The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-30
BURNED At THE SIKE
SWIFT AND TERRIBLE VENGEANCE
NIETED OUT TO NEGRO
RANISHER
HAD MURDERED HIS VICTIM
BRUTAL CRIME ROUSED CITIZENS
OF BARSTOS, Fla, TO FITCH
OF FRENZY
OFFICERS WERE POWERLESs

BARLOW, Fla, May 29-Fred Rochel q,
a negro, thirty-fve years of age wao
yesterday criminally assaulted and then
murdered Mrs. Rena Taggart a well
known and highly respected whita wom-
an of this city was burned at the stake
here uearly this evening in the p eserce
of throng of people The burning was
on the scene of the negro's crime With
IN 100 yards of the principal thorOugAta.s
of the city.
The assault and murder was one Of the
boldest and coolest bloOded crimes ever
committed in Florida Yesterday mo ming
Mrs. Taggart went fishing alone In a
small row boat that she kept at tn city
bridge over Place Creek. This is i'm full
view of the public thorcughfare. A ew
minutes before noon, desiring t. re urn
home, she rowed her boat to the brid q
and made it fast. A negro nan was
hshlng from the bridge at the time Mrs.
Tasgart started home, and had prr g.
ed only few steps In the swan to-
ward the open prairie, and thu nee tae
street when she was approached by
Rochelle, who had been hiding In t-e
swamp. He seized her, but she b oke
loose and ran screaming from the swamp
into the prairie whore he over ook her.
After the outrage the negro took his
knife from his pocket and cut her throat
from ear to ear, causing instant dea h.
He then walked to tfDAnC wlO had
been fishing on the bridge and asked him
what he should do with the body lie was
told to leave 1t where It was. but IN
heedful Of this request. he took the bleed
ing form in his arms and carried I back
TO the swamp, threw 1t down ana escaped
into the interior Of the swamp IN a
row minutes the crime had y en- rCp1rt-
ed, and in less than an hour pract cerly
the entire city was in arms and a wei
armed posse was moving In every di- &C.
tion in search of the criminal
TRAILED WITH BLOODHOUNDS.
Bloodhounds were secured and all night
a fruitless search was continued RI
morning no trace Of the negro had reen
secured, and the people were bec2mfag
more determined to apprehc nd lin as
the chances for his final escape Sc ened
to grow. About noon q courl- arrived
announcing that the negro had been cap
tured by two other negroes three mics
from the city. Posses were immea atzly
on the trail, but the captoIs evadeI o.
lection, and succeeded in getting their
prisoners pluckily into the city. IN in
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 1t marched. moved
on the jail. In spite Of the sheriff and
a 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 bridge, envelep ny
great throng Of people OF all ages. VINO
were resolute and determined, Tut quiet
and orderly. Scream after scream broke
from the wretch's qulverng lips followed
by groans and prayers for mercy A. 60
bridge the mob turned toward the prairiS
and then into the swamp and to the
scene Of the negro's crime. BY common
consent burning was to be the penalty.
The stake was the only suggesti as
to the proper expiation Of the ime. A
barrel was In readiness and was pI ced
by the stake, on the very spot whore Mrs
Taggart was murdered On this the n gro
was placed and chained to the stake He
pleaded for mercy, but In the great
crowd around him silence was the only
response.
NO DISORDER
There were no jeers, no swearing. no
disorder Before the chains around Lis
body had been made fast, cans OF
kerosene oil from many sources Were
passed to the front, and one of the lead
ers stepped to the negro and Slowly but
deliberately poured It upon him and his
clothes until clothes and barre wer. well
saturated. 1t was then 6 o'clock The
crowd was growing and business n the
city had practically been SUSPEND ID
When the match was applied. tn blaze
quickly leaped skyward TIE burning
body could be seen only as a dark OBJ
Ject in the circle Of a roaring flame Then
the fire slackened and the wri hing body
came back in full view, but already tho
groans had ceased and the only ev d nee
Of life was in the contortions 4 the
muscles Of the limbs. For hfte n minutes
the body burned and in half hour from
the minute Of the application 4 Inc
match only the charred bones Re lert
as a remainder Of the negro's crime ana
his fate. The crowd dispersed I'm an
orderly manner, and tonight the city 10