The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-05-24

by al who knew her Divine Providence
alone knows Why she had TO perish
50 miseIabiy.
This 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 1898 that John Semphill, 8
young man, who said he was from Santa
Cruz, in the West Indies. arrived at vii
liamsburg and settled there IS a tobacco
planter. He had plenty of money and
was able to purchase about one thousand
! acres of the finest soil within a short DIS
tance of the old town.
Being apparently q gentleman in every
sense of the word, Mr.. Semphili was
admitted to the best society in his new
home, and year later he was married
to Sarah Jones, a beautiful 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 pre-
dicted q long career of cloudless happiness
for them. Alss How terrible those
bright anticipations were to be disap-
pointed. 1t was on Christmas eve, in
1901, that a strange looking man, in s
sort of military uniform, appeared at the
house OF Mr.. Semphill, who wss in
Richmond at the time. Mrs. Semphill
received the stranger in the psrlOr.
g Do you speak French, madam" 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 interrogatively
at her visitor. The latter hesitated y
moment. Their. ne SAID in a tone Of deep
emotion.
Poor lady, ! have terrible tidings for
you"
Heavens y she cried, turning very
( pale, my husband
" Your busbsnd ID an infamous vii
liam"
"Sir!' she exclaimed, Indignantly.
He has basely deceived you. He is
an escaped galley slave, a thief, and q
murderer"
She uttered hesrtrending scream.
"Do you tell me the truth ?" she
grasped.
"He is Spanish thief, and was sent
to the galleys of Barcelona for life. Re
made his escape from thence, and fed to
Cuba, where he robbed and murdered a
rich planter. am here TO take him to
Cuoa, where the scaffold surely awaits
him."
The afflicted lady had become strangely
calm.
"Sir," she said to the stranger, " before
you arrest him, will you permit me q
hold a private interview with--with--F
"His true name is Juan Cefrio. II
you will let me remain in an adjoining
room until he returns from Richmond,
where he has gone, ] understand, ycR
may zee him privately"
81 expect him back every moment.a
Half an hour later, CeiriO, alias Semp-
hill made his appearance. His wife
briefly told him everything. He flew
into terrible rage. He shot her through
the heart, and rushed out of the room to
the nursery. where he stabbed his two
little daughters. Next moment the
Cuban officer, who had rushed after him.
grappled with him, and succeeded, after
desperate struggle, in Stacking him.
The news of this horrible tragedy spread
like wildfire through the old town, and
in less than twenty minutes a large con,
course of people had gathered in front Of
Semphill, alias Cefrio's bouse. voci.
ferrous threats to lynch the murderer
were made, and the deputy sherihs, 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 to commit suicide.
The villain was hung on the 17ta Of
May, 1903 Cincinnati Enquirer.