Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-06-13
THE HERALD,
A VIRGINIA TRAGEDY.
which Reads Like Chapter Ont OF Les Mis-
eFabies.',

which Reads Like Chapter Ont of Les Mis-
erabies."
From the Cincinnati ENQUIRER
Among the numerous moss grown
old tombstones in the graveyard of
Williamsburg, Virginia, is one which
, bears the following inscription
Sacred to the memory of
SARAH sEMPHILL,
Who died at the age of %, slain, with her two
infant daughters, by her own
husband
She was fair to look upon, pure as snow, and
beloved by all who knew her. Divine
Providence alone knows why she had
to perish SO miserably.
The epitaph, some of the words of
which are hardly legible any longer,
is the only record left of one of the
most terrible tragedies that ever took
place in the Old Dominion.
1t was in 170S that John Semphill,
young man, who said he was from
Santa Cruz, in the West Indies, ar
rived at Williamsburg and settled
there as tobacco planter. He had
plenty of money, and was able to pur-
chase about 1000 acres of the finest
soil within a short distance of the old
town.
Being apparently a gentleman in
every sense of the word, Mr.. Semphill
was admitted to the best society in
his new home, and year later he
was married to Sarah Jones, beau
tiful heiress, the wedding festivities
being celebrated with extraordinary
pomp and splendor In course of time
two daughters were born to the young
couple, and everybody predicted a
long career Of cloudless happiness for
them. Alas How terribly these
bright anticipations were to be dlsap-
pointed. 1t was on Christmas eve, in
1901, that strange looking man, in
sort of military uniform, appeared
at the house of Mr.. Semphill, who
was in Richmond at the time. Mrs.
Semphill received the stranger in the
parlor.
'sDo you speak French, madame ?"
he said TO her in very broken Ian
guage.
She replied in the affirmative.
"Then, madame, please send your
two nurse girls with the children out
of the ROOM"
She did so, and looked interroga.
lively at her visitor. The latter hest
tated a moment Then he said in a
tone of deep emotion:
"Poor lady, | have terrible tidings
for YOU
"Heavens - she cried, turning very
pale, "my husband"
"Your husband is an Infamous
villain"
"Sir p she exclaimed Indignantly
HE has basely deceived you. He
is an escaped galley slave, a thief, land
a murderer !"
She uttered heart-rending moan.
"Do you tell the truth ?''she gasped.
she is Spanish thief, and was
sent to the galleys of Barcelona for
life. He made his escape from thence,
and sailed TO Cuba, where he robbed
and murdered a rich planter. | am
here to take him to Cuba, where the
scaffold surely awaits him."
The afflicted lady had become
strangely calm.
"Slr," she said to the stranger, "be-
fore YOU arrest him will you permit
me to hold private interview with
with"
ellis true name is Juan Cefirio. IF
you will let me remain in an adioin-
ing room until he returns from Rich
mond, where he has gone, under.
stand, you may see him privately
"Iexpeet him back every moment. .
Half an hour later Cefirio, alias
Semphill, made his appearances. His
wife briefly told him everything. He
flew into a terrible rage. He shot
her through the heart, and rushed out
of the room to the nursery, where he
stabbed his two little daughters. The
next moment the Cuban officer, who
had rushed after him, graprled with
him, and succeeded, after desperate
struggle, in Stacking him. The news
OF the horrible tragedy spread like
wildfire through the old town, and in
twenty minutes large concourse of
people had gathered in front of Cefi-
rios house. Vociferous threats to
lynch the murderer were made, and
the Depusy Sheriffs, who were promt
ly on hand to arrest him, had the ut
most difficulty in taking him to jail,
where he was chained to the hoor,
having threatened to commit suicide.
The villain was hung on the 18th of
May, 1903