President Warren G. Harding Died at 7:30 Last Night, Aug. 3, 1923

President Harding Died at 7:30 Last Night. . . End Comes Without Warning After Most Satisfactory Day. . . Vice President Coolidge Becomes Chief Executive . . . The Nation Was Never Before So Unprepared to Learn of Death of a President. . . Apoplexy Cause of His Sudden Death

By the Associated Press

Presidential Headquarters, Palace Hotel, San Francisco, Aug. 2—Warren G. Harding, President of the United States, died instantaneously and without warning tonight at 7:30 o’clock, a victim of a stroke of apoplexy which struck him down in his weakened condition after an illness of exactly a week.

The chief executive of the nation, and by virtue of his office and personality, one of the world’s leading figures, passed away at the time when his physicians, his family, and his people thought that medical skill, hope and prayer had won the battle against disease.

The disease had been conquered, the fire was out, but seven days of silent, though intense suffering, had left their mark and a stroke of apoplexy came without an instant’s warning, and before physicians could be called, members of his party summoned, or remedial measures taken, he passed from life’s stage having for nearly two and a half years served his nation and for many more years his native state of Ohio.

With the passing of Mr. Harding, the office of President devolves upon Calvin Coolidge, vice president of the United States, a man silent in nature but demonstrated as strong in emergencies. He was notified of the death of Mr. Harding at his home in Plymouth, Vermont.

Without Warning

The suddenness with which the end came was shown by the fact that only Mrs. Harding and two nurses, Ruth Powderly and Sue Dausser, were in the room at the time. Mrs. Harding with her characteristic faithfulness and constant tenderness, was reading to the President at the time.

Then without a warning a slight shudder passed through the frame of the chief executive. He collapsed and the end came. Immediately the indications of distress showed themselves, Mrs. Harding ran to the door and called for Lieutenant Commander Boone and for the other doctors to come quickly.

The first indication that a change had occurred in the condition of Mr. Harding came shortly after 7 o’clock when Mrs. Harding personally opened the door of the sick room and called to those in the corridors to “find Dr. Boone and the others quickly.” At that time Mrs. Harding was understood to have been reading to the President sitting at his bed-side with the evening papers and messages of sympathy which had been received during the day.

Dr. Sawyer was alone of all the doctors in the apartment when the climax came. He first was called by Mrs. Harding who then rushed to the door leading into the hotel corridors and commanded an immediate search for other physicians.

From the front page of The Monroe Journal, Friday, August 3, 1923