The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1901-06-07
DEATH All Il HE STAKE
NEGRO PAYS PENATTY FOR a COLD
BLooDED CRIME.

Z i
Taken to the scene OF His Crlme and
Burned mt the stake -: ResOlute
and Determined citizens Take
Justice Into Their own Hands,
The Negroes Crime, Witch Was
the Boldest ana Coolest Bloetled
Ever Committed I'm Tlortdu, Was
the Assault and Murder Of a
Nightly Respected White Woman.
Barton, Fla, May 3O.-Fred Rochelle,
a negro thirty-five years of age, who,
Tuesday criminally assaulted and then
murdered Mrs. Rena Taggart, a we'll
known and highly respected white
woman of this city, was burned at the
stake here early last evening in the
presence of a throng of people. The
burning was on the scene of the ne
groe's crime, within 100 yards Of the
principal thoroughfore Of the city.
The assault and murder was one Of
the bloodiest crimes ever committed In
Florida. Tuesday morning Mrs. Tag
CART went fishing alone in a small row.
boat that she kept at the city bridge
over Piaco creek. This is in full view
of the public thoroughfare. A few
minutes before noon, desiring to return
home she rowed her boat to the bridge
and made it fast. A negro man was
fishing from the bridge at the time.
Mrs. Taggart started home and had
proceeded only a few steps in the
swamp toward the open prairie and
thence to the street, when she was APP
preached by Rochelle. who had been
hiding in the swamp. He seized her,
but she broke loose and ran scream
ing from the swamp into the, prairie
where he overlook her. After the out
rage the negro took his knife from his
pocket and cut her throat from ear to
ear, causing instant death. He then
walked to the negro who had been
fishing on the bridge and asked him
what he should do with the body. He
was told to leave it where it was, but
unheedful of this request, he
Took the Bleeding Form
in his arms and carried it back to the
swamp, threw it down and escaped
into the interior of the swamp. In q
few minutes the crime had been re-
ported, and in less than an hour prac-
ticaliy the entire city was in arms and
a well armed posse was moving in
every direction in search of the crimi-
nal. Bloodhounds were secured and
all night fruitless search was con-
tinued. Yesterday morning no trace
Of the negro had been secured and tho
people We're becoming more determined
to apprehend him, as the chances for
his final escape seemed to grow. About
noon courier arrived announcing that
the negro had been captured by two
other negroes three miles from the
city. Posses were Immediately on the
trail but the captors evaded detection
and succeeded in getting their prisoner
into the city and in turning him over
to the sheriff Of Polk equity. In less
than ten minutes after the transfer
had been made the streets became con-
gested with people, and the crowd,
augmented as it marched, moved on
the Jail. In spite of the sheriff and a
strong guard of extra deputies who
made every effort to protect him from
mob violence, they secured the prison.
er and took up the march to the scene
of the crime. EIe was half dra gged,
half-carried to the bridge, enveloped
by a great throng of people of all ages
who were resolute and determined, but
quiet and orderly. Scream after
scream broke from the wretch's quiv-
ering lips, followed by groans and
prayers for mercy. At the bridge the
mob turned toward the prairie and
then into the swamp and to the
Scene of the Negroes Crime.
BY common consent burning was to be
the penalty. The stake was the only
suggestion as to the proper expiation
of the crime A barrel was in readi-
ness and WIS placed by the stake on
the very spot where Mrs. Taggart was
murdered. On this the negro was
placed and chained to the stake. FIe
pleaded for mercy. but in the great
crowd around him silence was the only
response. There We're no jeers, no
swearing, no disorder. Before the
chains around his body had been made
fast cans of kerosene oil from many
sources We're passed to the front and
one of the leaders stepped to the negro
and slowly but deliberately poured 1t
upon him and his clothes until clothes
and barrel were we'll saturated. 1t
was o'clock. The crowd was growing
and business in the city had been prac-
tically suspended. When the match
was applied the blaze quickly leaped
skyward. The burning body could
only be seen as dark object in the
circle of roaring flame. Then the fire
slackened and the writhing body came
back in full view, but already the
groans had ceased and the only evil
dence Of life was in the contortiors o.
the muscles of the limbs. For flfteer
minutes the body burned and in hall
| an hour from the minute of the appli
cation Of the match only the charret
bones were left as reminder of tn,
negroes crime and his fate The GROVE
dispersed in an orderly manner ant
the city is now quiet. "
BASIS OF N. p. SETTLEMENT.