Dr. Edward
  A.Y.
Schellenger Sr.

DR. EDWARD AUGUSTUS YORK SCHELLENGER SR. was born in Camden in 1870 to Henry and Elizabeth Schellenger. When the Census was enumerated in 1870 the Schellenger family, which included an older son, William, were living in Camden at the home of Dr. Alexander Mecray. It appears that Henry Schellenger passed away prior to 1887. By this time Elizabeth Schellenger had remarried. Her new husband was Joseph J. Read, a prosperous real estate broker. The family home was at 429 Cooper Street in Camden as early as 1887. 

After receiving his education at the Lauderbach Academy in Philadelphia, Edward Schellenger graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1892. Dr. Schellenger interned at Cooper Hospital and went on to practice general surgery.

During his career Dr. Schellenger served as Attending Surgeon at Cooper Hospital, Consulting Surgeon at Camden's Municipal Hospital and at Camden County General Hospital at Lakeland in Gloucester Township, and as physician at the Camden County Tuberculosis Hospital at Ancora. He was also the official surgeon for the Camden Fire Department, and was on scene at several major fires.

Dr, Schellenger's medical memberships included the Camden County Medical Society, of which he served as president in 1914, the Camden City Medical Society, where he served as secretary, the American Medical Association, the   Cooper Medical Club, and the Camden City Dispensary. 

Around 1900 Dr. Schellenger married Lillian Patterson, the daughter of journalist and newspaper publisher Francis Ford Patterson. The Schellenger's made their home at at 429 Cooper Street, Camden NJ. When the census was taken in 1900, His mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Read, brother-in-law Wolcott Patterson, the news editor of one of Camden's daily newspapers, and father-in-law all lived with them at the Cooper Street address. A daughter, Elizabeth was born around 1901, and a son, Edward Jr., came in 1903.

Dr. Schellenger died when a very early version of an x-ray machine malfunctioned and burned him, leading to an infection, which proved fatal. He was survived by his wife and children, Edward A.Y. Schellenger Jr. and Elizabeth. 

Shortly after his death in 1917, Lillian Schellenger built a home in Merchantville NJ. adjacent to that of his brother, Francis Ford Patterson Jr. She retained the property in Camden. Sadly, daughter Elizabeth Schellenger died of polio at the age of 18. Edward A.Y. Schellenger Jr. became a medical doctor and like his father, worked at Cooper Hospital. The younger Dr. Schellenger used the building at 429 Cooper Street for his medical practice office for 35 years.  When he retired, he donated the building to Rutger’s University.

From
Camden County Medical Society 1846-1956

SCHELLENGER, E. A. Y. SR., 429 Cooper St., Camden. b. Camden 1870. d. 1917. Ed.-Lauderbach Acad., Phila.; Univ. of Pa. Sch. of Med. 1892. Intern.­The Cooper Hasp. Prac.-General Sur­gery. Hasp. Appt.-Att. Surg., The Cooper Hasp.; Cons. Surg., Municipal Hasp.; Cam. Co. Gen. Hasp.; Phys., Cam. Co. Tb. Hasp., Ancora (P. Pres.). Mem.­Cam. Co. Med. Soc. (P. Pres.); Cam. City Med. Soc. (P. Sec'y); A.M.A.; Cooper Med Club; Cam. City Disp. Wife-Lil­lian Patterson. Children-Eo A. Y., Jr., M.D., Elizabeth..

Philadelphia Inquirer - February 9, 1893

Charles G. Garrison - John Gauntt - Patrick M. Gallagher
Wilson Jenkins - Frederick A. Rex - Henry S. Scovel
Dr. Edward Schellenger Sr. - Dr. William Iszard - George Hinson 
John Hill - Albert reed - Marwood Derrickson - Joseph Dodson
Sycamore Street

Philadelphia Inquirer
February 25, 1906

Frank F. Patterson Jr.
Edward Van Dyke Joline
Howard Truax - Frank Voight
David Baird Sr.
J. Wesley Sell
Wiiliam J. Bradley
Charles G. Garrison
A.B. Endicott
Harry C. Loudenslager
J. Willard Morgan
Henry S. Scovel
Theodore Gibbs - Samuel P. Jones
John G. Horner - J. Boyd Avis
Wood McKee - W.H. Jackson
Frank Somers
Frank T. Lloyd
Edward S. Delacroix
F. Morse Archer
Harry Reeves
William D. Brown
Robert Leyburne
Theodore N. Patterson
Wolcott J. Patterson
Irving Buckle - Joseph Burt
Dr. William S. Jones
Dr. E.A.Y. Schellenger
Henry J. Cloud- Charles Middleton
Edward W. Humphreys

Camden Post-Telegram * July 20, 1916

FORGER THOMPSON STILL AT LIBERTY
No Trace Yet Found of the Ashbridge’s Pas in Sensational
and Tragic Escape From the County Prison on Monday Night
FOOD SHUNNED BY YOUNG MURDERER

Evidently in hiding, George E. Thompson, who escaped from prison with Wilson Ashbridge on Monday night after Murdering one jailor and wounding another, is still at liberty. No trace of him has been found after he left Ashbridge and Mrs. Ashbridge at Thirty-second and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, on Monday night, and the police and county officials have assumed a policy of watching, waiting, in the hope that the hundreds of circulars sent to the police all over the country will be productive of the capture of the fugitive or at least some real clue as to his whereabouts.

