Ends

Life Of Adventure

Death of Jens A. Fabricius

A LIFE crowded with adventure ended with the death in New Zealand in October last of Mr. Jens A. Fab ricius. eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs.

P. C. Pabricius, of Apia, Western Samoa.

His remains were embalmed and taken by the “Matua” to Samoa, where they were laid to rest in the Tufuiopa Ceme tery, the funeral being attended by rep resentatives of the Administration and commercial houses, and friends.

Jens Fabricius received his early edu cation in Apia and later went to New Zealand, where he attended King’s Col lege. Returning to Samoa, he worked for a time in his father’s business, P. C.

Pabricius, Ltd. As a lad he was always keen on assisting on every occasion when there a ship in port. Especially was he helpful during the civil trouble in Samoa in 1889, and was a willing worker with the British and American wounded marines at the dressing station tempor arily erected opposite the present firm’s premises on the beach in Apia.

No doubt all this gave him a spirit of adventure and in 1912 he left Samoa to “see the world”. The next that was heard of him was that he was packing fruit in California, U.S.A. Tiring of this, he pro ceeded to Alaska for the salmon packing season. Later, he joined the United States Marine Corps, seeing service in the Philippines, Peking (China), and then back to Philadelphia. Trouble then broke out in the San Domingo Republic in West Indies and young Fab ricius was ordered there on active service, taking part in some heavy and particu larly gruesome fighting.

In 1917 he was discharged from the Marine Corps and returned home to Samoa. It was immediately apparent that

he was suffering from the effects of his experiences in San Domingo and that his mind seemed obsessed with the fright fulness of things witnessed during the short campaign. He remained in Apia but a few months, and then proceeded to New Zealand for medical attention. He had been in Auckland ever since, up to the time of his death on October 14.

The surviving members of the Fab ricius family now are Mr. P. C. Pabricius (managing director of P. C. Fabricius, Ltd.), Mrs. E. Dusterdieck, and Mrs. Chas.

Hellesoe, all of Apia.

Rev. R. J. Maddox, accompanied by his wife and three children, reached Sydney from Western Samoa on December 23, on six months’ furlough. He is Chairman of the Methodist Mission in Samoa.

Hon. Dr. C. M. Dawson, who recently was elected a European member of the Samoa Legislative Council, reached New Zealand late in December by the “Matua” from Apia. He was on a brief holiday, recuperating after a severe bout of in fluenza.