, 1892-11-02
SCHWATKA DEAD.
The Famous Arctic Explorer Ex-
pires at Portland.
A Overdose of Laudanum Probably
Caused the Fatal ResuIt--A Post
mOrtem Will Determine the
Exact Cnusa


mOrtem Will Determine the
Exact Cause.
PoRTLAND, Or, November 2.-Lieutenant
Fredriek Schwatka died here at 1850 this
morning. About a. m. he was picked up
on the street in an unconscious condition
and was removed to the hospital. An
empty laudanum bottle was found beside
him.
When found, Schwatka was lying on the
sidewalk in an apparent drunken stupor
All efforts to arouse him were futile. The
two ounce vial found near him was about
half full of laudanum. He was carried to
hotel where further attempt to awake
him was made but without success, he
manifested symptoms of opium poisoning
and physician was summoned, who after
a hasty examination, ordered him con
veyed to the hospital, where after few
minutes he expired. He never regained
consciousness. The body now lies at the
morgue, where an inquest will be held to-
morrow morning. DR.. @. H. Wheeler, the
attending physician, was seen today by an
associated press correspondent and asked
for his opinion as TO the cause of his
death. He stated that he would insist
upon post mortem examination and be-
fore that was had he could gvie no opinion.
That although the symptoms indicated
opium poisoning, there might have been
other causes such as apoplexy. He would
rather think that Lieutenant Schwatka
carried laudanum for some other purpose
than suicide as he was a man well versed
in the use of medicine. Lieutenant Sch
watka had just returned from a visit to
Salem, Oregon, his former home.
Lieutenant Schwatka has OF late years
been troubled with stomach complaint
and was in the habit Of taking laudanum
to allay the pain. Last night he attended
a meeting of the Stevenson club and while
there complained to a friend that his stOm-
ach was killing him. He then went to a
drug store and purchased a two-ounce
bottle of laudsnum, remarking to the clerk
that he was q graduate of a medical coll
lege, and that he was accustomed to take
fifteen or twenty drops Of laudanum when
his stomach was troubling. When last
seen last 7siieft he appeared in a cheerful
mood and ga no evidence that he con-
templated suieide. The theory that he
com mitted suiside is fast giving way to one
that he tool, an overdose of laudanum by
accident. 1t has been decided to hold
post mortem examination this afternoon
This afternoon DR.. Wheeler held an au-
tOpsy on the remains. With the exception
OF sllghJ congestion ana adhesion to the
membrane of the brain, he found it to be
in healthy condition. DR.. Wheeler gave
it as his opinion that death was caused by
an overdose of laudanum, taken to allay
pain in the stomach, and not with suicidal
intent. The brain weighed tifty-four and
one-haf ounces. The body will be kept
here until word is received from Mrs.
Schwatka, who is living in Rock Island,
Illinois, as to its disposition.
SALEM, Ore, November 2.-Lieutenant
Frederick Schwatka, whose death at Port
land, Oregon, is reported this morning,
is well known in this city, where his early
life was spent He came here with his par
ents in the year 1859, receiving his early
education at the Willamette University.
He then learned the printers trade in the
Office of the Statesman, where he worked
at his trade until the year 1857. He then
received an appointment to West Point. ]
His life here was uneventful. His father,
Frederick SchWatka, was a cooper and
worked at the trade while living here.
His father died several years ago shortly
after the death Of the heutenant's mother.
Two sisters, Mrs. Thomas Reynolds and
Mrs. j. D. Jordan, still reside in this city.