The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-30
Caught After Twenty-FOur Hours of
Search, and Later Taken from
Strong Guard of Officers.
MOB WAS SILENT AND ORDERLY
DRAGGED THE SCREAMING NEGRO
no THE SCENE OF HIS CRIME,
Chained Him to stake, Poured Coal
OIL Over Him, Applied a Match
and Watched Him Burn.
BARLOW. Fla. May 2-Fred Rochelle

BARTOW, Fla, May 9.-Fred R0chelle,
n negro thirty-hve years old. who. at noon
yesterday criminaly assaulted and then
murdered Mrs. Rena Taggart, well-known
and respectable white woman of this city.
was burned at the stake here early this
evening in the presence of throng of peo-
pie. The burning was on the scene Of the
negro's crime. within one hundred yards of
the principal thoroughfare Of this city.
The assault and murder was one of the
boldest and coldest blooded crimes ever
committed in Florida. At 10 o'clock yes
terday morning Mrs. Taggart. who was
born 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 Piaco creek. 1t is in
fun view Of the public thoroughfare. A few
minutes before noon, desiring to return
home. she rowed her boat to the bridge
and made ii fast. A negro was fishing from
the bridge at the time. Mrs Taggart
started home and had proceeded only
few steps In the swamp toward the open
prairie and thence to the street when she
was approached by Rochelle, who had
been hiding nearby He seized her. but she
broke loose and, screaming, ran from the
swamp into the prairie. where he overlook
her After the assault he held her with his
hands and knees and taking his knife froEl
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 thoroughly frightened,
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 torm in his arms and carried il
back to the swamp, threw it down and es-
capped into the interior of the swamp.
SEARCH FOR THE NEGRO.
IL few minutes the crime had been
reported and in less than an hour practi-
cally the entire city in arms and peo-
pie were moving in every direction In
search Of the criminal. Bloodhounds were
secured and all night fruitless search
was continued This morning no trace of
the negro had been secured. About noon a
courier arrived announcing that the negro
had been captured by two other negroes
three miles south Of the city Several par
ties started at once after the negro. but his
capturers evaded them and succeeded i'm
getting their prisoner quickly into the city
and in turning him over to the sheriff of
Polk county.
In less than ten minutes after the transfer
had been made the streets became con-
gested with people, who moved i'm a body
toward the Jail In spite of the sheriff and
strong guard OF extra deputies who made
every effort to protect him from mob vio-
lence, they secured the prisoner and took
UP the march TO the scene of the crime.
The negro was half dragged, half carried
to the bridge by a great mob which was
resolute and determined but quiet and
orderly. On the way TO the bridge scream
after scream broke from the negro's lips,
followed by prayers for mercy. At the
bridge the mob turned toward the prairie
and then into the swamp and TO the scene
of the crime.
BY COMMON CONSENT.
By common consent burning was TO be
the penalty. There were no ropes. no plans
for lynching by hanging. The stake was
the only suggestion as 20 the proper ex-
piation of the crime. and. without organ
lied effort. and yet with apparently unani-
nous understanding. barrel was in readi-
ness and placed by the stake on the very
spot where Mrs. Taggart was assaulted and
then murdered. on this the negro was
placed and chained TO the stake He plead
ed for mercy. but in the great crowd around
him silence was the only response. There
were no jeers. swearing, no disorder.
Before the chains around the negros body
had been made fast cans OF kerosene oil
from many sources were passed to the
front, and one of the leaders stepped to the
negro and slowly but deliberately poured
II over him until his clothes and the barrel
were saturated. 1t was then o'clock and
the crowd growing impatient. as busi-
ness In the city had been practically sus-
pended all day. When the match was
applied the blaze quickly leaped upward
The burning body could be seen only as a
dark object IN the circle of mass or flame
Then the fire slackened and the body came
in full view. but already the groans had
ceased and the only evidence Of life was
the contortions OF the muscles For fifteen
minutes the body burned, and in half an hour
from the application OF the match only the
charred bones were left as a reminder OF
the negro's crime and his fate. The crowd
dispersed orderly IL had gathered, and
at $50 tonight the city was quiet.