The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-09-17

q
day morning by the sad and unexpect.
ed intelligence from Fort Stevens that
Lieutenant Colonel A. ID. Schenck, com
nanding officer at that post had died
about down, from the effects Of cancer
oi the stomach, a malady Of long stand.
ing. Many knew Of tine deceased Of.
iicer'. lines. in general way, but few
had any knowledge Of the gravity Of
his condition, and il was with wide.
spread regret, mingled with consterna.
tion, that the news was received here.
Colonel Schenck was prominent and
gracious figure In the late regatta fes.
riyiiia and this pleaSant impression
was the Last that Astorians had OF him,
he having made no visit TO the city
since then.
lie left his official residence at the
fort On Friday evening last, and took
up his quarters at the post hospital
with the full purpose OF submitting to
an operation, but an examination made
that night by Post Surgeon Van Pool,
Of Fort Stevens; Dr. J. A. Fulton, OF
this city, and Major Egbert, chief sur.
geon OF the Department OF the Go.
lumbia, tfrom Vancouver barracks,
Wachington) followed by conference, re.
suited in determination not TO pro.
cced with an operation, as the suffer
er's condition was at a point that could
not be benefited by resort to the
knife. This opinion was justified few
hours later by the death Of the dis
tngui-hed invalid.
Colonel Schenck was an experienced
and capable officer, with record OF
long and honorable service. and in his
private and social life, was known far
aud wide as man Of high probity, dig
nifcd habit aand charming address. His
military career covered period of near.
ly fonrty.iive years as the following
record will indicate.
lie rose from the ranks, for he ans.
wercd President Lincoln's first call for
troop- by enlisting as private in
company =, first regiment, Ohio, on
April IL, 1861, and was discharged on
the 10th of August, 1861; he e.enlisted
on the 3lst OF the same month as ser.
geant in company b, second regiment,
Ohio infantry, and was discharged on
September Is, OF the same year.
An appointment TO the military ac-.
adcmy at West Point, from the state
Of Alabama was rendered him later, and
he entered the institution a. cadet on
September 20, 1868! graduating in the
class OF lsG1 with distinct honors. lie
was assigned TO duty as second lieu.
tenant in the second regiment, artillery,
on June IL, 1867.
lie was promoted to first lieuten
antcy on January %, 1873, and became
a captain ON March $. 1894; retained
this rank until February %, 1901, when
he passed to his maior.ship of artillery;
lie became lieutenant colonel on August
10, 1908, and would have been retired
with this dignity on the 9th of next
month, as he would have reached his
sixty second year ON that date, had not
death interviewed, He was born in the
year lsl3.
There are several very sad phases con
nected with this admirable soldiers
death at this particular time, notably,
the absence of his wife and family. Mrs.
Schenck, with her youngest daughter
Miss Elizabeth Sehcnck has, for some
weeks past, been sojourning with an
invalid daughter, living on Puget Sound
and none Of them knew anything of the
extremity TO which the husband and
father was reduced, until apprised by
wire yesterday morning, and this sup
Elementary of another dispatch sent
them on Wednesday last telling of his
well.being and comfort; and, again, on
Friday, Colonel Schenck, with real
izing sense of his desperate state, wired
his superiors at Washington, advising
them of the fatal probabilities in his
case and praying that he might be re.
tired with the rank of colonel, which
would have been his had he lived out
the limit of his service, about the eth
Of next month as before stated.
Beside the bereaved wife, there are
five children left to mourn fond and
indulgent father, four daughters and
one son.
Full military funeral honors, augu-
mented by civic service, win be held