Back in 1918 Rose Kempf was murdered at her home in Readan, west of Spokane on Christmas day. The Spokane newspaper of the day ran tidbits on the story for days and clear into January 1919. Seems one William Delaney gave some strychnine-laced candy and then carefully tossed the rest of the box into the stove when Rose noticed that “the candy tasted bitter.” Seems that Rose had a suitor, Karl Reiniger, who was soon to come home from the Navy to marry her and jealous William just couldn’t handle it. While the case was closed and never proven, circumstantial evidence surely pointed to Delaney. Think of all the mysterious deaths of the past when, without forensics, the real reasons were never discovered.

She lies sleeping in the Reardan Cemetery; rest in peace, Rose.