Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-05
BODY or FORMER MINISTER
FOUND IN HOUSE BOAT At
DAVENPORT.
face OF DEAD MAN
is GNAWED BY RATS
Unfortunate Man Believed to Have
Been Dead Several Days Before
Body is Found-BibIes, Religious
Pictures and Organ Found in I'm
kempt Quarters.

Davenport, Jan. 5.-With his dis
ordered room Uttered with musty eat
ables, bibles about the place, the walls
decorated with religious papers and an
organ in the corner, the unkempt body
of John E. Thrasher, former preacher,
was found in a shanty boat west of the
foot of Myrtle street yesterday after
noon at 8 o'clock.
Thrasher had been dead several days
and the rat-infested boat told the
story of exposure and starvation. The
rats had chewed his nose partly of
and his hands, also bore the marks o.
the rodents.
The dead man was found by William
Barron and H. T. Barosky, who live IN
a shanty boat near by. Barron and
Barosky last saw him alive last Thurs
day afternoon. They went-to the win
dow of Thrasher's shanty. He was
lying on the cot and the fire was out.
why don't you get up and fix your
fire." they asked him.
Get away from there and leave me
alone" he answered vigorously and
the two men left.
yesterday his continued absence
caused alarm and they went back to
the shanty and tried to rouse him.
Failing in this they obtained crow
bar and forced the door open. AS they
entered they beheld the grewsome
sight. The partly decomposed body
was lying on the cot and rats were
running about the boat.
Nne> - Good circun,st ances ~
They notified police and coroner and
when the latter official arrived he
found the room in a frightful state of
insanitation. Letters were found among
the effects of the man to indicate re-
lationship. It was also learned that
he was past 81 years of age, according
to record of his birth in one Of his
bibles. He was born Aug. 4, 1858.
1t is said Thrasher was formerly a
preacher with the United Brethren OF
Christ, but evidently had fallen away
from his sect and had lost interest in
religious affairs so far as actual
preaching was concerned. He, how
ever, had retained his spirit as, was
evidenced by the religious pictures the
organ and the numerous bibles in his
possession.
During the early days, it is under
stood, Thrasher was comfortably fixed
and he had been educated for the
cloth His father had been a preach
err for the United Brethren in Keota
Iowa, and the son had followed in his
! fathers profession. ssFl -
Charged With Bootlsssins.
The son, after leaving the church
came to Davenport with his wife an6
family. They resided at 1910 West
Third street fifteen years ago. His
wife died in 1902 and the family sep
arated Since then Thrasher has beer
living practically alone.
During the last few years Of his
life Thrasher had become rather dis
solute, it is said, and several tim es he
! was arrested on charges Of illegally
| selling liquors. He had succeeded, in
each instance. in evading the Jail
| however.
Thrasher had been living in his
| shanty boat since 1910. He had pur.
chased it for $3.50, according to the
bill Of sale found. After the death
! Of his first wife he had married again
| according to friends, and his second
wife had lived with him in his small