Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-12
A FEARFUL TRAGEDY.
A Dark Leaf From the Criminal History
OF Virginia.

A Dark Lear From the Criminal History
OF Virginia.
Among the numerous moss-grOwn old
tombstones in the graveyard of Will
liamsburg, Va. is one which bears the fo.-
lowing inscription:
Sacred to the memory of
SARAH sEMPHILL,
Who dcc al the age of twenty-five 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 miserablJ.
This epitapb, some Of the words of
which are hardly legible any longer, is
the only record left of one OF the most
terrible domestic tragedies that ever took
place in the Old Dominion.
It was in 1893 that John Semphill, a
young man, who said he was from Santa
Cruz, in the West Indies, arrived at
Williamsburg, and settled there as to-
bacco planter. He had plenty Of money
and was able to purchase about one
thousand acres of the finest soil within
short distance of the old town.
Being apparently a gentleman in every
sense OF the word, Mr.. Sempbill was adj
mite to the best society in his new
home, and year later he was married to
Sarah Jones.
A BEAUTIFUL HERES,
the wedding festivities being celebrated
with extraordinary pomp and splendor.
In course OF time two daughters were
born to the young couple, and every
body predicted long career Of cloudless
happiness for them.
Aias How terribly these bright an
ticipations were to be disappointed. 1t
was on Christmas eve, in 1891, that a
Strengthening 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.
DO you speak French, madame he
said to her in very broken English.
She replied in the affirmative.
Then, madam, please send your two
nurse girls with the children out of the
room,"
She did so,and looked interrogatingly at
her visitor The latter hesitated a mo-
ment 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!" she exclaimed, Indignantly.
He has basely deceived you. He is an
escaped galley-slave, thief and muir.
derer!''
She uttered heart-rending scream.
" Do you tell me the truth?' she
gasped.
I" He is a spanish thief, and was sent tc
the galleys Of Barcelona for life. He
made his escape from thence, and fed tc
Cuba, where he robbed and murdered a
rich planter. l am here to take him tc
Cuba, where the scaffold surely awaits
him"
| The afflicted lady had become strange.
| ly calm.
"Sir," she said to the stranger before
you arrest him, will you permit me tc
hold private interview with-with-'
:" His true name is Juan Cefirio. II
you will. let M remain in an adjoining
room unit. NC returns from Richmond
where he has gone, / understand, you
may see him privately
6 expect him back every moment"
Half an hour latter, Cehrio, alias Sem
phil, made his appearance. His wife
briefly told him every thing. BE
flew into
A TERRIABLE 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, grappled with
him, ard succeeded, after desperate
struggle, in shackling him.
The news of this horrible tragedy
spread like wilddre through the old town,
and in less than twenty minutes large
concourse Of people had gathered in front
of Semphill, alias Ce6rio's house.
Vociferous threats to lynch the muir
derer were made, and the Deputy Sheriffs,
who were proptly on hand to arrest him,
had the utmost difficulty in taking him
to jail, where he was chained to the flcor,
having threatened to commit suicide.
The villain was hung on the 18th of
May, 1903.