The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1901-05-31
FRED ROCHELLE, C0!.OEED, GRE.
MATED 81 CITlGE-!Ic OF
5ARTOW, "A.
VIEWED BY LaIst1I1 ri.RONO
The Negro Is Fret Saturated With
Kerosene and the Match Is Then
Applied-Was Guilty Of Criminal
Assault and Murder-The Immense
. Crowd Looks on Unmoved While
the Wretch Prays for Mercy.

Barlow, Fla, May 30-Fred Ro-
chelle, negro, IS years of age, who
criminally assaulted and then muir
dered Mrs. Rena Taggert, well
known and highly respected white
woman Of this city, was burned at the
stake here early in the evening in
the presence Of a throng of people.
The burning was on the scene OF the
negro's crime, within 100 yards OF
the principal thoroughfare Of the city.
The assault and murder was one
of the boldest and coldest blooded
crimes ever committed in Florida.
After outraging his victim the ne
gro took his knife and cut her
throat from ear to ear, ca',sing in
stant death. In a few minutes the
crime had been reported and In less
than an hour practically the entire
posse was moving in every direction
in search Of the criminal. Blood
hounds were secured and all night a
fruitless search was continued. Morn
ing came and no trace of the negro
had been secured and the people were
becoming more determined to appre'
hend him as the chances for his final
escape seemed to grow. About noon
courier arrived announcing that the
negro had been captured by two other
negroes three miles from the city
Posses were Immediately on the TRAIL
but the captors evaded detection and
succeeded in getting their prisoner
into the. city and in turning. him over
to the sheriff Of Polk county. In less
than 10 minutes after the transfer
had been made the streets became
-congested with people and the crowd,
q = IN lsc11lef, moved son
the jail: !. III spite Of the sheriff and
strong guard Of extra deputies who
Made Every Effort to Protect Him
from mob violence they secured the
prisoner and took up the march to
the scene of the crime. He was half
dragged, half carried to the place, en-
veloped by 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. BY
common consent burning was to be
the penalty. The stake was the only
suggestion as to the proper expiation
of the crime. A barrel was in readf-
ness and was placed by the stake on
the very spot where Mrs. Taggart
was 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 jeers,
no swearing, no disorder. Before the
chains around his 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 deliberate
1y poured It upon him and his clothes
until clothes and barrel were we'll
saturated. When the match was ap-
piled the blaze quickly leaped sky.
ward. The burning body could be
seen only as dark object in the cir
Gle of roaring flame. Then the fire
slackened and the writhing body came
back in full view, but already the
groans had ceased and the only 'evi-
dence Of life was in the contortions
of the muscles Of the limbs. In
half hour from the application Of the
match only the charred bones were
left as reminder of the negro's
crime and his fate. The crowd dis
persed in an orderly manner and the
city now Is quiet.