Evening star., 1924-01-29
SOCIAL WH|RL HERE
BLAMED IN SUICIDE
Gov. Harding Says Daughter
Was Nervous Wreck After
Visit to Capital.
!:
ARRIVED HOME SICK
Killed Herself With Fathers Re-
/ volver, Which She Found
in His Room.
ARRIVED HOME SIGH
Bx the Associated Press.

BOSTON. January 29.-The whirl &C
social life, dancing and cigarettes, re-
sulting finally in a nervous break
down, are blamed by w. +. q. Hard
ing, governor OF the Federal Reserve
Bank of Boston, for the death of his
daughter Margaret Eliot Harding,
who committed suicide Saturday.
Miss Harding was born in Birming-
ham twenty-three years ago and was
prominent in Washington social cir
cles when her father was governor of
the federal reserve system.
Gov. Harding in a statement last
night made public the circumstances
of Miss Harding's death, which had
been withheld since Saturday when a
medical examiner reported:
Cause of death hemorrhage-to be
Investigated"
Had Warned Daughter.
He said his daughter, since leaving
school several years ago. had de-
voted herself to social activities TO
such All extent that a few months
ago her health had become seriously
impaired and that he lad warned her
continuously against late hours and
cigarette smoking. She spent much
of her time in Washington and a
fortnight ago. after stay of several
months at home, again visited the
Capital On her return to Boston last
week, Gov. Harding said. Miss Hard
ing told him that she was suffering
from breakdown.
Mr.. Harding, who appeared broken
and i'll. said:
She shot herself with my revolver.
which I left hidden in my own room
and which she must have found. Sew
eral letters which she had written
and which were found on the desk in
her room confirmed the suicide. The
revolver was lying nearby. Only one
shot had been fred, the bullet enter
ing her left breast.
Margaret had spent most of her
life In Washington and often visited
her sister in New York. Since leav-
ing school she had enjoyed the whirl
of social gatherings. such dances.
theater parties, late suppers and she
had even acquired the habit of cigar
cite smoking. This life began 20 tell
on her constitution and eighteen
months ago | noticed a change in her
health. She then appeared extremely
nervous and ! warned her against
continuing her social habits.
Visit to Washington.
After being at home for a couple
of months she returned to Washing
ton two weeks ago few days later
she sent me a letter telling me what
wonderful time she was having and
adding that her social engagements
took up most of her time.
Realizing that her health was be-
coming impaired. ] wired her last
week to return home Immediately, at
the same timo forwa riding her
check. She arrived in Boston Friday
morning and l went to the station
to meet her.
Upon her arrival home she said
she was too i'll to talk and believed
she was on the verge Of nervous
breakdown. ! told her I had planned
% - ., f,,rr ANy, t,at ,,T6 Ia If
would postpone the trip If her illness
was serious. She begged me to go
and keep my appointment by all
means and then went to her own
room. saying: I'm tired. Leave me
alone
TeIephoned 10 sister.
Mr.. Harding said he went to wash
back stopped over in New York to
visit his daughter. Mrs Eugene V.
r. Thayer. The latter informed him
that she had received telephone call
from Margaret the evening before
stating that she was on the verge OF
g. nervous collapse. Saturday at noon
Mrs. Theyer telephoned Margaret,
Mr. Harding said, and the girl said
she was feeling much better
While ] was out shopping with the
Thayers that afternoon, one OF the maids
tried to reach me by telephone" Mr..
Harding said. "On learning this | call
ed my home in Boston and the maid
told me to come home at once
happened and she referred me to DIR.
q. A, waterman. DR.. Waterman told
ne Margaret was dead"
On arriving back home Mr.. Harding
said the maid told him that early
Saturday afternoon Margaret had
fold her not to admit any one.
Tell them | am too sick to see any
6ne." she said, according to the maid.
shortly after , o'clock the maid
and raped on the door. but there
was no response. Calling another
maid she forced an entrance and
women summoned DR.. Waterman,
who notified the medical examiner
Later, Mr. Harding said that his
daughter had been suffering from
lung hemorrhages the most recent OF
which had occurred Immediately after
her return from Washington.
In note to her father. found after
her death. Miss Harding said:
You don't know how I'm suffering.
Please forgive me for what / have
done; I cannot stand it any longer.
Goodbye. Love. MARGARET."
Stanley Hawkes.. head of the bureau
or information of the State Depart
rnent, who hurried to Boston after
receiving a special delivery letter
from Miss Harding. written shortly
before her death, returned to WASH
ington last night and did not attend
the funeral. He is engaged to an
other girl. IT is understood
Gov. Harding said. in his statement:
s"J oday was the first time ever heard
my daughters name linked with that
of Hawkes.. I told this fellow to go
back to Washington. that there was
nothing he could do here"
MIR. Harding could throw no light
on reports that his daughter had
been disappointed at the recent an
nouneement of the engagement OF
Mr.. Hawkes. to Miss Margaret Bald
win Of Washington, who now is trav-
cling in Italy. The letter which Mr.
Hawkes. received from Miss Harding
is understood to have contained con-