The record-union., 1892-11-03
SCHWATKA DEAD,
FOUND UNCONSCIOUS ON THE
STREET AT PORTLAND.
Soon After Which He Expired-An
Overdose of Laudanum the Cause
of His Demise.
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

SitSieil ~ elc IlkNpRD-ONlON.
PORTLAND orr, Nov. 2.-Iieutenant
Frederick G. Schwatka, who made his
name famous the world over by com
manding the expedition to the Arctic re-
glon in search of records of the lost Sir
John Franklin party, is dead. The
Lieutenant was found at O'Clock this
morning lying on First street, near Nor
rison, by an officer. By his side was a
half-empty bottle of laudanum. He was
in comatose condition and was immedi-
ately removed to the st. Charles Hotel.
where he was placed IN chair.
The supposition at first was that he was
intoxicated, but as his condition grew
alarming at the end of an hour, the patrol
wagon was called for and the sick man
taken to the City Jail. A telephone mes
sage brought DR.. Wheeler, the City Pby-
Sician, and he at once discovered that the
Lieutenant was suffering from what ap-
peared to be narcotic poisoning. From
the Jail the Lieutenant was immediately
sent to the Good Samaritan Hospital.
where everything was done for him. but
in vain, and he died at 5 o'clock this
morning.
Lieutenant Schwatka had been suffer
ing from complication of troubles and
had shown symptoms of apopleXy on
numerous occasions. His life had been
marked by such degree of fconvivialities
that his stomach had Of recent years given
him much trouble, and for the purpose of
finding relief he used small quantities of
laudanum, usually taking from fifteen to
twenty drops. Last evening his stomach
trouble came on with such severity that
he complained bitterly and sought relief.
Going to drug store, he asked for two
ounces of laudanum. The druggist asked
him if he had a prescription. He re-
piled that he had not, but as he was a
graduate Of medical college he could
soon write one. The druggist replied
that it was not necessary, and gave Lieu
tenant Schwatka the drug. He went
away, and after visiting a political club
was not seen again after 8 O'Clock until
picked up on the street.
The autopsy revealed nothing to indi-
cate apopleXy, and the only assigned
cause for death is that deceased took an
overdose of laudanum for the purpose OF
relieving the pain in mis- stomach.
No arrangements have been made for
the funeral.
sCHwATKA's EARLY HOME.
SALEM or, Nov. 2.-Lieutenant Fred
erick Schwatka, whose death at Portland
Or, is reported this morning, was we'll
known in this city, where his early life
was spent. He came here with his pa
rents in the year 1859, and received his
early education in the Willamette Uni
versity. He then learned the printers
trade in the office OF the Statesman. He
worked at the trade until the year 1867.
when he received an appointment to
West Point. His life here was unevent-
fui. His father, Frederick Schwatka,
was cooper and worked at the trade
while living here. Hi father died several
years ago, and shortly after his death the
Lieutenants mother died. Two sisters,
Mrs. Thomas Reynolds and Mrs. J. d.
Jordan, still reside in this city. An uncle
Ned Schwatka, lives in Yrela. A
brother, a. G. Schwatka, resides in San
Francisco.
Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka gradu-
ated from the United States Military
Academy in 1871. He subsequently,
studied law and was admitted to the bar
in 1875. He then studied medicine and
received a degree in New York in 1876. In
June, 1878, he sailed to the Arctic regions
in command of the Franklin search party.
which returned in 1880, having discov-
cred and buried many of the skeletons of
Sir John Franklin's lost party and cleared
up much of the mystery surrounding
| their tate. He in 1854 explored the Yukon
Riyer,1