The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-05-16
AFEARFUL TRAGEDY.
A DARK Leaf From the Criminal Hlstox
OF Virginia.

OF Virginia.
Among the numerous moss-grown old
tombstoncs in the graveyard of Will
liamsburg, Va, is one which bears the fo!-
lowing inscription:
Sacred to the memory Of
SARAH sEMPuILL,
Who died Al the age of twenty-five with her
two infant daughters, by her own husband.
She was fair to look upon, pure US snow, and
beloved by all who knew her Divine
Providence alone knows why she had
to perish SO miserablJ.
This epitaph, 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.
1t was in 1898 that John Semphill,
young man, who said he was from Santa
Cruz, in tina West Indies, arrived at
Williamsburg, and settled thero as to-
bacco planter. He bad 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 gentleman in every
sense OF the word, Mr.. Sempbill was adj
mite to the best. society in his new
home. ami year later he was married to
Sarah Jones,
ABEAUTIFUL HE1REss,
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 a long career of cloud!ess
happiness for them.
Alas! How terribly these bright an
ticipations were to be disappointed. 1t
was on Christmas eve, il 1901, that
strange looking man, IN a sort Of military
UNIFORM. appeared ut the house Of Mr..
Senphill. who was in Richmond at the
time. Mrs. Scmphill 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 dinterrogatingly at
her visitor. The latter hesitatcd mo
mcnt. Then he said in q tone Of deep
emit tion.
"Poor lady, I have terrible ti1ings for
YOU"
Hcavens!" she cried; turning very
pale. my husband"
"Your husband isan
INFAMOUS VILLAIN.
Sir!' she exclaimed, Indignantly.
" He has basety deceived you He is an
escaped gaiiey-slave, a thief and mur'
derer!"
She uttered heart rending scream.
DO you tell me the truth?' she
gasped.
" lie is spanish thieE, and was sent to
the galleys of Barcelona fer life. He
made his escape from thence, and fed to
Cuba, where he -obDed and murdered a
rich planter. am here to take him to
Cuba, where the scaf,Id 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 to
hold a private interview with-with-'
!" His true name is Juan Cefrio. If
you viii. Act M remain in an adjoining
roon unit. hc returns from Richmond
where be has gone, I understand, you
may see him rrivately.'
=" I expect him back every moment."
Half an hour latter, Ccdrio, alias Sem
phil, made his appearance. His wife
briefly told him every thing. &c
flew into
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 shackliog him.
The news OF this horrible tragedy
spread like wiidire through the old town,
and III less than twenty minutes large
concour<e Of people had gathered in front
of Semphill, alias Cetrio's house.
Vcciferous threats to lynch the mur-
derer were made, and the Deputy Sheritfs,
who were proptly on hand to arrest him,
had tine utmost difficulty in taking him
to Jail, where he was chained to the floor,
having threatened to commit suicide.
TIE villain was hung on the 18th Of
May, 1903.