis death. Within a few moments
all Of the presidents official party
had been summoned,
MUST TRANSFER
HIS AUTHORITY
In tho death chamber there gath
cred quickly Attorney Genera
Daugher,y. summoned from the din
nor table az the St. Francis ho,el.
Secretary Of the Interior work. also
called from dinner; Secretary Of Az
r!culiurs Wallace and Secretary Of
Commerce Hoover. They turned
from tho bedside, in gFiof they
rushed back. for they, an members
o. tho cabinet, must at once take
steps 10 transfer TO another The ma
iasty and authority thai Ws,-cn
Harding had no quietly laid down.
After a brief consultation thsy
signed telegram 10 Vice President
Calvin Coolidge. who wsa at Ply
mouth. VI
'~rha president at 7.2o .. m. died
from a stroke Of cerebral apoplrxy.
The end eams psaeeahly and with.
lou, warning.
tslgueD .DAuGHERTy,
WORK.
WALLACE.
HOOVER"
DauGHERTy WIRES
VICE PRESIDENT
A ittio later Attorney General
paugherty. tho chNf law officer OF
the government, supplemented this
With tho following message TO Cool.
ldge;
II respectfully suggest that II you
hayNs not already done 40. that you
immediately take tho oath Of office"
Coolidge Of once complied, and
within a few hours Of Mr.. Harding's
death took up tho burdens OF the
presidency.
The five doctors, eanwhile
stunned at their sudden and wholly
unexpected defeat just when they
deemed victory over death safo 10
their grasp. united in secking the
actual cause Of death, and at mid
night lasuod the following statement
covering the history OF AIR. Hard.
ing'H illness and tiSsir belief as 10
the cause Of death:
Last spring. following a Ions |
period OF oyerwork and great strain. |
President Harding was confined 10 /
his bed with an attack OF influenza,
which was followed by a few noe.
tnrnai attacks Of labored bvath.
ms.
His recovery was slow and no had
not fully regaiued his normafl
strength and health when no start
ed out on tho trip to Alaska.
''Ho had also had some attacks
OF abdominal pain and indigestion
and at times no had some pain
with feeling OF opprcs.
sion In tho chest. For some years |
his HyStollc blood pressure had
ranged around i5O and there was
evidence OF sorno artoriai sclerosIs,
Of tho heart and dc.
fectiye action OF the kidneys, Elk.
cept for fatigue and the fact that
his heart and blood vessels were
some years older than tho rest OF
his body, he was in reasonably good
health.
"on the return trip from Alaska
no had an acute gastrointestlnal at.
tack, associated with abdominal pain
and fever. In spite of his illness, he