Evening journal., 1901-05-30
Victims Throat Cut From.
Ear to Ear
ENTIRE CITY WAS IN ARMS
One Of the BOIdeSt and Most Bratfl
Crimes Ever Committed in
Florida

Barlow, Fla, May 3o.-Frcd Ro.
chelle, a negro. S5 years of age. who at
noon on Tuesday criminally assaulted
and then murdered Mrs. Rena Tar
gart. was burned at the stake here last
evening in the presence Of throng OF
people. The burning was on the scene
of the negro's crime, within 100 yards
of the principal thoroughfare Of this
city.
The assault and murder was one Of
the boldest and coolest blooded crimes
ever committed in Florida Mrs. Tag
gart, who was born and reared in this
place and was woman Of good fam
lily and reputation went fishing alone
in small rowboat that she kept at the
city bridge over Piaco creek. This is
in fun view of the public thoroughf~~o
A few minutes before noon. desiring { C
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 whea
she was approached by Rochelle. who
had been hiding in the swamp. Is
seized her and she broke loose al !
screaming ran from the swamp inc
the prairie, where he overlook her.
After the assault he cut her throat
from car to ear. causing instant deat.L
He then walked to the negro who ha
been fishing on the bridge. and who
was thoroughly frightened. and asl:
ed him what he should do with the
body. He was told to leave II where
it was, but unheedful of this request
he took she bleeding form in his arr :
and carried it back 70 the swamp
threw it down and escaped into The IL
terror of the swamp.
In less than aa hour practically the
entire city was in arms and a We
armed posse was moving in every a.
rection in search of the criminal
Bloodhounds were secured and az
night a fruitless search was continued
Yesterday noon a courier arrived a.
nouncing that the negro had been CAP
tured by two other negroes. Posse
were Immediately on the trail, but tt.
capturers evaded detection and sue
ceeded in getting their prisoner culcl.
ly into the city and in turning hi =
over to the sheriff Of Polk county.
In spite of the sheriff and q stron
guard of extra deputies . mob secure
the prisoner and took up the march {:
the scene Of the crime. Scream aftCi
scream broke from the wretch's quiz
ering lips, followed b. groans an
prayers for mercy. At the scene of hi'
crime a barrel was in readiness an.
was placed by the stake on the ver'
spot where Mrs. Taggart was css1ulte.
and murdered.
On this tho negro was placed an
chained ID the stake. lie Pleaded fo
mercy, but in tho great crowd aroun'
him silence was the only responsc
There were no jeers, no swearing. n.
disorder. Before tho chains aroun'
his body had been made fast cans G
kerosene oil from many sources wor'
passed TO the front and one Of tx
leaders stepped to the negro and SLOW
ly but deliberately poured it upon hi
and his clothes until clothes AMI barre
were well saturated. When the mattel
was applied the blaze quickly leape'
skyward. The burning body could b.
seen only as a dark object il tn
circle Of roaring flame. Then the fr
slackened and the writhing bod
came back in full view, but already tn
groans had ceased and the only ev
dence of life was in the contortions @
the muscles of the limbs. For Is mir
utes the body burned and in n hal
hour from the minute of the applics
ton of the match only the charrc
bones were left The crowd then di.
persed as orderly as it had gathered