The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-01-05

home which he and Mrs.
Coolidge rebuilt after his re-
turn from Washington.
Coolidge, apparently in good
health, went to his Main street Of
flee at about $50 a. m. today.
After about an hour and half
at work, he and his secretary, Harry
Ross, left for the Coolidge home
stead, THE Beeches."
The former President was found
dead on the floor of his bedroom by
Mrs. Coolidge when she returned
from a shopping trip at lis p. m.
Secretary Ross was in the house
at the time, but not in the room
where Mr.. Coolidge died.
DR.. Edward w. Brown, medical
examiner, was summoned and after
examination of the body, pro-
nounced death due to heart failure.
Absolutely Unexpected
Ralph w. Hemenway, Mr.. Cool.
idge's former law partner, had seer
the former President at their ole
office earlier in the day. Hemenway
said Mr.. Coolidge appeared to be il
/ sound health.
1T absolutely was unexpected,
Hemenway said when Informed Of
the former Presidents death.
Calvin Coolidge became the thir-
tieth President of the United States
on Aug. 2, 1928. He was compare
lively unknown, and an uncertain
political factor.
No man ever had entered the
White House whose personality was
more of an enigma to the country
His progression from a city coun-
Gilman in a small New England
town to the vice-presidency hac
lacked the fanfare and acclaim at
tendant upon the political develop
ment of many American statesmen
Perhaps the one dramatic houl
in the political life of CALVIN
Coolidge, aside from the Boston
police strike when his firm Stanc
against the disruption of delegated
authority focused upon him the at.
tention of the entire nation, wa!
the taking of his oath of Office.
He became chief executive of hi,
country under circumstances tina
are without parallel in American
history.
Sworn In at Farm
The transition came with a stun
ming suddenness, with the uneX.
pected death of Warren G. Hard
! ing.
Mr.. Coolidge was enjoying a brief
vacation at the home in Vermont
of his father, Colonel John Coolidge
justice of the peace.
Shortly after midnight a tele-
( phone message told him of the
/ death on the Pacific coast of Presi-
dent Harding.
In an unpretentious room lighted
only by a Pickering kerosene lamp
Calvin Coolidge took the oath OF
office as President of the United
States at 257 a. m.
President Coolidge's political ca
reer was chosen deliberately
Throughout his public career, how
ever, there was never ostentatioU
display or political braggadocio.
When he entered the White HOUSE
he was a trained man of disciplined
experience.
Those associated with him in
sisted that President Coolidge;
dominant characteristic was his
common sense. Outwardly indif-
ferent, he was never stoid but wa;
alert and discriminating.
Born in 1872
These traits, coupled with the
simplicity that marked the routine
of his life, we're regarded as the de-
Gliding reasons for his popularity.
The common people held the be-
lief that President Coolidge was an
honest man and that he was sim
cerely determined to conduct the
government for them under most
exacting economic regime.
That is the explanation Of his re-
ceiving the greatest majority ever
accorded a presidential candidate
when he ran for the executive office
in 1924.
Calvin Coolidge was born July
1872, at Plymouth, Vt. He came Of
sturdy New England stock thai
settled in America ten years after
the landing of the Pilgrims.
He matriculated at Amherst col
lege, graduating in 1895. HI:
scholastic record was splendid.
| He was looked unon as reticenl