Born on October 6, 1853, in Raschkow, Kingdom of Prussia, Trieber read law under the supervision of Marshall L. Stephenson, a former justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court.

[2] Trieber received a recess appointment from President William McKinley on July 26, 1900, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas vacated by Judge John A. Williams.

He was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 9, 1901, and received his commission the same day.

His service terminated due to his death at his daughter's home in Scarsdale, New York on September 17, 1927.

[2][3] During his tenure, Judge Trieber heard civil rights cases, and became unpopular in the white community for holding that federal law permitted protection of African Americans.