George W Lieberth
Kentucky Post, Wednesday, September 25, 1907
Collector Lieberth is Called By Death
Cardiac Asthma Carries off Prominent Republican Official and Party Leader at His
Home in Newport
George W Lieberth, Collector of Internal Revenue of the Sixth District of
Kentucky, was found dead in his bed this morning shortly before 8 o'clock at his
hone 548 East Fourth-st. Newport. Mrs. Addie Lieberth, his wife made the
discovery. She at first thought her husband was sleeping until she felt
his hand. Then the terrible realization came upon her that he was dead.
Members of the family notified Dr. F W Fishback, the family physician, but his
services were of no avail. He gave it as his opinion that Lieberth had
been dead for several hours before the fact became known.
Dr. Fishback has been attending Lieberth for over a year for cardiac asthma and stated that his sudden death was due to that cause. The deceased, accompanied by his wife returned from Martinsville, Ind. 10 days ago and he showed much improvement in health. Sunday he spent the day at Ft. Thomas and on arriving home complained of pains in the region of his heart. Dr. Fishback was summoned and ordered Lieberth to stay indoors and remain quiet.
Upon retiring last night, shortly after 10 o'clock, he complained to his wife of a smothering feeling, but soon fell asleep and his wife retired with their 2 year-old son, who was in an adjoining room. Mrs. Lieberth awoke about 7 o'clock this morning, but did not arise until an hour later, not wanting to awaken her husband, who, she thought was soundly sleeping. Her opinion is that her husband must have died after midnight, as she was in his room shortly before to give him his medicine.
Collector Lieberth was not quite 42 years old and was born in Indianapolis in 1865. He was three months old when his parents moved to Newport, where he had made his home ever since. His career was an eventful one during which he held many positions of trust. He was of pleasing address, a good entertainer, mixer and organizer, qualities that brought him to the front as a local leader of the Republican Party. His first political position was that of gager in the Internal Revenue service. He was later appointed Cashier of the U.S. Collector's Office at Covington. He was made Clerk of the U.S. Court in Porto Rico and made Collector of the Sixth District in 1901. In November 1905 he was reappointed Collector by President Roosevelt, notwithstanding the bitter fight waged upon him by those who wanted to see him ousted.
His prominence in Sixth District affairs and his bring a lieutenant of Richard P Ernst, of Covington, made hi a State quantity, and his well-known ability as an organizer made him such sought for in the State counsels and conventions of his party. The deceased was a member of a number of secret and social orders, in all of which he became prominent. He served on term as Exalted Ruler of Newport Lodge of Elks, and took an active interest in the movement which culminated in the lodge securing its present handsome new home on York-st. He was a member of Newport Lodge of Masons, Eureka Lodge Knights of Pythias, Essenic Order and several aid societies. He married Miss Addie Corn, of Carrolton, one child, a son being the only issue of the union.
Funeral director Charles Ershell took charge of the remains and will conduct the funeral, the arrangements for which have not as yet been completed. The report of the sudden death of Collector Geo W Lieberth was received early this morning in Covington with extreme regret by the employees of the Internal Revenue office. Until his successor is appointed, Chief Clerk Warner Yates will act as Collector of Internal Revenue. The law so prescribes. Coroner Digby made an investigation of the cause of death and returned a verdict of death due to heart failure.
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Kentucky Post, Thursday, September 26, 1907, page 5
Lieberth Obsequies Saturday
Prominent Officials View the Remains of the Dead Collector at His Home
Newport Lodge of Elks will Conduct Services at Residence Tomorrow Night Masons
Will Conduct the Funeral
The sudden taking off of Internal Revenue Collector George W Lieberth occasioned genuine regret in Newport. The many good qualities of the deceased were recounted among his long acquaintances in Newport and throughout Campbell-co. Prominent officials and leading citizens of Covington and Newport called at the Lieberth home on East Fourth-st. and offered their condolence to the widow and relatives. Lieberth's parents who reside at Hodge and Brighton-sts. are inconsolable over their bereavement, and Mrs. Lieberth, the widow, is prostrated over her loss.
The funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the chapel in Evergreen Cemetery. Rev Whitehead, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church and Rev Bigelow, pastor of the York-st. Congregational Church will officiate. The Newport Lodge of Elks will hold services tomorrow night at the residence. The members will assemble at the Elks Home at 8 pm and arch to the Lieberth home in a body. Services will be held at 9 o'clock. The Elks Lodge will hold its lodge memorial services Monday night and later will hold services upon the engraving of the deceased member's name on the memorial tablet. The Masons will have charge of the funeral and will conduct their services at the grave. Other orders and lodges, of which the deceased was a member, will attend the funeral.
Already speculation is rife in Newport as to who will be Lieberth's successor. The feeling is that a Kenton-co. man will be chosen. No aspirants from Campbell have been mentioned so far, but this does not signify that there will be none when the proper time comes. Lieberth's death will make some changes in the political aspect of Newport, especially in the coming election, the impression prevailing that it will tend to heal the existing differences in the party's ranks.
His friends felt that he had not been treated right by the would be leaders of Campbell-co. and quite a number would have shown their resentment at the polls. Whether this feeling will still be manifested, now that the real leader of the party is dead, remains to be seen. Kenton-co. Republicans named as probable aspirants for Lieberth's offices are County Judge Stephens, Allie Sailer, R H Flemming and D N Comingore.
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Cincinnati Enquirer, Thursday, 10 October 1907, page 9
The remains of former Internal Revenue
Collector George W Liebert were yesterday removed from the vault of Evergreen
Cemetery and were interred in the family lot. Rev J F Whitehead delivered the
sermon in the presence of a number of friends and relatives.