Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-31
FRIEND Of HARDING,
AIDE Of DAUGHERTY,
DIES BY OWN HAND
Shoots Self in Apartment He
Shared With Attorney Gen.
eraI-WaS Often Guest at
the White House


w. Smith, for years the close per-
sonal friend and political aide of At
torney General Daugherty, com
mitted suicide early today in the
hotel apartment where he and the
attorney general had lived together
since the beginning of the Harding
administration.
No clue to the cause of the act
was found, but among Mr., Smiths
papers was a will, written two days
ago on hotel stationery, leaving to
relatives the proceeds of a small
estate he had accumulated as pro-
prietor of a department store in
Washington Courthouse, Ohio. He
ended his life with a revolver while
alone in his bedroom and after a
short investigation the coroner is
sued a certificate of suicide.
News of the suicide was tele-
phoned quickly to the White House
where the attorney general was an
temporarily from the attorney gen,
eral himself on the advice of his
physicians. For some months Mr..
Daugherty has been i'll and it was
said there was fear that the shock
might cause a relapse.
Close Friend of Hardings
panion and adviser of Mr.. Daugh-
erty, Mr.. Smith was a close friend
of both the president and Mrs Hard
ing. He was one of the small coterie
of intimates who have gathered for
social evening together many
times at the White House during
the last two years and he had been
a member of the presidential party
on many trips over the country.
During the illness of the attorney
general. Mr.. Smith was almost con-
tinually at his bedside. In March
they went to Florida together on
President Harding's special train
and spent several weeks at Miami,
st. Augustine and Asheville, N. c..
Friends said they had seen no signs
of dependency and had heard no
hint that he intended to take his
life.
A single .3S-calibre revolver shot,
which entered the fight temple, was
the cause of death. The report was
heard by Warren F. Martin, special
assistant to the attorney general,
who was asleep in an adjoining room
but when he arrived it was too late
to render aid.
The will left by Mr.. Smith named
as his benefciaries Eddie st. John,
a nephew, and several others.
1t is believed his estate is confined
almost entirely to the proceeds of
the recent sale or his department
store in Washington Courthouse,
Ohio. He had been married and di-
vorced years ago in Ohio.
Was in Bad Health
Although he had shown no out
ward signs of Encouragement or
melancholy, Mr.. Smith had been suf-
fering for some time for diabetes and
physicians who had attended him
were inclined today to ascribe his act
tc worry over his physical condition.
He was ffty-one years old, and, it
was said, he had expressed to his
medical advisers a fear that his
health would not long permit him
to remain actively at work.
AS soon as news z of the suicide
reached the White House it was
communicated to President Harding
and to DR.. J. T. Boone, Mr.. Daugh.
erty's physician. DR.. Boone at once
was sent by the president to the
Daugherty apartment at Wardman
Park hotel, where he made an in
quiry into the circumstances of the
tragedy. On returning to the White
House he consulted with Mr. Har-
ding, and they decided not to break
the news to Mr.. Daugherty until
after breakfast.
When he was told of it later. the
attorney general gave evidence of
extreme surprise and grief, but it
was said there were no immediate
evidences of Ill effects on his own
physical condition.
Played Golf Tuesday
Mr.. Smith played golf yesterday
with the attorney general, Mr.. Mar
tin, and Lieutenant Commander
Boone, naval medical aide, attached
to the White House, and complained
afterwards of being unusually tired
For several years he had been
regarded as the righthand man of
the attorney general in Ohio politics
and he took a prominent part in the
pre-cOnvention campaign four years
ago which resulted in the nomination
of President Harding. Since that
time he has been almost the constant
companion of the attorney general
and has been a guest of the presi
dent on many of his vacation and
speaking trips.
After the 1920 election, Mr.. Smith
was chosen secretary of the commit.
tee which was placed in charge OF
arrangements for the inauguration
and he maintained an office here for
several weeks before the president.
elect decided that the usual inaugu.
ration plans should be dispensed
wfah.
When the new administration
came IN, he was designated by Mr..
Daugherty toilook after various per-
sonal affairs at the department of
iustic7r and although he never held
anv official title he devoted most of
his time to the services of the attor-
ney general at the department.