Thomas Fauber, Aged Carpenter, Found Dead

Decatur, Illinois, 1913

THOMAS FAUBER, 80, FOUND DEAD

Aged Carpenter Had 60 Cents In His Possession.

Thomas Fauber, aged about eighty years, was found dead in his room over 718 North Broadway at 6 o'clock Monday evening by M. J. Hennessy, Jake Barry and P. E. Werner, who two hours before had assisted the old man to his room.

About 4 o'clock they saw the old man fall at the corner of Morgan street and Wabash avenue. At the time they thought that he was merely drunk. They assisted him to his room and placed him on the bed, thinking he would be all right after awhile. About 6 o'clock they went back to see how he was getting along and found him dead. Coroner Elmer Brintlinger was notified and removed the body to the Brintlinger undertaking establishment. The inquest was set for 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon.

WAS CARPENTER.

Thomas Fauber was a carpenter by trade, but for several years he had not been able to do much work, owing to old age. For six or eight years he made his home in Decatur, but no one could be found who knew anything of his past history. For a number of years he and his daughter, Miss Mary Fauber, lived at 1730 North Clinton street, and the city directory of 1908 gives him as being the owner of the place. Former neighbors were located by Coroner Brintlinger early Tuesday and they said that Mr. Fauber had a small interest in the property, and that after his daughter died three years ago he moved away from the house.

SCANTY LIVING.

Since then he has picked up a scanty living filing saws. He had two small rooms over 718 North Broadway, but they were very dirty and indicated poverty. He had a small stove and a supply of coal sufficient to last for some time, and he had 60 cents in his pockets. His bed consisted of some boards with a mattress on them, but no springs. He had plenty of clothing, but it was very dirty.

It is not known that the old man has any living relatives, but Coroner Brintlinger will hold the body awhile and see if he can find any relatives or friends who wish to give the body Christian burial. Otherwise it will be sent to the potter's field.

ONCE AT POOR FARM.

When Mrs. John F. Gepford learned of the death of Mr. Fauber the name sounded familiar to her and she looked up the records of the Macon County Infirmary and found that Mr. Fauber was an inmate of that institution in 1911. When he went there he told Mrs. Gepford that his daughter had died only a short time before and that she was his last living relative. He did not remain at the infirmary very long. After being there a few months he became dissatisfied and came back to the city. While staying at the infirmary he would visit the city occasionally to file saws and earned a little money in that way.

Coroner Brintlinger met a few persons Tuesday morning who wanted to contribute to a fund to give the old man Christian burial, so his body will not rest in the potter's field.

—The Daily Review, Decatur, Illinois, November 11, 1913, page 9.