Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-05-30

The Body Saturated With Oil Be.
fore the Match Is
Applied.
Barlow, Fla, May 3o-Fred Rochelle.
the negro, So years of age, who at noon
Tuesday assaulted and then murdered
Mrs. Rena Taggart, a well-known and
respectable white woman of this city.
was burned at the stake here early last
evening in the presence of throng of
people. The burning was on the scene of
the negroes crime, within 100 yards of
the principal thoroughfare OF this city.
The negro's crime was one of the
toldest and most cold blooded ever COM
mitted in Florida. Al 10 o'clock Tuesday
morning Mrs. Tdggart, who was born
and reared in this place and was a
woman of good family and reputation,
went fishing alone in small rowboat
that she kept at the city bridge over
1piaco creek. This is in full view of the
public thoroughfaie. a few minutes
before noon, desiring to return home,
she rowed her boat ,o the bridge and
made it fast. A negro 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 approached by
Rochelle, who had been hiding in the
swamp. He seized her. and she broke
10.
swamp into the prairie, where he over
took her.
After the assault, and while she was
Frustrated. he held her with his hands
and knees and taking his knife from his
pocket cut her throat from ear to ear,
causing instant death. He then walked
TO the negro who had been fishing on the
bridge, and who was thoroughly fright
aned, and asked him what he should do
with the body. He was told to leave ii
where it was, but needless of this sug-
gesiion. he took the bleeding form in his
arms and carried it back to the swamp,
threw it down and escaped into the in
terror of the swamp.
In few minutes the crime had been
reported, and in less than an hour
practically the entire city was in arms
and wellarmed posse was moving in
every direction in search of the negro.
Blood hounds were secured, ana all
night fruitless search was kept up.
This morning no trace of the negro had
been found. and the people were becom-
ing more determined to apprehend him.
as the chance for his escape seemed to
grow.
About noon a courier arrived an
nouncing that the negro had been cap
tured by two other negroes three miles
south OF the city. Posses were immed-
lately on the trail, but the negro's cap
| tors evaded detection, and succeeded in
getting their prisoner quickly into the
city. turning him over to the sheriff of
Polk county. In less than ten minutes
after the transfer had been made the
streets became congested with people,
and the crowd augmented al it march,
ed moved on the Jail.
In spite of the sheriff and guard of
extra deputies. who made every effort
to protect him from mob violence the
mob secured the prisoner and took up
1.-the march to the scene of the crime. He
| was half dragged. half carried 10 the
bridge. surrounded by a throng Of peo-
| pie of all ages, resolute and determined,
| but quiet and orderly.
| Scream after scream broke from the
doomed wretchs quivering lips, fol-
lowed 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.
4 BY common consent burning was to be
the penalty. There We're no ropes, no
plans for lynching by hanging.
The stake was the only suggestion as
to the proper expiation of the crime, and
without organized effort, yet with APP
| parently unanimous understanding, a
barrel was in readiness and was placed
| by the stake on the spot where Mrs
\ Taggart was assaulted and murdered
4 On this barrel the negro was placed and
4 chained to a stake. He pleaded for iner-
i oy, but in the great crowd around him
silence was the only response. There
were no jeers. no swearing, no disorder
Before the chains around his body hat
been made fast cans of Kerosene oil
from many sources were passed to the
front, and one of the leaders stepped Il
the negro and slowly. but deliberately
: roured II over him until his clothes anc
the barrel were well saturated. 1t wa!
then o'clock. The crowd was growing
|
and business in the city had practicall,
been suspended
When the match was applied the blaz,
quickly leaped skyward. The body coult
he seen only as dark object in the cir
Gle Of roaring fame. The fire slack
ened and the writhing body came bacl
in full view. hut already the groans hat
ceased, and the only evidence of life wa
in the cOntOrtions Of the muscles Of fh
limbs. For fifteen minutes the bod,
burned. and in half-hour from the TIM
OF the application of the match only tn
charred bones We're left as reminde
Of the negroes crime and his fate.
The crowd dispersed In as orderly
manner as 1t had gathered. The city i
quiet.
HELPLESS BOY MURDERED.
Terrible Crime OF Burglar AZ Sa,