At the age of 65 years Mr. Ernst F. L. Gauss, Assistant Librarian of the Public Library died yesterday of pneumonia. Chicago loses one of its great pioneers, who always fought at the front to defend German ways and customs, to stand for German ideals and also to defend his adopted country in times of danger with his life. The deceased could be seen at all the greater festivals of the Germans at Chicago. He was a good speaker and valued as a poet for festival poems and prologues.

He was one of the best known members of the Schwaben Club and belonged to the George H. Thomas Post, G. A. R., the Order of Royal Arcanum and the National Union. He was married to Miss Henriette Stehlein and had seven children, of which five are still alive.

Mr. Gauss has been honored by the German Emperor with the Crown Order of the fourth class.

Mr. Gauss was born in 1842 in Stuttgart and lost his parents early in life. He came to the United States of America at the age of 17. In the battle for the maintenance of the Union, he joined the New York Infantry Regiment and got his honorable leave in 1863. He studied Theology at a Protestant institution in Missouri and finished his study at an English institution in Ohio and had charge of the conduct of the Parish at Bunker Hill, Illinois in the year 1870. He went to Zurich in 1874 to complete his studies as a Pastor from 1875 to 1878. He returned to his adopted country as a Pastor of Galena, Illinois.

He came to Chicago in 1880 and got a federal position and also occupied himself with work in literature. Seven years later he joined the local Public Library and advanced to first Assistant Librarian.