OBITUARY
(Potter County News December 7, 1899)
Again we are reminded of the uncertainty of life, and the common end of all. After an illness of about one week, on last Saturday, December 2nd, at her home in Elinda township, Margaret, wife of M. F. Rafferty, died at the age of 40 years 1 month and 14 days.
She was born near Edinburgh, Scotland, in the year l849. At the age of 3 years she came to this country with her parents who settled in Massachusetts. In 1874 she came west to Minnesota in which year she was married to M. F. Rafferty and they continued to reside there until 1885 when they moved to this county where she had since resided and had formed a large circle of friends. Besides her husband she leaves eight children to mourn her loss. All who know her will fell that one is gone who was the friend of everybody, of a kind and affectionate disposition she made friends with all whom she associated. The family circle is broken, a vacant chair, a husband mourns the companion of his life the children will miss her counsel, advice and guiding hand as in life, so in death may she watch over them. Wife and Mother, rest in peace. Friend of the homeless, may thy memory ever be held sacred by all who knew thee. The burial occurred on Tuesday in the Catholic cemetery.
MURDER AND SUICIDE
(Date and Publication unknown, Bef. 1901)
A Horrible Grime Occurs at Forest City--Ed Rosa Shoots Mary Brehl and then Turns the Gun on Himself.
A tragedy of the first-class occurred at Forest City between 10 and 11 o’clock last Monday morning, When Ed Rosa shot and instantly killed Mary Brehl and then immediately suicided with the same weapon-- a 44-calibre Colts revolver. Coroner Hurley was called to the scene on Monday afternoon when he summoned.
Lyman Harrington, Wm. Small and. S. M. Howard as a coroner’s, jury who returned a verdict in accordance with the following facts and circumstances surrounding the case:
Ed. Rosa and Mary Brehl were young people of Forest City, he being about 25 and she about 18 years of age. They had been keeping company to some extent and went to a Christmas ball together, from which the girl was escorted home by another fellow. At the time mentioned Ed went to the residence of Charley Stewart, whose wife is a sister of the deceased girl, and asked to see Mary. He was accompanied into an adjoining room where Mary was by Mrs. Stewart, who on being requested by him to leave them alone for a short time, retired but had scarcely yet closed the door when a revolver shot came, and glancing back Mrs. Stewart saw her sister falling; she was about to return to the room when Rosa, pointing the revolver at her, told her to "git"; but she fled from the house and had but just gained the open, air when she heard a second shot. Apparently on finding himself alone with Mary, Ed had drawn a concealed weapon and shot the helpless girl, the ball entering back of' the ear and causing instant death. He then turned the weapon on himself, the ball entering his head at the base of the nose. He lingered in an unconscious condition for perhaps an hour. The foregoing will give our readers some idea of the horror of the situation. As to the cause which may have led to this deplorable affair it is generally talked that Ed and Mary had been engaged and were to have been married in the spring, and that he had made her presents of considerable value; but that lately he
had been superceded in her affections by a young man from Walworth county.
Mary Brehl was a daughter of John P. Brehl who is the blacksmithing business at Forest City, and was formerly the agency blacksmith. He has quite a large family upon whom this calamity will fall very heavily. Ed Rosa was a brother of C. B. Rosa south of Forest City; his parents live at Watertown, he has a married sister living at Huron--all estimable people who will be shocked on hearing of the young man’s crime.