The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-05-22

A FEARFUL TRAGEDY. 8


A FEARFUL TRAGEDY
gaie saGtsrrr sai3 59s lagsta
A DARK LEAF fFRoMs9THE ,eR1M1NA
d HIsToRYfoF VIRGINIA. s3,aiF
i53 a5 E3ye Ha--.sii5 bfss .stfiag.
Among the numerous moss grow
old tombstones in the grave yard O
Williamsburg, Virginia, il one whiel
bears athea following Inscription
is't Sacred to The memory ofs5 q
Ifho ssaii' asARAH sEsIrH1LI,a'i .sshi
Who died atl,heo.agai or3,twenty-fiYe
slain, with her two infant daugh-,
tiers, by her own htlsband.." =
She arasdair toHo0k upon, pure sisIiow
I,es,aa qS helpyg5d BY ri Yh99 knew her,
I'd hsihashnp,Hs why she shaatto ea!waS
Bios s.Is ii perish 80 mis mis- .,es,sk r
efably.
Tbis epatsIph, } s9ms Il tie ia v lorrd
f,Ylh|}lesh are hardly legible any long
er, is the o. only 7retord leftPf one q
the most terrible !. !, domestic tragediez
sha e, eyer tqok f.P l9agcee II the OLD
Dominion.
It was 10 17os that John semrhill
q young man, who said he was from
Santa Cruz, in the West Indies
arrived at Williamsburg, and settled
. 'l1',le as asa a tobacco planter. He had
plenty Of money, and was able te
purchase about one thousand acres
Of the finest soil within a short dis
lance of the old town.
Being apparently q gentleman j. ii
every sense of the word, Mr.. Semp
hill was, admitted 70 the best society
in bis new home, and year later ht
was married to Sarah Jones,
,,nss, ., A BEAUTIFUL HElREss,
the wedding festivities being cele
brated with extraordinary pomp ane
splendor. In course of time two
daughters were borntD the young
couple, and everybody predicted 7
long career of cllouadless Happiness
lor . 1neul. fag l,a.n aii3 1ai9tj4
Alas! How terribly, these brigh
asnticipations were to be disappoint
ed. 1t was on Christmas eve, il
1901, that a strengthening man, il
a sort of military uniform, appcare,
at the house Of NJ. Semph.ll, VIII
was in Richmond at the lime. . Mrs
Semphill received The stranger il
1.-The parlor. ,.,,, .s5st.,j ,it5s
do you speak French, madam ?
he said to her ia very broke
English. i sd lf.'1,, q, ..ot.l.s.rFIF
She replied in the affirmative.
"Then, madam, please send you
two Nurse gNhwish The children on
of che room. *, >. ,.,.,,.. y.t
/; She did so, and looked interrogs
lively at her visitor The latte
hesitated moment.b3 Then he sal
in tone of deepl emotion. il,,i ~
"Poor lady,iI have terrible tidins
for YOU ,.s,. lpo.F saf,i .sal
"Heavensp's she cried tturnin
very pale. 'My husband sgyts
"Your husband is au aa.js.s{ ri
81 INFAMOUS WILLIAM lill4 ii
"Sirp' she exclaimed indignant,
"He has basely deceived YOU IA
is an escaped galley-slave, a THE
and a murderer!''s saM SAT-
She uttered "a heart.rendih
scream. AS: 4la ale .a.aElar:as3
"Do you tell me the 4truth2" sh
gasped.a fsil.qo4 naa il9aiae' As3 10
"He is a Spanish thief, and ws
sent to theegatlegs of Barcelona f
1 life. He male his escape frol
thence, andsfieaSto Cuba, where n
robbed and 10 urdere,am nich plante
/ J. am here TO take i'm tos Cub
4 where the ascaf1oId 2 surely avail
him." ai ms zHrifa gie
The afflicted LADY, had ,sbecou
strangely calm.-- -
s.Sir," she said to the strange
"before you arrest him, will you pc
nit me to bold private intervie
:. witll-with-" ~,
! H"His true name is Juan Cefri
II you will let me remain In an a
joining room until he returns fro
Richmond, where he has gone,
. understand, you may see hi
!, privately" s'' Y ~
II expect him back 'eye
i moment rtssi4i III
Half an hour later, Cefrio, ali
, sempbill, made hts appearane
His wife briefly told him everythin
He few into go
: A TERRIBLE RAGE.
3 He shot her through the hea
{ land rushnH nnt IF sln i.on m tn a