The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-31
THE COUNTRY AROUSED
Her Black Assailant Captured by
Two Other Negroes.
THY DELVLR HIM TO THE SHERIFF
He Vainly Endeavors to Protect the Negro The
Mob Bear Him 10 the Scene Of His
Crime and Burn Him at the
Stake.
(By the Associated Press

Barlow, Fla, May 29.-Fred Rochelle,
who, at noon yesterday criminaly assault
ed and then murdered Mrs. Rena Tag
CART, well known and respectable white
woman of this city. was burned at the
stake here early this evening in the pres
ence of throng of people. The burning
was on the scene of the negro's crime
within 100 yards of the principal thor
oughfare of this city.
The assault and murder was one of the
boldest and coolest blooded crimes ever
committed in Florida. At 10 o'clock yes
terday morning Mrs. Taggart, who was
born and reared in this place, and was
woman of good family and reputation,
went fishing alone in small rowboat that
she kept at the city bridge over Place
Creek. This is in full view of the pub
lie thoroughfare. A few minutes before
noon Mrs Taggart, desiring to return
home, rowed her boat to the bridge aud
made it fast. A negro man was fishing
from the bridge at the time Mrs. Tag
CART started home and had proceeded only
a few steps in the swamp toward TIE
orcn nrarie and thence to the street,
when she was approached by Rochelle,
who had been hiding in the swamp. He
seized her but she broke loose and
screaming ran from the swamp into the
prairie, where he overlook her. overpow-
cred her and assaulted her.
After the assault. while she was pros
trate he held her with his hands and
knees and taking his knife from his pock-
ct 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 10 leave it where it
was, hut unhcedful of this request, he
tool, 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 few minutes the crime had been
reported and n less than an nour prac-
tically the entire CITY was i'll rms and
we'll armed posses were moving in every
direction in scarth of the criminal. Blood
hounds were secured and Ill night fruit
less search was continued. This morning
no trace of the negro had been secure1
and the people were becoming more des-
bend him. as the chances TO" his final
escape seemed to grow.
About noon a courier arrived an
nouncing that the negro had beer cap
tured by two other negroes three miles
south of the city. Posses were imme-
d.ately on the trail, but the captors
evaded detection and succeeded in getting
their prisoner Quickly into the city and
in turning him oycr to the sheriff Of Polk
county.
In less than ten minutes after the
transfer had been made as il the news
had been flashed voluntarily through
out the city and neighborhood, the
streets became congested with peo-
pie and the crowd, augmented as it
marched OH the Jail. In spite of the
sheriff and strong guard of extra
deputies who made every effort TO pro-
tect him from mob violence, they Sc
cured the prisoners and took UP
the march to the scene of the crime.
He was half dragged, half carried to the
bridge, cnvcloped 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 quivering 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 negro's horrible
crime.
By common consent burning was to
be the penalty. There We're no ropes,
no plans for lynchng by hanging. The
stake was the only suggestion as to
the proper expiation of the crime and
without organized effort and yet with
apparent unanimous understanding a
barrel was in readiness and was placed
by the stake on the very spot where
Mrs Taggart was assaulted and muir
dered On this the negro was placed
and chained to the stake.
Louder and louder and more desperate
grew his pleadings to God and man for
mercy, but in the great crowd around
him silence was the only response.
There were no jeers, no swearing no
disorder. Before the chains around the
negro had been made fast, cans of kero-
sene oil from many sources, were pass
ed to the front, and one of the leaders