Evening star., 1936-02-08
CHARLES CURTIS,
B-V|CE EPRES|DENT,
EXPIRES SUDDENLY
Heart Attack Fatal to First
of Indian Blood to Reach
High Position.
HAD BEEN SUFFERING
FROM SLIGHT COLD
Death Comes Before Sister, on
Downtown Shopping Tour,
Arrives at Bedside.

Former Vice President Charles Cur
It's died suddenly at 1925 am. today
after a heart attack at the residence
of his sister and brother-in-law, Mr..
and Mrs Edward E. Gam, 3508 Ma
comb street. He was rs years old.
Mr.. Curtis had been suffering with
slight cold for about week. 1t be-
came worse Wednesday and he left
his law Office in the Shoreham Build
ing saying he would remain indoors for
several days until the ailment i'm
proved.
The former Vice President, who also
served more than 80 years IN the
Senate and House, felt much better
this morning. although he remained
in bed on doctors orders. He seemed
tn enioy his breakfast in bed, and
planned to get up soon.
Maid Telephones Sister.
Mr.. Curtis sister, Mrs. Gam, went
downtown with her husband. Shortly
after 10 o'clock. the maid in the Gam
residence telephoned Mr.. Gam that
Mr.. Curtis has suffered heart attack.
Mr.. Gam telephoned DR.. George H.
Calver, physician at the Capitol who
rushed to the bedside. Mr.. Curtis
died about the time the doctor arrived
and before his sister and brother-ln-
law could reach his side.
DR.. Calver issued bulletin saying:
Honorable Charles Curtis, former
Vice President of the United States OF
America, died of heart attack at
1925 am, this date"
Children Notified.
Miss Lola Williams. Mr. Curtis sec
retary for many years. hurried to the
home as quickly as possible. She noti-
fed Mr. Curtis two daughters and his
son. Mrs. Webster nKight. I'd, at
Providence. R. l.; Mrs c. P. George
at Fort Sam Houston. Tex, and Harry
K. Curtis, at Taos, N. Mex.
She telephoned his sister, Mrs.
Elizabeth Colvin at Topeka, Kans.
only 10 days ago he returned from
a business trip to Chicago" Miss Will
liams told reporters.
He still was acutely interested in
politics and had been doing all he
could to back the candidacy of Gov.
Landon"
Mrs. Garner Expresses Regret.
Mrs. Gam held up until the lmme-
diate members of the family had been
notified.
While Miss williams was telephon-
ing, she walked back and forth in the
living room. Several times she ex-
pressed regret that she had been
unable to reach the home few min
utes earlier
He died easily" she said. Il am
% glad he didn't suffer-
When the family had been informed
Mrs. Gam retired to her own room
weeping.
One of the first persons to learn Of
Curtis death was Mrs. john N. Gar
ner, who happened to be visiting in
the neighborhood at that time.
The former Vice President lived in
a two-story yellow stucco house on a
hill Immediately behind the Episcopal
Cathedral, where President Wilson is
buried.
Mr.. and Mrs. Gam awaited word
from members of the family before
making funeral arrangements.
Shortly after learning of Mr.. Curtis
death, President Roosevelt paid tribute
to him in a brief public statement
issued at the White House. 1t follows:
II am deeply distressed to learn of
the sudden passing of my old friend,
Charles Curtis Whether they knew
him as Senator, as the Vice President
of the United States, or as the man he
was in his own right, his legion of
friends will remember him, always
affectionately, and will mourn his
passing"
Since expiration of his term as Vice
President Mr.. Curtis has practiced law
in the Capital. Many of his leisure
hours he devoted to watching the horse
races at the nearby Maryland tracks,
having been jockey himself years ago.
Had Romantic Career.
Mr.. Curtis was the first man Of
Indian ancestry to occupy the vice
presidency.
In his youth he wore the blanket
of his Indian forebears on the Kaw
reservation in Kansas, and at AZ he
attained the toga of United States
Senator.
Then with the Inauguration of the
Hoover administration in 1929 he
presided as Vice President over the
Senate, where he had served 20 years
and in which he had risen to be Re-
publican leader.
A romantic and versatile career
marked the life of Mr.. Curtis. From
the Indian reservation he went to
become jockey on the Western race
tracks, worked as hack driver. en-
barked on his life profession of law,
(see CURTIS, Page 81