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Obituary of Colonel Robert
Neff |
The Lawton Constitution,
Wed. Dec. 22, 1915
Vol. XV No. 117
Colonel
Robert Neff Dies of
Auto-Toxaemia
Comedian, Jurist, Politician, Newspaper Man dies at Southwestern Hospital
Tuesday Afternoon
By Rev. T.J. Irwin
Col. Robert A. Neff, noted comedian, a prominent jurist, politician an former
newspaper man, died at the Southwestern Hospital Tuesday afternoon at three
o'clock of acute terminal auto-toxaemia. Lawton is the home of the Neff Theatre
Company. It has been playing in Texas during the autumn months, where the
Colonel took sick six weeks ago, in their private coaches, and the colonel
entered the hospital for treatment under the care of his family physician,
Dr. F.W. Hammond, and all that science and care and love could do was done
for him. Mrs. Neff and daughters Velma and Aline were at his side when he
passed away.
Robert A. Neff was born in Bloomington, Ill., May 22, 1858. The writer of
this little sketch became aquainted with him in 1886 in Wichita, KS where
he grew to manhood and became a noted comedian. The writer was young, but
remembers those days mighty well when young "Bob" Neff and a Mr. Heathcote
formed a strong company and played the leading Kansas towns. One of the bills
put on was "The Queens Evidence," Mr. Neff taking the leading part.
He gave up the drama for a number of years and devoted himself to the study
of law, was admitted to the bar, and ranked high in this profession. He came
to Oklahoma at the opening of the Cherokee Strip in 1893 and settled in Kay
County, which office he held for four years, ranking high as jurist. He was
elected as a delegate to congress against Bird McGuire by a large majority,
but was counted out because elected on the Democratic-Populist fusion ticket.
He established and edited several leading Oklahoma daily newspapers, one
being The Blackwell Sun. He came to Lawton in 1904 and was associated with
T.M. Bixby as editor of the Lawton Democrat, now the Lawton Constitution,
on which he wielded "the pen of a ready writer " for a number of years. He
ran against ____ A. Fain a close race for county attorney of Comanche
County.
But the ruling passion of his life was his love of the drama, so a ____ ____
ago he organized The Neff Theatre Company in Lawton and went on the road
again and made acting his chosen profession. He played in all the principal
cities and the country, especially to very large appreciative houses in Lawton,
Oklahoma, generally. His long ___ devoted to the drama, coupled with decided
natural ability, made Neff a prime favorite with his audiences in each of
his roles. Two years ago he purchased two private cars in which the company
has since made its palatial home on wheels and which now stand on the Rock
Island track in this city. Col. Neff owns a farm and beautiful country residence
two miles south of Lawton. Here he took a needed rest once every year. He
loved Lawton, and here he laid down his life, and will be laid to rest in
Lawton cemetery.
The funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from
the Presbyterian church, by the Rev. T. J. Irwin.
Col. Neff always gave good, clean, performances, supported by a strong company
made up mostly from his own family all of whom are lovers of high-class drama.
He never played a whiskey town, nor allowed a drinking man to be connected
with the company. Speaking from long personal and intimate acquaintance,
Robert A. Neff was a unique character, and a noble Christian man, a prominent
and enthusiastic Mason and Odd Fellow who followed the Golden Rule in his
daily life. He was a faithful, tender and affectionate husband, and a loving
and kind father, and as true a friend as ever lived. Such, in brief our line,
the unadorned facts of the career of Robert A. Neff. They illustrate a character
rounded, integral and complete. His life was gentle; and the elements so
mix'd in him that Nature might stand up and say to the world, "This was a
man."