The resulting publication, the strange death of president harding, raises some interesting points surrounding the circumstances of the presidents death during a nationwide speaking tour, and went on to become one of the bestselling books of 1930. The strange death of president harding by gaston b means. Project muse the strange deaths of president harding. Over 14 million journal, magazine, and newspaper articles.
Generations later, president warren hardings sudden death. William estabrook chancellor september 25, 1867 february 12, 1963 was an american academic and writer. As hardings funeral train crossed the country from san francisco to washington, and thence to marion for burial, millions watched it. Harding and his wife, florence, before their untimely deaths.
Making the most of the recently opened papers of assistant white house. The strange death of president harding book charlotte. Gaston means, a private detective and convicted criminal, published one such theory in the strange death of president harding 1930. Harding had poisoned her husband after learning of his.
Available for the first time in paperback, the strange deaths of president harding challenges readers to reexamine warren g. In the strange deaths of president harding, ferrell lays out the facts behind these allegations for the reader to ponder. It is difficult to determine whether this book contains accurate information or whether it is pulp fiction at its worst. After his release, means spent day after day dictating to her. Harding, chancellor gained notoriety when he allegedly wrote a study of hardings ancestry just prior to the election, asserting that harding had an africanamerican ancestor. He died on august 2, 1923, and the cause of his death has never been established.
Hardings steamy love letters unsealed newly released love letters between warren g. The strange death of president harding by gaston b. Ferrell also said there were five doctors at the hotel attending to harding. Go search best sellers gift ideas new releases deals store coupons. The strange deaths of president harding book hennepin.
Harding 18651923 during his tenure as twentyninth president of the united states was followed by numerous allegations about his white house dealings. Robert h ferrell for nearly half a century, warren g. In the strange deaths of president harding, robert h. The strange deaths of president harding, by robert h. The strange deaths of president harding book depository. Harding was murdered by his wife, florence harding, probably by poison. The strange deaths of president harding book, 1996. An interesting book to read but unsure of the validity of the book. In 1930, a former private investigator with a sketchy reputation named gaston means wrote an exploitative book, called the strange death of president harding. The strange death of president harding open library. Strange deaths of president harding presents information on the book the strange deaths of president harding by robert h. Among the great us government coverups, one of the more obvious involved the death of president warren harding. He shows that harding died of a heart attack, not from poison, and that there was no proof of an illegitimate child, or that harding was aware of the scandals intensifying in the white house at. An opponent of the 1920 republican presidential candidate, warren g.
He kept his promise, so far as it applied to the white house, but not otherwise, and an enforcement system went into effect staffed by federal agents. The presidents doctor, general sawyer died under similar circumstances and mrs. In this series of essays on president hardings life, ferrell harry s. It is interesting to note that at least five of the principals in this story died suddenly. For nearly half a century, the twentyninth president of the united states has consistently finished last in polls ranking the presidents. Means, as told to may dixon thacker by means, gaston b. Boone, ferrell shows that for years harding suffered from high blood pressure, was under a great deal of stress, and overexerted himself. At the time of hardings death there was talk of his similarity, personally if not politically, to abraham lincoln. The poisoning theory exploded across the country in a 1930 book, the strange death of president harding, written by gaston means. Harding died of apparent heart failure while in the midst of a crosscountry tour. Harding appears to be healthy, yet he died only a few days later. For nearly half a century, the twentyninth president of the united states has consistently finished last in. Strange death president harding by gaston means abebooks. Making the most of the recently opened papers of assistant white house physician dr.
A life, lj 1294 offers a small, intriguing view of the illfated president. The strange deaths of president harding by robert h. Harding to investigate warren harding and his mistress suggested that mrs. She was a scorn woman after she discovered hardings affair with nan britton.
List of presidents of the united states who died in office. In 1930, gaston means, an embittered, former harding administration official, published a book entitled the strange death of president harding. Ferrell discussed the presidents physical death from a heart. The strange deaths of president harding 9780826212023 by ferrell, robert h. Censorship by book burning the strange death of president harding, written in 1930 by the notorious perjurer and former fbi agent gaston means, implied that florence harding poisoned her husband.
Ferrell, published by the university of missouri press. Means published a book entitled the strange death of president harding. Harding and his longtime mistress reveal a surprising side of the 29th president. In the book, means suggested that many people had a motive to murder the president, including mrs. After his death in 1923, a variety of attacks and unsubstantiated claims left the public with a negative impression of him. In addition to his short stint with the department of justices bureau of. The strange deaths of president harding ebook by robert h. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The strange death of president harding from the diaries of gaston b. Means as told to may dixon thacker read 25 feb 2016 this book purports to tell of gaston means activities as an.
Later we would get the incredible magic bullet to blame the murder of president john kennedy on someone who hadnt fired a gun. The strange death of president harding, from the diaries. It was a heart attack, said historian robert ferrell in a 1996 interview with cspan, discussing his book, the strange deaths of president harding. When harding passed on, there was an outpouring of grief comparable to that accorded the death of president abraham lincoln in 1865. The suddenness of his passing ruled out a stroke, he said. Rumors of poisoning were fueled, in part, by a book called the strange death of president harding, in which the author convicted criminal, former ohio gang member, and detective gaston means, hired by mrs. He was a private detective once hired by florence harding to. The mysterious death of warren harding world history. Ferrell examines the attacks and unsubstantiated claims that left the public with a negative impression of harding after his death. The strange death of president harding, from the diaries of gaston b. Read the fulltext online edition of the strange death of president harding.
Ferrell begins by recounting a story about a time when he was in college driving through ohio with a carload of friends. The strange deaths of president harding, by robert ferrell is a well researched and documented work that concerns itself with debunking many of the myths that surround the legacy of president harding. Ferrell, distinguished presidential historian, examines these contentions and proves them baseless. During and after his term in the federal penitentiary, means retained his reputation as the ultimate man who knew all of the secrets. Harding, twentyninth president of the united states, has finished last in every poll ranking the presidents.
The death of president warren harding is one of those enduring mysteries that will probably never be solved. The cover picture to this book is one of the last ever taken of president warren g. The strange death of president harding, by gaston b. The white house said it was food poisoning, and another physician later said it was a cerebral hemorrhage. Professor ferrell talked about his book, the strange deaths of president harding, published by the university of missouri press. Buy the strange death of president harding by means, gaston b. Back in 1930, an unscrupulous private investigator named gaston means, just out of the federal penitentiary in atlanta for various offenses wrote this book that cast doubt on the official version of president hardings sudden 1923 death.
1025 422 428 4 178 729 488 1514 781 523 1566 1104 1287 219 378 614 196 448 1270 953 986 392 1159 1277 1083 829 68