Ashbridge has not eaten anything since his return to the jail. This, however, is not regarded by the prison officials as a hunger strike. A man who had gone through what Ashbridge experienced in the last three days is naturally not hungry and the fact that he had not touched the food served to him is not causing any worry. Just as soon as his nerves settle a bit and he becomes resigned to his fate Ashbridge will likely eat as heartily as before. 

The murderer is much more composed today than he was yesterday. Practically all of yesterday he spent pacing the narrow confines of his cell in Murderers’ Row and for the greater part of the time he was crying. Toward evening he became less restless. A little after 9:00 o’clock he threw himself on his bunk and was soon in a sound sleep, which lasted until 6:00 o’clock this morning. 

The food handed into the double murderer through the opening in the door of his cell has been taken out untouched, and not a mouthful of the nourishment has been taken by the prisoner. He drank freely of water and craves for tobacco, which thus far has been denied him. The food served him is the same given the other prisoners. In the morning it is half a loaf of bead and a cup of coffee. For dinner they get pea or bean soup with bread, and for supper some sort of stew or soup with bread and sometimes boiled potatoes with the skins on. Fish is served on Friday. None of this has looked good to Ashbridge, who probably would not touch a more tempting menu.  At any rate he has not asked for anything for the very simple reason that he is not hungry. 

Seemingly more composed and realizing the gravity of her position, Mrs. Ashbridges still languishes in the detention Department of Police Headquarters, where she is under the care of the kindly matron, Mrs. Kirkpatrick. 

The woman frequently expresses her regret for her rashness. She confides in Mrs. Kirkpatrick, who has given her every care. 

“I don’t know why I did it,” said Mrs. Ashbridge to the matron several times.

"Oh, I wish someone had shot me, because I deserved it," she tearfully cried when the matron tried to console her. To Jailor Fred Lechleidner, who knew her when she was a little girl, Mrs. Ashbridge also expressed regret for her act.

Since her hearing yesterday the woman has talked very little of her husband. When mention is made of his name she seems indifferent, and the police suspect that her affections for her murderer-husband are cooling.

When told that Mrs. Gick had agrees to take her two children to Wildwood for a vacation, Mrs. Ashbridge smiled and clapped her hands in joy.

"Thank God for that; I know they'll be alright now" she said to the matron.

For supper last night Mrs. Ashbridge ate a chop, a large quantity of tomatoes and potatoes, a cup of tea and some sliced peaches. She said she felt much better after eating. For her breakfast she ate two slices of toast and drank a cup of coffee. Mrs. Kilpatrick said she slept soundly all thorough the night and arose about six o'clock this morning.

The circular being sent out to the police all over the country contain front and side likenesses of Thompson and read as follows:

$500 REWARD
WANTED FOR MURDER

On July 17th, 1916 at 7 o'clock p.m., George E. Thompson, alias Francis Murphy, shot and killed a jailor at Camden County Jail, Camden, New Jersey, shot and wounded another jailor, and escaped.

George E. Thompson, alias Francis Murphy, is white, 41 years of age, 5 feet 7 inches in height, weighs 175 pounds, has dark brown hair mixed with gray, very bushy, light complexion, gray eyes, smooth face, first and middle finger of his left hand are missing, wears nose glasses. He was confined in the County Jail on charges of forgery and obtaining money under false pretences. He is well-educated and represents himself as an attorney-at-law.

Bertillon measurements: 70; 70; 91-0; 19-1; 15-4; 0-2; 12-4; 24-4; First and L.M. Fing missing; 8-4; 43-8.

Five hundred dollars reward will be paid for the arrest or information leading to the arrest of this man.

The circular, which is signed by Prosecutor Kraft and Chief of Police Gravenor, discloses the fact that the first and middle fingers of the fugitives hand are missing. In the prior descriptions mention was made of but one finger gone. The fact that two of his fingers are gone should serve to make his capture all the more certain should he venture out in Public.

City and county detectives spent several hours in Philadelphia last night scouring the Tenderloin and other places where crooks are likely to gather, but no trace of the fugitive could be found.

Asked today if he would represent Ashbridge for the murder of Hibbs, Charles A. Wolverton, who is counsel for Ashbridge on the charge of shooting the Dunbar woman, said: "As an officer of the court I am subject to whatever order Judge Garrison may make. In representing Ashbridge in the former matter I am operating under an order of the Court which was made by Judge Garrison on the application of Ashbridge for counsel to represent him, as he was without means to employ counsel. For a great many years it has been the custom of the Court of this country to grant such requests and this was accordingly done when Ashbridge made application; in fact, it is a right that the accused person has under the laws of the State. Whether I will be appointed to act for him in this last case I do not know. The matter is entirely in the hands of Judge Garrison, who has the right to appoint any member of the Bar he desires."

Provisions for the temporary care of the Ashbridge babies- Marian and Thomas- was made last night. Mr. and Mrs. Gick, of 2744 Pierce Avenue, East Camden, notifying Secretary Walsh, of the S.P.C.C. that they would take the kiddies with them to Wildwood this afternoon.

Jailor Ellis is rapidly recovering at Cooper Hospital, Police Surgeon Schellenger stating today that is condition is fine.

January 4, 1917

Frank G. Hitchener
Joseph Maxwell
John Wilffon
Julius Taylor
Peter B. Carter
Dr. E.A.Y. Schellenger Sr.
Mrs. Sallie Gordon
John Orr
Mrs. Mary Brooks
John Humphries
L.J. Donavan

Mickle Street
South 5th Street
Stevens Street
Judson Place

Cooper Hospital