The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-30
HAD NO ROPES.
Negro Burned at the Stake by
Common Consent.
Citizens of Florida Town In
dulge in Quiet Lynching.

Barlow, Fla, May 30.-Fred Rochelle,
a negro s5 years of age who at noon
yesterday, criminally assaulted and then
murdered Mrs. Rena Taggart, a well
known and respectable white woman OF
this city. was burned at the stake here
in the presence of a thrOng of people.
The burning was on the scene of the
Negroes 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
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 min
utes 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 pro-
ceeded only a few steps in the swamp
toward the open prairie and the street,
when she was approached by Rochelle.
who had been hiding in the swamp. He
seized her and she broke loose and
screaming, ran into the prairie where he
overlook her. After the assault, he 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
who was thoroughly frightened and
asked him what he should do with the
body. He was told to leave it where it
was. The negro Rochelle then took
the bleeding form in his arms and car
ried it back to the swamp, threw it
down and escaped into the interior 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 a well armed 9osse was NOV
ing in every direction in search of the
criminal About noon a courier arrived
announcing that the negro had been
captured by two other negroes, three
miles south of the city Posses were
Immediately put on the trail but the
capturerS eVaded detection and succeed
the city and 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 as it
marched, moved on the Jail. In spite of
the sheriff and a strong guard of depu-
ties, who made every effort to protect
him from mob violence, the mob secured
the prisoner and took up the march to
the scene of the crime.
Rochelle was half dragged, half carried
to the bridge, envelOped by a great
throng of people of all ages. Scream
after scream broke from the wretch's
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
to be the penalty. There were no ropes.
no plans for lynching by hanging. The
stake was the only suggestion as to the
proper expiatiOn of the crime, and with
out organized effort and yet with appar-
entity unanimous understanding a barrel
was in readiness and was placed by the
stake on the very spot where Mrs. Tag
CART was assaulted and murdered
On this the negro was placed and
chained to the stake He pleaded for
mercy, but in the great crowd around
him silence was the only response. There
were no 5eers, no swearing. no disorder.
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 and deliberately poured it
on him and his clothes, until the clothing
and the barrel We're well saturated. It
was then o'clock The crowd was
growing and business in the city had
practically been suspended.
When the match was applied the blaze
quickly leaped skyward. The burning
body could be seen only as a dark OBJ
ject in the circle of a roaring flame.
Then the fire slackened and the writing
the groans had ceased and the only evil
dence of life was in the cOntortions of
the muscles Of the limbs. For fifteen
minutes the body burned, and in a half
hour from the minute of the application
of the match only the charred bones
were left as a reminder as the negro's
crime and his fate. The crowd dis
persed as quietly as it had gathered
1t Saved His Leg.
P. A Danforth Of Lagrange. Ga, suf-