Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-03
SCHWATKA IS DEAD.
The Noted Arctic Explorer Succumbs
to a Dose of Laudanum
TAKEN PROBABLY AS A MEDICINE.
Found Lying on the Street at Portland,
Ore, in state of Coma.
HIS PLACE IN FAR NORTHERN HISTORY

Frederick G. Schwatka, who made his
name famous the world over by command
ing the expedition to the Arctic region in
search of the records of the Sir John
Franklin par.y, is dead. The Lieutenant
was found by an officer at 3 o'clock this
morning, lying on First street. By his
side was bottle of laudanum half empty.
He was in a comatose condition, and was
Immediately removed to the St. Charles
Hotel, where he was placed in chair.
The supposition at first was that the
Lieutenant was intoxicated, but, as his eondi-
tion grew alarming at the end of an hour, a
patrol wagon was called and the sick man
was taken to the city Jail. A messenger
brought the City Physician, who discovered
that the Lieutenant was suffering from what
appeared 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,
as he died at 8 o'clock this morning.
Why He Had Taken the Drug.
Lieutenant Scwhatka had been suffering
from a complication of troubles, and he had
shown symptoms of apoplexy on several
occasions. His stomach had given him
much trouble recently, and for the
purpose of finding relief he used
small quantities OF laudanum, usually tax
ing from 10 to 20 drops Last evening his
stomach trouble came on with such severity
that he complained bitterly and sought re-
lief Going to drugstore he asked for
two ounces of laudanum The druggist
asked him if he had prescription. He
replied that he had not, but as he was
graduate of medical college he would
write one The druggist replied that it
was not necessary, and gave Lieutenant
Schwatka the drug. He went away, and
after visiting political club he was not
seen after o'clock until picked up on the
street. DIR. Nicklin, an intimate friend of
the deceased, said:
"The Lieutenant and myself took dinner
last evening together, and 1 left him about
o'clock. He was in his usual jovial mood,
but complained some about the pain in his
stomach. His prospects were. very encour-
aging, and he expected soon to perfect ar
rangements for going to Mexico, where he
had gigantic scheme with some Mexican
land company. He was also very enthusias-
tic about his plan for having the Govern
ment make national park of Mount Hood.
He seemed to feel highly encouraged, and
believed all of mis- plans would materialize.
The Famous Navigator's Career.
Frederick Schwatka was born in Galena,
ILL.,, on the 29th of September, 1S49. He
entered early upon his military career, and
after having graduated from the United
States Military Academy in 1871, he was ap-
pointed Second Lieutenant in the Third
Cavalry, and served on garrison and frontier
duty until 1877. During his life in the
ranks he devoted considerable time TO the
study of law and medicine, and was ad-
mitted to the bar Of Nebraska in 1875. He
also received a medical degree at Bellevue
Hospital Medical College, New York, in
1876.
On hearing the story of Captain Thomas
F. Barry, who, while on a whaling expedi-
tion in Repulse Bay in 1918, was visited
by Esquimaux, who described strangers that
had travelled through that region several
years before, and who had buried papers in
a cavern, where silver spoons and many
other relics had been found, Lieutenant
Schwatka determined to search for traces
of Sir John Franklin's party. Subse-
quently ne obtained leave of absence and
started to fit out an expedition.
On June 10, 1878, accompanied by Will
lam H. Glider as second in command, he
sailed in the "Eathen" for King Williams
Land. The expedition was partly success
full and returned on September %, 1880,
having discovered and buried many of the
skeletons OF Sir John Franklin's party, and
removed much of the mystery surrounding
his fate.
Interesting Records Unearthed by Schwatka.
Among the many interesting relics found
was the grave of Lieutenant John Irving,
who was third officer of the Terror and in
addition to that also paper, copy of
the Crozier record that was found IN 1859
by Lieutenant William R. Hobson, of Sir
Leopold McClintock's expedition. The
paper contained two records, the latter,
under the date of April 25,
1S4S, stating the death of Sir
John Franklin on June T. 1S47. A notable
feature of this expedition was that it was
marked by the longest sledge journey on
record, namely, 3, 251 statute miles, during
which branch of Backs river was discov-
cred, which Lieutenant Schwatka named ior
President Hayes.
Schwatka made several minor trips, dur
ing which he explored the course of the
Yukon river in Alaska. In July, 1884, he
rejoined his regiment A month after he
resigned his commission of First Lieuten-
ant, Third Cavalry, to which he had been
appointed in March, 1879.
Among his later expeditions was the
most famous, the one he led for the New
York Times to Alaska in 1886. He was the
recipient OF many honors and distinctions,
having been decorated with the Roquette
Arctic medal from the Geographical So
ciety of Paris, and Russian medal from
the Imperial Geographical Society of st.
Petersburg. He was also an honorary
member of geographical societies in
Bremen, Geneva and Rome.
Among the many works he wrote the
most we'll known are: "Along Alaska's
Great River" "Nimrod in the North"
'The franklin Search Under Lieutenant
Schwatka," and one in German also,