According to Britton, Harding had promised to support their daughter, but after his sudden death in 1923, his wife, Florence, refused to honor the obligation. Britton insisted that she wrote her book to earn money to support her daughter and to champion the rights of illegitimate children. She brought a lawsuit ("Britton v. Klunk"), but she was unable to provide any concrete evidence and was shaken by the vicious personal attacks made by Congressman Grant Mouser during the cross examination, which cost her the case.