Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-31
DISTRICT TO HONOR
SCHADE'S MEMORY.
German American Author,
Lawyer and Editor Was
Exponent of Justice.

1NHOIIOtIk VI SGOAtVts
The memory of Louise Schade, Ger
man-American author. lawyer and jour-
nalist, whose love of justice led him
to perform a service held in contempt
by great many people, will be revered
at formal exercises this week.
Thursday will mark the Tooth ami
versary of the birth of Mr.. Schade,
whose notable career had sensational
climax in the trial of Capt. Henry Wirz,
convicted by military commission on
charges of numbering United States
soldiers at the Andersonville, Ga. MILL
tary prison. and put to death in the old
jail yard in Washington on the morning
of November 10, 1865. Schade defended
him.
Defense Won Friends.
At that time Schade was well known
in Washington as editor, linguist and
Statistician. He had been in the serv-
ice of the State Department and was
highly regarded as a political adviser.
chiefly because of his close friendship
with Senator Stephen A. Douglas. the
little giant" His defense of Capt.
Wirz won him thousands of friends in
the South. and people Of that section will
join with a daughter, Miss Anita
Schade, of 1929 Rhode Island avenue,
in observing the anniversary of his
birth. Fred Schade of Spokane, the
only surviving son, will be unable to
attend.
The first service will be held at the
grave side in Prospect Hill Cemetery
Thursday morning Friends Of Mr.
Schade, including men and women Of
sferiv %, 1A AAHfA kAI
throughout his life, will meet there to
pay tribute to his memory. A memorial
service will be held April Z at the Con-
cordia Lutheran Church, of which Mr.
Schade was member. Rev. Paul Men
eel, former pastor OF the church and for
years a warm friend of the family, will
oficlate.
The anniversary date also will be
observed in Germany. Miss Schade
has been advised that the University
of Berlin, where her father studied IN
1847-4S, will hold special services for
the student body on April IL, and that
the president, Prof DR.. w His will de-
liver an address on Mr.. Schade's life.
Was Condemned to Death.
Cultured, highly educated and, after
the nature of his people, essentially
idealistic. Louis Schade found in the
United States opportunities for politi-
cal service. apart from the holding of
Office, that were denied him in his own
land. He was born in Berlin. April 4.
1929. At the age of 10, he was a
student in the University of Berlin.
With Carl Schurz, later a Representa-
tive in the Congress Of the United
States, and other students he partici-
pated in the Revolution Of 1848-51 and
as penalty for building barricades in
the city against government troops he
was condemned to death. He came to
this country as the adopted son Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Friedrich Gerhard, who
located in Weehawken. N. j. Schade
soon came to Washington.
The young man spoke four languages,
and translated five others with facility.
Prof. Henry of the Smithsonian Insti-
tute became interested in him and
through him the youth was offered the
position of assistant librarian at the in
Stitute. Scfade filled the post until 1884,
transferred to the Census Bureau, and in
the following year went to the State
Department as translator and Stats
tician.
Edited Chicago Newspaper.
Senator Douglas of Illinois became
interested in Schade and induced him
to go to Chicago as editor of his paper,
the National Demokrat, q German Ian
guage paper, and also as editor Of the
National Union, printed in English.
This association opened to Schade a
field of endeavor that his nature and
training had schooled him for Within
five years, when the great Douglas had
served as the foil that placed Abraham
Lincoln in the leadership of the Re-
publican party and the issue of slavery
had been joined, Schade. alone of the
outstanding German Americans, re-
tanned conviction Of Justification Of
the South'S position. The German ele-
ment, idealistic, sympathetic with the
movement for political freedom then
sweeping their own land, had settled in
the Northern States. for the most part,
and the sentiment Of the people was
IN support Of the freedom of slaves.
During his editorial work in Illinois
Schade gained force as a political
speaker. At the suggestion of the
Democratic national committee he
Stumped the German districts in Illinois
and Iowa, and was especially active
during the Lincoln-Douglas campaign.
He was admitted to the bar in Burling-
ton. Iowa.
Following the campaign in 1860
Schade returned to Washington and
took up the practice of law. OF gentle
manner and extremely able as a stu
dent, he enjoyed large practice, and
might have acquired a fortune had he
not given freely of his services to
friends and acquaintances. The Wirz
trial drew him into national promi-
nence.
Letter Explains Defense,
The background of the Wirz affair is
given at length in letter Mr.. Schade
addressed ito the American people
on the eve of his departure for Berlin
IN 1857. Singularly. the letter was
GATED April 4, the lawyers thirty-eigf1th
birthday anniversary.
I will now give brief statement of
the causes which led to the arrest and
execution Of Capt. Wirz," he wrote.
The letter is now regarded as q valu-
able contribution to the papers of the
trying period following the Civil war.
In April, 1868. President johnson