Biography

The deceased was the fourth of five children born to Anton, who was born 14 February 1833 at Rendsburg, Schleswig, Germany, and his wife, born 1829 in Dublin, Ireland. She arrived in Geelong in 1857, the same year as Anton arrived in Hobart. They married 22 October 1860 at Smythesdale, Victoria. Charles was living in Balfour Street, Kalgoorlie, as a miner, in 1903. When seen by friends the night before his death, Charles was affected by alcohol but gave no indication of his intentions. Ernest Nolan found the body of the deceased in his camp at about 10.30 the next morning. At the inquest o 3 October 1908, one witness testified that he had known Rathgeber for two years and that the deceased "used to suffer after drink". A verdict was returned to the effect that the deceased came by his death by a bullet wound in the head, self-inflicted, whilst of unsound mind. Rathgeber lived in Victoria for 24 years before arriving in Western Australia.