The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-10-01
AN OLD TIME TRAGEDY.

lHSCTI p6IOH
Sacred to the memory of
-a Sarah SemphiIL
Who died at the age of .25, slain
with her two infant daughters, by
her swn husband.
She was fair to lookupon, pure as snow,
and beloved by all who knew her.
Divine Providence alone knows why
she had to perish SO miserably.
This epitaph, some of the words
of which are hardly legible any lon
ger, 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 Semp-
hill, a young man who said he was
from Santa Cruz, in the West Indies.
and settled there as a tobacco plant
er. He had plenty of money, and
was able to purchase 1000 acres of
the finest soil within short distance
of the old town. g.
Beng apparently gentleman in
every sense of the word, Mr.. Semp-
hill was admitted 10 the best socic-
ty in his new home, and year la
ter he married Sarah Jones, a beau
tiful heiress, the wedding festivities
being celebrated with extraordinary
pomp and splendor. In course of
time two daughters were born to
the young people, and everybody
predicted long career of cIoudless
happiness for them. Alas how ter
ribly those bright anticipations were
to be disappointed 1t was on Christ
mas eve, 1901, that a strange look
ing man, in a sort of military uni
form, 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 En-
glish. H
She replied in the affirmative.
"Then, madame, please send your
two nurse-girls with the children
out of the room"
She did so, and looked interroga-
lively at her visitor. The latter hess
itated a moment. Then he said in
tone of deep emotion:
"Peor lady, [ have terrible tidings
for you"
"Heavensr' she cried, turning
very pale. "My husband--'
"Your husband is an infamous
villain"
"Sir p she exclaimed, indignant
ly.
che has baseIy deceived you. He
is an escaped galley-slave, thief
and murderer. -
She uttered heart-rending
scream.
ado you tell me the truth ?" she
gasped.
"He is Spanish thief, and was
sent to the galleys of Barcelona for
life. He made his escape thence
and fed to Cuba, where he robbed
and murdered rich planter. I am
here to take him to Cuba, where the
scaffold awaits him"
The afflicted lady had become
strangely calm. $500
7"Sir," she said to the stranger,
"before you arrest him will you per>
nit me to hold private interview
with -with--" ~ gq5ftnI
"His true name is Juan Cefiro. IF
you will let me remain in an adioin-
ing room until he returns from Rich
mond, where [ understand he has
gone, you may see him privately"
"I expect him back every mo-
ment."
Half an hour later Cefro, alias
Semphill, made his appearance. His
wife briefly told him everything. He
few into violent, terrible rage; he
shot her through the heart and
rushed out ofthe room to the nurse
ry, where he stabbed his two little
daughters.
The next moment the Cuban Off
Ger, who had rushed after him, and
succeeded, after a desperate strug-
gle, in shackling him.
The news of this terrible tragedy
spread like wild fire through the
town, and in less than twenty minl
utes large concourse of people had
gathered in front of Semphill alias
Cefro's house. Vociferous threats
to lynch the murderer were made
and the deputy sheriffs, who were
promptly on hand to arrest him,
had the utmost difficulty in taking
HIM to jail, where he was chained
to the focr, having threatened to
commit suicide
The villain was hung on the 18th
of May, 1903.
Here is what Chas. A. Dana said
in 1873 about B. f. Butler, to whom
he now gives his earnest and zeal
Gus support:
"Hated by some, condemned by
many, and distrusted by all, this
n 7