Rose Falb and Homer Neff died 1902

FALB, NEFF

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 9/8/2013 at 15:30:24

Elgin Echo, Thursday, 09 January 1902.

TRAGEDY AT WEST UNION.
Sunday's Murder And Suicide.

One of the saddest and most regrettable tragedies which have ever occurred in Fayette county was enacted at Jim's Hotel at West Union, on Sunday Jan. 5th, when Homer Neff shot and killed Rose Falb, shot with intent to kill Emmet Sullivan and shot and killed himself. The story of the affair is a long one, but we will only say that it was a love affection cumulating in murder and suicide.

The tale runs thus: At about 8 o'clock Sunday evening Miss Falb and Mr. Sullivan were sitting in one of the Jim's Hotel parlors when Neff came to the door of the room and demanded admittance. Sullivan held the door for a few moments and then let Mr. Neff pass the door. As Neff did so he seized Sullivan by the coat collar and discharged a revolver in his face, the ball striking him on the teeth and glancing toward the ear, tearing and burning the face. Neff then turned his revolver on the woman and shot her three times, twice in the head and once in the breast, from the effects of which shots she died in two hours. Sullivan was not seriously hurt and will recover. After the scene at the hotel Neff went to his room on the south side of the public square and reloading his revolver, shot himself and died instantly.

What led to the lamentable occurrence is locked within the breasts of those whom death has quieted forever, and we shall not exhume the secrets. No doubt love and jealousy prompted Neff in his unnatural actions. Be that as it may, the deed is done and no one can more than lament for its enactment. Mercy and pity for all the principal actors is all that can be offered. What would have been the conduct of any of us under similar circumstances can only be surmised. May God and man unite in charity for the excusing of the deed.

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NOTES:

The IGPP has a photo of the gravestone of Rose Falb 04-13-1869 / 01-05-1902, d/o John and Catherine. She is buried in Elgin cemetery.

WPA records list a Homer M. Neff 1856 / 01-05-1902 as buried in West Union cemetery, lot 15. See also: Fayette County History 1910, biography of Lieut. Abner Gilbert M. Neff.

Submitter is not related to any of the parties.

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