Evening star., 1934-11-18
Ill LUCK PURSUES
LEARNEDL|NGU|ST
DR.. Adolf Schumacher Is
Found PenniIeSs Here,
BeSet by Misfortune.

Fate has turned her back on DR..
Adolf Schumacher. doctor of philoso-
ply, master of 10 languages and stu
dent of II others, and one time pro-
fessor in five American colleges.
Up until two years ago he had a
job, tidy savings in the bank, bright
prospects. Then came bank failures
and sickness. Today he and his wife
are living on transient relief funds at
1915 L street.
Only last Saturday, DR.. Schumacher
was released from Georgetown Uni
versity Hospital. where he had been
patient since early Summer and
underwent leg amputation several
months ago.
Fate Pursues Family.
The hard luck which seems to fol-
low the couple already had twice
overtaken Mrs Schuma cher, who last
December while in Philadelphia fell
and broke her arm and then rebroke
the same arm in fall down stairsteps
here last March. This was followed
by 12-week stay in the hospital.
DR.. Schumacher has not given up,
however. He is trying now to obtain
work teaching, although he will be
handicapped until next February, when
he can wear an artificial leg. This
presents another problem, because an
artificial leg will cost several hun
dred dollars.
They are living in single room at
the L street address, where Mrs. Schu-
macher cooks their meals on a small
gas range, using food purchased with
the allowance given them by the
Transient Bureau.
A native Of Germany, DR.. Schu-
macher came to this country in 1891,
became naturalized American citi-
zen and in 1910 was graduated with
Phi. D. degree from the University
OF Pennsylvania. Prior to then he
had studied ancient and modern Ian
guages at the University of Coffin
gen, Germany, and Semitic languages
at Leipsig.
Taught at New York.
After graduation at the University
OF Pennsylvania, where he specialized
in Germanic and romance languages.
DR.. Schumacher was instructor there
for several years.
Subsequently he taught at St. Johns
College, Annapolis, Md, from 1912 to
1918; then at Roanoke College, Salem,
Va. where he taught romance Ian
guages from 1920 to 1925. Next he
taught at Lenoir Rhyme College.
Hickory, N. c., until 1928, and then
at the University of Toleda, Ohio,
until 1882. .,
After this he lived on funds he had
saved, meanwhile being stricken tenn
porarily. Then two banks in which
he had his funds failed. Then an
insurance company from which he
expected to receive funds from an en-
dowment policy became insolvent.
Last year he came to Washington.
His meager funds dwindled. A toe
became infected and finally it became
necessary to amputate his leg.
Still Is Optimistic.
Recently, friends at st. Johns COL
lege, Annapolis, and at Catholic Uni
versity have been trying to get work
for him, but have been unsuccessful.
A man 6 feet inches tall and
when in his prime weighing 220
pounds. DR.. Schumacher is not a man
to give up easily and still retains his
optimism.
He speaks fluently German, French,
Spanish and English and considers
he has thorough knowledge of
Italian, Portuguese, Latin, Greek,
Hebrew and Provencal. He has
studied 81 languages.
He has a son in Pennsylvania from
whom he had no word for some time.
A daughter, living in Philadelphia, is
married to a young chemistry profess
sor. who has no funds to help his
father-in-law.
Both are children of his first wife,
who is dead. His second wife, Mrs.
Achsah Schumacher, is a native of
and descendant of q famous
Maryland family Her father, Owen
Dorsey Robb, was secretary to the
superintendent of the Naval Academy
and a grandfather. Edward Roget,
taught languages at the academy.
How old is DR.. Schumacher? He
would not say, explaining he has been
q strong and vigorous man and Is still
active.