The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-11-21
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nSs4S ana DOcJor George i. Hard
ing, the late Presidents father,
and Miss Abigail Harding, the late
Presidents sister, have been with
Mrs. Harding almost constantly.
Her Last Appearance
Mrs. Harding's last public APP
pearance in Marion, except for her
almost daily visits to the tomb Of
the late President, was on October
10, when she attended the concert
of the United States Marine Band
at Garfield Park, where the notifi-
cation ceremonies were held.
On the occasion Of the visit OF
the musicians to Marion, advance
arrangements were made by the
kiwanis Club for funeral lirgc
ut the Harding tomb. This was
played in the early afternoon and
Mrs. Harding also attended the
afternoon concert.
The first news that Mrs. Hard
tng's condition might be alarming
was given out by Doctor Sawyer.
when he announced on October 80
that she was compelled to deny
herself to all visitors. Rabbi Joseph
8. KOrnfeld, of Toledo, recently re.
turned from Persia where he had
served in diplomatic service as an
appolntee OF the late President,
visited Marion on that day to pay
his respects to the memory OF the
late President, and called at the
sawyer home, but failed to see
Mrs. Harding.
It was then learned that she had
been confined to her bed for sew
eral days and that her condition
even at that time was most dis.
ccuraging to those who were init
mately acquainted with her.
Broken BY Her Grief.
Since the death Of President
Harding at San Francisco on
August 2 last year, Mrs. Harding
had never been regarded as quite
recovered from the shock and the
terrible strain Of crossing the con-
t1nent on the funeral train with the
endless grief-ridden formalities that
followed. While she preferred to
be in Marion with her home friends
and relatives, she was surrounded
here by sympathy and depressing
memories.
She left Marion early in January
on the private car OF General Man
ager McCarty. of the Pennsylvania.
who has since died, and lived at
the Willard Hotel, Washington. up
to the time Brigadier General Saw.
yer, who had long been her physi.
clan. was relieved Of his duties As
physician to President Coolidge.
General Sawyer was compelled to
remove to Marion to attend to his
own affairs and continue his work
as secretary of the Harding Mem
orial Association.
General SaWyer's Death.
Mrs. Harding remained in Wash.
ington for several weeks until on
July is she suffered an attack and
Immediately sent for her physician.
General Sawyer had attended
Mrs. Harding over a period OF
eighteen years and her confidence
in him, who so thoroughly under
stood the history Of her several
serious attacks Of kidney trouble,
brought about the decision that she
should return to Marion to remain
in constant touch with the general.
When General Sawyer died sud
denly September 20 Of an acute
heart attack almost In the presence
OF Mrs. Harding, she suffered
renewed shock which her condition
was scarcely capable OF counter
acting.
Moreover she had been depressed
from time to time by the reports
Of the deaths of number of the
friends and Government officials
closest to the Hardings during their
occupancy of the White House.
Deaths of Other Friends !.
Mrs. Hubert Work, wife Of the
Secretary Of Interior, who accom-
panied the Hardings on the Alaskan
trip. on which one Of the news.
paper men was killed In an auto
mobile accident. and from which
the President was brought back on
the funeral train. was also the vic
tim of a motor accident that re-
suited in her sudden death.
The illness of Henry c. Wallace,
Secretary Of Agriculture in the
Harding Cabinet. was most dis
tressing to Mrs. Harding. and when
she read in the newspapers OF his
death on October 25 she went to
bed almost Immediately and never
left it alive.
George B. Christian, jr., President
Harding's private secretary, who is
now associated with Rodman Wanna
maker in Washington, Philadelphia
and New York, rushed to Mrs.
HardiHg's bedside when he read
the announcement Of her Illness on
October 80. Up to that time even
the closer friends of the widow had
not been informed that her con-
dition was approaching the serious
stage.
Wishes All Carried Out.
Mr.. Christian has spent some
10
and has attended to all Of her
requests. Her first remark on see.
ing Mr.. Christian was:
II am glad you are here. George.
] want you to take care of all
this mail and see that every letter
is acknowledged, and thank them
for their kind interest"
The first news Of her illness
brought letters and kilograms to
Mrs. Harding from all over the
country and the number increased
daily until the task Of ackRowledg.
ing them became next to impossible
Other instructions were given to
Mr.. Christian and when Mrs. Hard
ing's vitality was so exhausted that
she preferred not to be disturbed by
talking, practically every wish had
been carried out.
Condition Was Hopeless.
Doctor Sawyer's bulletins through.
out Mrs. Harding's illness Of less
di,ative Of a hopeless condition Of
health If one read between the
lines.
The physician attempted to fol-