The Reaper

It was in many respects a merry party, a party at least filled with expectation of pleasant times to come, which set out from the White House for Alaska two Junes ago. Of those* who started on the trip, seven are already dead. The first fatalities were the deaths of Sumner Curtis and Thomas Dawson, newspapermen, killed in an accident near Denver on the first leg of the journey. Then came the death of President Harding of apoplexy in August, 1923, while returning to Washington. Fourth, was the death of Mrs. Hubert Work, wife of the Secretary of the Interior, after an automobile accident in May; fifth, the death of Brigadier General Charles E. Sawyer, of cerebral hemorrhage in September of this year; sixth, the death of Secretary of Agriculture Wallace of complications following appendicitis, in October last; seventh, the death of Mrs. Harding, widow of the late President, last week. At White Oaks Farm, near Marion, where she had been making her home at the sanatarium of Dr. Carl W. Sawyer (son of the late White House physician), Mrs. Harding was seriously ill for about a month. She had been suffering for some years from a kidney trouble which nearly resulted in her death two years ago. A few days before the end, an alleviative operation was performed. Her death was quiet; for some hours she had gradually lapsed into unconsciousness. Her death was ascribed to chronic nephritis with myocarditis and hydronephrosis as complications.

Mrs. Harding, nee Florence Kling, born Aug. 15, 1860, daughter of Amos Kling, wealthy real-estate owner of Marion, married Marshall Eugene De Wolfe of the same place. They had one son, Marshall Jr. The marriage was unhappy and Mrs. De Wolfe obtained a divorce, resumed her maiden name, returned to live with her father. Mr. De Wolfe died; and. contrary to the wishes of her father, she married Warren G. Harding, struggling journalist. Her father disowned her; but, some years later, there was a reconciliation. Her son Marshall Jr. married and later died, leaving a widow and two children. The widow remarried and is living in Marion.

The funeral took place in Marion, with Secretary of the Interior Work and Secretary of War Weeks in attendance on behalf of the Administration. A military guard was dispatched by the War Department from Columbus, Ohio. Mrs. Harding's body was placed temporarily in the vault with her husband until the Harding Memorial tomb could be completed.

Following Mrs. Harding's death, within only a few hours, came the death of Mrs. Harry M. Daugherty, wife of the onetime Attorney General, at Columbus, Ohio. The two women had been friends from girlhood. Mrs. Daugherty had been an invalid for many years, but was in comparatively good health until a few days before her death when she succumbed to an attack of pneumonia.

* The chief members of the party which made the trip to Alaska were: Secretaries Work of the Interior, Wallace of Agriculture, Hoover of Commerce; Speaker Frederick H. Gillett, White House Physician Charles E. Sawyer.