The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-08-09
CAL Vim COOLIDGE
3OTH PRESIDENT
OF UNITED STATES
Vice President Succeeds, in Ac-
cordance With Law, to Highest
Office in Nation as Result
of Harding's Death.
ACHIEVED FAME WHEN
BAY STATE GOVERNOR

Plymouth, Vt.-Calvin Coolidge re-
ceived the news of the death Of Presi-
dent Harding in San Francisco and Of
his own elevation to the Presidency at
ten minutes before midnight Thurs
day, standard time. The new Presi-
dent was sworn in by his father, John
c. Coolidge, who is a notary PUBLIC.
President Coolidge left for Wash
ington soon afterward
Mr.. Coolidge received the first
news of President Harding's death
from "a telegram signed by George C..
Christian, the late Presidents secre-
tary.
The telegram was brought to the
Coolidge home at Plymouth Notch by
w. A. Perkins of Bridgewater, who
owns the telephone line running from
Bridgewater to Plymouth, About five
minutes later the newspaper men ar
rived in Ludlow.
The following telegram was sent to
Mrs. Harding:
Plymouth, VT, Aug.,S 1923.
Mrs. Warren G. Harding,
San Francisco, CAL:
We offer you our deepest sympa-
thy. May God bless you and keep you.
CALVIN COOLIDGE,
GRACE COOLIDGE.
The following telegram announcing
the death of President Harding was
received:
Palace Hotel, San Francisco.
Mr.. Calvin Coolidge,
Plymouth, VT:
The President died instantly and
without warning and while conversing
with members Of his family at 1870
D. m. His physicians report that
death was apparently due to some
brain embolism, probably apoplexy
GEORGE B. CHRISTIAN. JR.,
Secretary.
New President Reused From Bed
The President and Mrs Coolidge
had retired about an hour before these
messages were received. Ten min
utes after the arrival of the newspa-
per men President, and Mrs. Coolidge
came down stairs into the sitting
room of the Coolidge home.
Mr.. Coolidge was very pale, but
showed no emotion other than deep
regret for his predecessors death.
He seated himself at a table, while
Mrs. Coolidge brought a lamp and
read the kilograms he had received.
He then called his assistant secre-
tary, Irwin Geisser, and dictated to
him his statement and the telegram
TO Mrs. Harding.
Simple Dignity Marks Ceremony
1t was an impressive sight when Mr.
Coolidge took his place opposite his
father to be sworn in as President
His bearing was marked by the sim
pie dignity and poise which has char
acterized him all through the difficult
+ period of President Hardings illness
The elder Coolidge, who bears a
/ married resemblance to his son and
has the same immobility of features
asked the President to raise his right
hand. The President did so. and his
father then read him the following
oath, prescribed by the Constitution
of the United States, the form OF
which had been received by telegraph
and teleIhones only few minutes
before from Washington.
q do solemnly swear that will
faithfully execute the office of Presi
den of the United States and wiki
to the best of my ability preserve
protect and defend the Constitution
of the United States"
The President repeated the OATH
I after his father. There was tense
moment as he paused, with hand still
uplifted, and added in voice deeI
with feeling:
so help me God"