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- 7/30/1946. Thomas Henry Sonnenberg, 44, a coal miner of 929 North Illinois Street, was electrocuted last night when a heavy storm struck Belleville.
Sonnenberg met his death at 8:30 PM when he stepped on a live wire carrying 4,000 volts of electricity. He was removed to St. Elizabeth's Hosp in the Gaerdner ambulance where he was pronounced dead. ---- ---- the physician made the pronouncement, the inhalator squad of the fire department administered artificial respiration in a vain attempt to resuscitate the man. Coroner Dr. C.C. Kane will conduct an inquest at the Pete Gaerdner Funeral Home at 5 tomorrow afternoon.
The tragedy occurred on the east side of North Illinois Street at the Gilbert Street intersection, a short block from Sonnenberg's home. The coal miner was drinking a glass of beer in John Becker's tavern, 907 North Illinois Street, where he had worked occasionally, when a 12 year old boy, Arthur Mahlman, a son of Mrs Anita Mahlman, 18 Brackett Street, Swansea, entered and announced a live wire had been blown down and was throwing a spark near the Sonnenberg home.
"It might hurt som of my kids," said Sonnenberg as he drained his glass of beer and followed Arthur to the scene. The boy pointed to the wire as the two approached, but Sonnenberg remarked, "I guess my eyes are not so good, I cannot see it."
Arthur said that Sonnenberg bent down as if to try to find the wire with his hands. "Suddenly he fell," said Arthur, "and I ran for help."
Firemen and George Gaubatz, an ambulance driver for the Pete Gaerdner Funeral Home, were called to the scene. They fashioned a lassp and threw it around Sonnenberg's arms and neck, pulling him away from the wire which was tangled in his feet.
While the rescue was being affected, two of his daughters, Mrs. Arthur Schlich and Miss Doris Sonnenberg, came upon the scene and made inquiries about the case. John Becker, Jr., son of the tavern owner, deferred giving a direct answer but when he gave it, the two girls collapsed.
Sonnenberg was born in Mt. Olive, Il, january 18, 1902 and was a son of the late Christopher and Elizabeth Sonnenberg, nee Fenwick. His father was born in Dietrich, IL, and his mother in Carlinville. He married Sally Diggens in Collinsville Nov 16, 1922.
Besides his widow, Sonnenberg is survived by 4 daughters: Dorothy, wife of Gilbert Brinson, Evely, wife of Arthur Schlich, and the Misses Doris and Carol Sonnenberg, both at home. Another daughter preceded him in death.
He also leaves 4 brothers and 6 sisters. Sam and Dan Sonnenberg, both of Collinsville, John Sonnenberg, 714 North Church Stree, Charles Sonnenberg, 810 North Charles Street, Mrs. Grace Dye, Tulsa, OK, Nell, wife of William Clark, 915 N Charles St., Mrs. Agnes Loupe, Mrs. Josephine Haston, and Mrs. Blanche Dennis, all of Beaumont, TEx. and Clyde, wife of Roy Towling, 822 N. Douglas Ave.
A coal miner since he was 14 years of age, he was employed at the St. Louis and O'Fallong Coal Company's Nigger Hollow Mine and was a member of Local No 8 Progressive Mine Workers rest illegible.
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1902 - 1946 (44 years)