August 2, 1923 - Death of a President

For 90 years now, there has been speculation over the death of President Warren G. Harding. But why? Where did it come from? And how did he really die? Most likely, the simplest answer for most of these is to know that Harding was his own worst enemy.

Florence and Warren G. Harding

In 1920, Harding was elected president mostly for his photogenic looks (unlike his competitor) and his help as a senator in giving women the right to vote. That election year was the first that allowed women to vote in a presidential election, and the women didn't forget it. His plans for the presidency were high, but after he was elected, his views expanded beyond the traditional view of his party at the time. Following the previous president Wilson's traits, Harding attempted to be progressive and move the US in new directions.

What most people didn't know about Harding was that he was a partier. He was most known in the political arena for having numerous affairs, for drinking and smoking way too much, and having marathon poker matches. It's been reported that one time he gambled away some White House china. Other than these activities, the only real kind of exercise he had was playing some golf.

Domestically, Harding actually did some good things like signing legislation on child welfare and ending railroad strikes. He tried to pass anti-lynching bills and the unemployment rate dropped in half under his tenure. He was also surrounded by controversy because of events like the Teapot Dome Scandal. Some of his cabinet members would be sent to prison. Nonetheless, Harding was a complex man who did a lot of good for the US, but has been overshadowed by his scandals, affairs, and the mysterious way he died.

Leading up to August 2, 1923, Harding was in poor health. He was traveling across the US giving speeches, but as the trip went on, he was becoming more and more exhausted and ill. He developed an illness that was thought to be pneumonia. He was given some herbs and caffeine, and he showed signs of improvement. Those around him thought he was on the way to being better, but on the evening of August 2, 1923, he collapsed while talking with his wife in their room in a San Francisco hotel.

Cause of death were guessed by many, some saying stroke and others saying heart attack. We won't know for sure because his wife refused to allow an autopsy. It was around the time of her refusal that another theory came up: maybe she had something to do with his death. Her actions immediately following the death didn't help with her case: she found as many of his papers as she could find (public and personal) and burned them.

The real reason the theory that Florence Harding has been blamed by many is because of a book that came out called 'The Strange Death of President Harding'. The book alleges that Mrs. Harding poisoned him because of his affairs and crooked dealings. This book, however, was 'written' by Gaston Means, who was a well-known private detective, bootlegger, con man, forger, swindler, blackmailer, and murder suspect. (Fans of the show 'Boardwalk Empire' will know the name since he was portrayed in the third season.) It came out later that Means only took credit for writing the book, and the ghostwriter had been cut out of her share of the books profits which is why she came forward. Means didn't care because he'd already made his money and moved on to his next scheme.

Scholars have looked at the reports of Harding's health around the time, and most agree that he had been suffering from 'cardiac insufficiency with congestive heart failure' in the time before his death. However, it is true that we will probably never really know what killed the president. However, one thing is true: he was not murdered, and instead died of natural reasons.