The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-06-06
A virginia Tragedy Of the Past

A Virginia Tragedy Of the Past.
Among the numerous moss-growu eh
tomb stones IN the graveyard q
williamsburg, Wa, Is one which bears
the following inscription:
Sacred 10 the memory Of
SARAH sEMrHuL,
Who died at the age Of twenty five
slain, with her two infant dAugh-
ters, 10y her own husband.
She WAS fair ta look upon. pure as snow
and beloved by all who knew her.
Divine Providence alone knows
why she had GO perish 50
miserably.
This epitaph. some OF the words oi
which are hardly leglble any longer, Is
the only record left Of one of tho most
terrible tragedies that ever took place n
the Old Dominion.
Ii was in 179S that John Semphill, q
Young man, who said no was from SAINTS
Cruz, in the West Indies, arrived al
Williamsburg and settled there as d
tobacco planter. He had plenty oI
money, and WAS able a. purchase about
one thousand acres Of the finest sol
within "A short distance Of the old town.
Being apparently Eeutlemanin every
sense OF the word, Mr.. Semphill Wa
admitted to the best society in his new
home. and year later he was married
o. Sarah Jones. u beautiful helress, the
wedding festivities being celebrated witt
extraordinary pomp and splendur. In
course Of time two daughters were born
to the young couple, and everybody
predicted long career Of cluuIirss hap
piness for them. Alas How terribly
those bright anticipations were 10 be
disappointed. Ii was ON Christmas eve,
in 1901. that a strange looking man, III
sort Of military uniform, appeared al
the house Of Mr.. Semphill, who was IN
Richmond nj the time. Mrs. Semphill
received the stranger IN the parlor.
I" Do YOU speak French, madam 2 he
said 70 her IN very broken English.
She replied in the affirmative.
Then, madam, please send your tive
nurse girls with the children ont Of the
room.
She did so, aud looked iuterrogatiyely
al her visitor The latter hesgtatcd &
moment. Then he said IN tone of deeI
emotion:
Poor lady, I have terrible tidings
for YOU"
Heavens l'' she cried, turning very
pale; my husband
Your husband is an Infamous VII
lain. ="
"Sir - she exclaimed, Indignantly.
a" He has basely deceived you. He il
an escaped galley slave, a thief and q
murderer !"
She uttered heart-rending scream.
"Do YOU tell me the truth p she
gasped.
He is q Spanish thief, and was sent
70 the galleys OF Barcelona Tor life. He
made his escape from thence, and tled
10 Cuba, where he robbed and murdered
rich planter. | am here 20 take him tC
Cuba, where the scafiold surely awaits
him. :"
heafIlicted lady had become strangely
calm.
'.Sir." she said to the stranger. be.
fore you arrest him, will You permit me
10 hold q private interview with
with"
His true name ia Juan Cetirio. II
You will let me remain in an adjoining
room until he returns from Richmond,
where he has gone, understand, you
may see him privately.
- expect him back every moment
Half an hour later, Csfrio, alins Semp
hill made his appearance. His wife
briefly told him everything. He flew
into a terrible rage He shot her through
the heart, and rushed ont Of the room tc
the nursery, where he stabbed his tive
little daughters. The next moment the
Cuban officer, who had rushed after
him, grappled with him, and succeeded,
after desperate struggle, in Stacking
him. The news OF tins horrible tragedy
spread like wildfire through the old
town, and in less than twenty minutes a
large course Of people had gathered IL
front Of Semphill alias Cefirio's house.
Vociferous threats to lynch the murder
er were made, and the deputy sherifis,
who were promptly on hand TO arrest
him, had the utmost difficulty in taking
him to jail, where he was chained TO the
floor, having threatened 10 commit sui
eide.
The villain was hing on the 18th oi
May, 1903.