Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-08-04
SAN FRANCISCO
PAYS TRIBUTE
City Today Inferred Memory
of President Harding in
Vault of Thoughts.

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 4 (By The
Associated Press)-San Francisco to-
day inferred the memory of Presi-
dent Warren G.. Harding in its vault
of treasured thoughts while slowly
recovering from the sorrowful scenes
which surrounded the funeral cor
tege of the late Chief Executive of
the nation here yesterday.
The services were simple. The
members of Mr.. Harding's official
family and a few intimate friends
gathered about his casket and heard
the Rev. James S. West, a Baptist
minister, pray for him whom thou
hast called from sacrificial service
to rest eternal"
When the prayer was concluded,
Mrs. Harding joined the Rev. West
In Amen" and said to the ministers:
1T has been a great comfort to
me-"
AS Mrs. Harding turned for an
other look at her husbands face be-
fore the casket was closed, other
members of the party filed u of the
room and left her alone for a few
moments with her dead, while surg
ing silent crowds which lined the
streets below Joined her requiem.
Mrs. Harding was bowed down,
but not broken in spirit, under h
load of grief with which she has been
.burdened. She thanked the minister,
sMr. Watson" the policeman who
was on guard at the Presidential
suite and her parting word of com-
fort to San Francisco was:
ST won't break down. My thoughts
will go Just as fast as the train
Mrs. Harding was the last mem
Der of the official party to leave the
hotel. She came down to her auto
mobile on the arms of Brigadier
General Sawyer and Secretary Chris
tian at 7 o'clock, almost thirty min
utes after the casket started moving
toward the station. She was spared
the ordeal of watching the casket,
carried by soldiers, sailors and ma
rines, wend its way through the no
tel lobby to the street through a
colorful array of military otficers
while the navy band, outside the
hotel played. 1.-THE Star Spangied
Banner and Lead, Kindly Light,
Mr.. Harding's favorite hymn.
AS the gray casket, covered ny
an American, flag topped WIN =
wreath of California carnations, was
gently rolled to the hearse, the
chimes of st. Patrick's Catholic
church. inst a block distant, tollec
Nearer My God to Thee
The bright array of uniforms
which three branches of the mill
tary service brought to the process
sion was in sharp contrast TO the
garb of frock coated statesmen
who followed the hearse.
Around the Montgomery street
H. Do1ona Intel was
gathered an imposing array OIL
statesmen whose names are house
hold words in the nation.
There was General John Pershing.
Secretaries Hoover, Work and Wal
lace, Attorney General Daugherty'
Associate Justice M~cReynolds OF the
United States supreme court, Rear
Admirals Simpson and j. 5. NC
Kean, Senator Samuel Shortridge.
Congressman julius kahn ana
Mayor JONES Rolph.
With the exception of Attorney
General Daugherty, whose condition
would not stand the strain, all the
notables walked to the station.
While the cortege passed through
silent thousands to the station, Cal
ifornia flowers, which had been
gathered lavishly to invite the
smiles of the man who loved them,
were showered by airplanes from the
sky, that his pathway into the be-
yond would be one of increased
beauty and brightness.
At the Southern Pacific depot the
body was placed on board the Har-
ding special train which was cover
ed with shrubbery and flowers gath
cred from California gardens.
A shaft of sunlight broke through
a cloud just before sunset in the
Golden Gate, and lighted the skies
as the brilliantly lighted coach sped
out of the West on the first stretch
of its sorrowful journey to Washing
ton.