The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-20
NOT OF NOBLE BIRTH
PROFESSOR SCHAEFERS LIFE
 AND HIS MISFoRTUNEs.
His References to His Youth in a Palace Born of 0 Diseased Brain-One of Natures
 Nobleman Only.

Demopolis. Sept. 1e.-(special. )-The fol- lowing interesting facts concerning the life. family and tragic death of Prof. R. M. Schaefer. which occurred in Linden August | 1908, Is furnished by a warm personal friend of the deceased, and will be of interest to many readers of The Ad- vertiser:
 At the time of the suicide of Professor Schaefer, 1t was reported that he was of noble birth and that he had fled from his native land Before his deata he talked much of the days of his youth in a palace, and the splendor in which he had been nurtured. In his letter the friend of Professor Schaefer says:
 Since the death of Professor Schaefer the writer has made an active ana oiii. gent investigation into his early life and history. Very little was known concern. ing him, even by his most intimate friends, and the circumstances Of his sad and tragic death were such as to cause many and various stories to be circulated throughout the county. and elsewhere. as he was widely known. AS e friend who admired and esteemed Professor Schaefer. I took upon myself the duty of seeking out the true history of his life; and now. that 1t is all clear to me, I wish to give the public the benefit of my investiga- tions.
 Professor Schaefer was born in Har- wood, a small manufacturing town. northeast of the city of Preston. in Lan- cashire, England, April g, 1874. His fath- CT was Henry Schaefer, a German, who married an English woman, Mary Ann Banks. Dick" as he was known and called at his home. was the third child of this marriage, there being two children older than himself, both of whom died very young In the latter part of the year 1882 MT. Schaefer. ST.. came to this country and located in the city of Morris, Grundy County, Illinois: and on the 18th day of July, 1883, Mrs. Schaefer with Dick and her two younger children. a boy and a girl, followed him to the United States. have received sev- eral letters from prominent citizens in Morris, H.. and they all speak of MT. and Mrs. Schaefer as most worthy and people. They belonged to that class of immigrants whom our country Is always glad to receive; for no better peo- pie than the German an/ English ever come to our shores. Educated and ener- getic, ambitious and law-abiding, such cit- izens contribute greatly to our national growth and prosperity. In an act intro duced in our State Legislature during the past week, the migration into Alabama of lnlS CidSS Ol ClllZcHSIlp lS ChCould6Ou anu special mention is made of the German and English, who are fitting described as builders of homes and supporters of law and order"
 Ambitious that their children should receive a good education, the parents put Dick in the Morris High School In the fall of 1883. Prior to leaving England, however he had spent four years in school there, having begun his school life at the early age of five years. He was, therefore, well prepared for his duties. and he very soon took stand at the head of his department, which position he retained until his graduation in June, 1891. He was then F years old, he was the val edictorian of his class. and left behind him in the high school a record as one of the best and brightest pupils. Tn this same year he contested for and won the Grundy County scholarship to the Unfver- sity of Illinois; but owing to lack or funds his father was unable to send him there. ....'... ...-
 Under the law of Illinois at that time, no one under the age of IS years was al- lowed to teach school; so young Schaefer for year after his graduation was en- gagged in newspaper work. Tn the fall of 1892 he was elected principal of school in a small town about seven miles from Morris. and he taught there for three years. In the meantime his parents had left Illinois owing to the i'll health or his father and had moved to Marlow, In Baldwin County, Alabama. In the fall or 1895 Professor Schaefer came to Alabama and worked withhis father on his little farm through the following spring when he went to Chicago. During this summer he travelled as agent for publishing house. and saved what money he could . hfrna0lf through college. In the fall of 1896 he entered Harvard University, where he remained for only two years. being forced to leave there in 1898 because of illness and lack oi funds, This falling through of his college course was quite a blow to his hopes and ambitions, and was undoubtedly one o1 the most bitter disappointments or ms life.
 He came back to Alabama. and for few months taught a scnooi al Marlow; this school did not pay him very well, however. and he wen' to Battles, where he taught very sue cessful school. He remained in Baldwin Countv until the fall of 1900. when he was elected principal of the Prattville school. where he remained for one year, and then came to Linden. In the fall or loSS Professor Schaefer stood the civil service examination which he passed most credi- tably and with complimentary mention. He was anxious for an appointment, ou' never received 1t. l am reliably Inform ed that he enjoyed the honor of having the highest average of any school teacher in this State, under the new examination law. is grade being 9S 1-2 per cent. Decem' her IT. 1902, Professor Schaefer was mar ried to Miss Alma Westbrook Marengc Countv girl. who was born and reared in Jefferson. He was a devoted husband always thoughtful and considerate, and never SO happy as when planning for his wife's pleasure
 'The above are the true facts con- cerning Professor Schaefer's birth parentage and residence in this country They are absolutely authentic, and speak for themselves. They tell story, oi parents poor but worthy; humble but ambitious; struggling hard for the neces sities of life, while they denied them selves its comforts in order that theii children might be educated. They also tell another story, of a mind eager tt learn, and thirsting constantly for knowl
 edge: seizing every opportunity for ad
 vancement, and making the best use o
 its time and capital. MT. and Mrs
 Schaefer, Sr., still reside at Marlow; thu
 father Is now an invalid and the mother
 health is much broken. Their youoge
 son and daughter are with them. In thi time of mutual affection and bereavement
 their letters-breathing forth a spirit O
 Christian faith and resignation, brini
 comfort and consolation to their som
 grief-stFicken wife.
 "It Is unquestionably true, that durinI
 the last few months of Professor Schae fer's life his mind was unbalanced. It |