Show Coolidge May Have Been President Illegally 14 Days Review Shows Judge Says Chief Took Second Oath Solicitor Ex-Solicitor General Was in Doubt of Legality of First Ceremony Copyright 1932 by the United Press WASHINGTON Feb 2 Calvin 2 Calvin Coolidge may have been president of the United States Illegally for 14 days 11 hours and 58 minutes in August 1923 the United Press learned exclusively ex cx today This became known today when Judge Judee Adolph August Hoehling Jr former associate justice of the su supreme SUI supreme preme court of the District of oC Columbia Columbia Colum bia for the first time broke silence and related the circumstances of the I second and legal presidential oath taken by Coolidge I The second oath was repeated to tome tome tome me by Calvin Coolidge on August 17 1923 at p. p m. m in a private suite of or rooms on the fourth floor of ot the I New Willard hotel in Washington D. D C C. Judge Hoehling said in a telephonic telephonic tele phonic interview from his home in Chevy Chase Md Met No one else was present but the president and myself KEPT CEREMONY SECRET I promised to keep the ceremony a secret I have never mentioned the incident to anyone I would not now give details of the oath repeated by the thirtieth president had not Harry Daugherty's book been published revealing revealing re re- re the fact tact that Mr Coolidge took two oaths to make legality of ot office of of- Lice fice certain Daugherty was attorney general from 1921 The legality of ot Coolidge's first oath was considered doubtful by James M M. Beck then solicitor general and now Republican representative from Penn Penn- sylvania Beck said today that he had Siad studied the law and had reported that there might be a question as to the legality of ot the first oath but would I give jive no opinion beyond stating that his decision was on file fUe at the department de de- de of justice Cross checks by justice officials failed to reveal any record of such an lD opinion It was learned however that hat t Beck based his action on certain formal points of law So thoroughly was he convinced that he urged Coolidge Cool Cool- idge dge to swear a second oath The first oath was administered at a. a m. m by Coolidge's father a Vermont Ver- Ver mont farmer and notary public in the he old family homestead at Plymouth Vt Coolidge notified of the death of President Harding lost no time in taking over the reins of government l In n the old family living room by the thc light ight of an old fashioned oil lamp he swore to uphold the constitution of the United States PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN TAKENA A few reporters witnessed the historic his his- scene A flashlight boomed as the he thirtieth president raised his right fight hand land Coolidge returned immediately to Washington sweltering in torrid midsummer mid mid- summer Fourteen days later he took the he second oath |