The Raymer enterprise., 1923-08-09

y Died August z, l9Z3. U
tcSSSSSSSSsssSsSSsSsSssssesssSssssssssSSS
speak TO the newspaper men as they
gathered around him on his way down
to his own quarters. Tears were run.
ming down his cheeks and he seemed
to be stunned by grief as he made his
way 70 the elevator.
Mayor james Rolph Of San Fran
ctsro was the next to arrive, and he,
too, after a visit to the death room,
was inartIculate.
Official. Statement
1t was about twenty minutes from
the time Mr.. Harding was stricken
GAO p. m.) until he died e :30). The
circumstance is told briefly In the FOL.
lowing formal announcement:
THE President died at Z 80 p. m.
Mrs. Harding and the two nurses, Miss
Ruth Powderly and Miss Sue Drusser.
were in the room at the time. Mrs.
Harding was reading to the President
when utterly without warning a slight
shudder passed through his frame, he
collapsed. and all recognized that the
end had come. A stroke OF apoplexy
was the cause Of his death.
within few moments all OF the
Presidents official party had been
summoned"
DR.. Boone said later that Miss Pow.
derly looked at the President while
Mrs. Harding was reading to him and
was struck by great improvement In
the patients appearance.
Doesn't he look fineI" she said,
turning to Mrs. Harding.
Then the nurse turned back to look
at the President to verify her COM
ment Mrs. Harding looked. too. They
saw shudder pass over the sick
mans frame. That marked the stroke
that produced death.
The following telegram from the
members OF the cabinet who are here
was Immediately sent to Vice Presi-
dent Coolidge, Chief Justice Taft. and
those members Of the cabinet who
were not In San Francisco:
THE President died at 7:30 p. m.
from stroke Of cerebral apoplexy.
The end came peacefully and without
warning.
'DAUGHERTY.
t.. "WORK.
WALLACE,
"HOOvER."
A Shocking Surprise.
Nothing could have been q more
shocking surprise. But an hour ear.
ller General Sawyer had been telling
newspaper men that Mr.. Harding had
had the best day since he became Sc
riously III the preceding Saturday. He
said that the President had definitely
entered upon the stage of GONZALES.
cence and that everything went to
show that Mr.. Harding was on the
road to ultimate recovery.
The members of the official party
those who had accompanied the Pres.
ident and Mrs. Harding-had no warn.
Ing that the President was In danger.
They, like the newspaper men. had
been assured that a fatal termination
Of the Presidents Illness was a thing
not TO be expected. In view OF his ap
parent mprOyement-the evident less.
enIng Of serious symptoms-ln the
last As hours.
George B. Christian, Jr.. secretary
10 the President and his devoted
friend. was In Los Angeles with Mrs.
Christian. He had gone there at the
Presidents solicitation to read mt a
Masonic gathering an address which
the President had prepared In the ex.
pectation that he would deliver It In
! person.
The newspaper men had an engage
ment with General Sawyer for
o'clock. He was to tell them then
how the President was progressing
toward recovery. The bulletin came
at 7:30.
Regarding the manner in which Mrs.
Harding sustained the shock. an OH.
cial statement given to the press BY
Judson D. Welllver Of the White
House stafi, q member Of the Presi.
dents Official party. said.
Mrs. Harding, who from the begin.
ming Of the Presidents illness had ex.
pressed complete confidence In his re.
covery, did not break down. On the
other hand. she continued, AZ from
the beginning, the bravest member Of
the group. When It was realized that
the President had actually passed
away, she turned to those In the room,
whose concern had turned to her, and
said: I am not going to break down."