Specht, August B., 1887-1945

SPECHT, MOHLMAN

Posted By: Lydia Lucas-Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/7/2011 at 06:22:27

AUGUST SPECHT DIED IN OMAHA

August B. Specht of Omaha, who formerly lived southeast of Hawarden, passed away in a hospital in Omaha on Christmas Day, following a heart attack. His sisters, Mrs. Carl Schwiesow, Sr., of Hawarden and Mrs. E. A. G. Lee of LeMars, attended the funeral in Omaha last Friday.

August B. Specht, son of Margaret Mohlman and Bernard Specht, was born in Wilhemshaven, Germany, on December 14, 1887. He came to Grant township, Plymouth county in 1892. He attended Grant township school and was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. He was employed by the I-Go Transfer Company in Omaha.

He is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Carl Schwiesow, Sr., of Hawarden and Mrs. E. A. G. Lee of LeMars and four brothers, Gerhard and Henry Specht of Sioux City; Carl Specht of Lincoln, Neb., and William Specht of Chatsworth.

Source: Hawarden Independent, Jan. 3, 1946.

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Thought To Be Destitute, Leaves Fortune of $40,000

August Specht, 58-year-old brother of Mrs. Carl Schwiesow, Sr., of Hawarden, who made everyone believe he was penniless, died recently in Omaha, leaving a fortune estimated at $40,000. He also was a brother of William Specht of Chatsworth.

August had lived at the Jim Sullivan rooming house where he lived until a few hours before he died for about three years, always apparently in need and want. He worked at odd jobs for 35 and 40 cents an hour. He cooked his own meals on a gas plate in his room. He bought bacon trimmings in 10-pound lots for a quarter and cooked them in beans. He cooked potato peelings that he bought for 10 cents a basket.

Specht locked himself in his room when he came in and allowed no visitors. He had nothing to do with other roomers, although they brought him left-overs of food from time to time and gave him old shoes to wear. He mended his clothes with pieces of string.

When his health failed, he got into a hospital under an assumed name, but left when he found out it was costing him $2.50 a day. He returned to his rooming house, where one of the roomers, Frank Skala, took care of him for $2.00 a week. He made life miserable for Skala, once making him return 5 sausages he had bought for 35 cents and get something cheaper. Once he made Skala take back a 10-cent bag of beans to be reweighed.

Specht had not communicated with relatives for many years, but when his condition became serious, he told Sullivan he had a sister, Anna Schwiesow, at Hawarden and wanted to be taken there. Sullivan was trying to make arrangements to have Specht taken to Hawarden when the doctor said the man could not live for a day. So he was taken to a hospital where he died in a few hours.

After Specht's death, a receipt for a safety box was found in his room. The key was finally located in his clothes after the undertaker had laid him out for burial. The safety box contained stocks and bonds totaling in value more than $40,000. Search is being made for a will. If none is found, the net assets will be divided among the six brothers and sisters.

Funeral services were held at Omaha on December 28, and burial was in Westlawn cemetery there. He is survived by four brothers, Gerhard Specht of Murdock, Minn.; Carl Specht of Lincoln, Neb.; Henry Specht of Sioux City, William Specht of Chatsworth, and two sisters, Mrs. Anna Schwiesow of Hawarden and Mrs. Emil Lee of LeMars.

Source: Hawarden Independent, Feb. 14, 1946.