The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-12-05
MARY ROGERS.
A Mysterious Crime Which Has Been Pre-
served by Edgar A. Poe.

The contest over the will Of John
Anderson, the millionaire tobacconist.
has revived interest in the tragic story
of Mary Rogers, whose death caused
such sensation many years ago and
gave Edgar Allen Poe the material for
his story OF THE Mystery of Marie
Roget" The unfortunate girl was en-
ployed by John Anderson in the days
when he kept his little tobacco shop in
Broadway, and, as was revealed by the
testimony of ex-State Senator Nation,
in the trial of the will case. the million
aire was, during the latter days. pos
Bessed of the delusion that he held
almost constant communication with
the spirit of the murdered girl. At the
time of Mary Rogers mysterious death,
suspicion attached to many people OF
being her murderer. Among those
suspected was John Anderson, though
there never was scintilla of evidence
that he was the guilty person.
In the days when Poe was young
man in New York the mother of Mary
Rogers kept boarding house in Mas
sau street. Mary's father had long
been dead, and Mrs. Rogers only for.
tune was her tact and ability to make
both ends meet. Mary was possessed
of a beauty of form and feature that
made her we'll known in the city, and
when John Anderson engaged her SER
vices as saleswoman in his tobacco
store his trade was materially increased.
1t was considered the proper thing for
all young men of fashion to buy their
cigars and tobacco at Anderson's, and
to be on familiar terms with Mary
Rogers. But there was not a breath
of suspicion against the good character
of Mary, and all the town was wild
with surprise when she suddenly disap-
peared from behind John Anderson's
counter, and no one knew what had
become of her. Conjecture had
almost died out when one day the
pretty cigar-seller appeared at her old
place behind the counter, and to all in
quiries answered that she had been on
a visit to an aunt in the country.
Things went along their old way for
awhile. The young bloods with ruflled
shirt-fronts and high coat collars
bought their cigars at Anderson's, and
laughed and talked with Mary. But
the maiden glee and sport of the
beautiful girl seemed all to have left
her since her visit to her aunt in the
country, and she.had preoccupied air
of sadness.
One Sunday she left her mothers
house, saying she was going to call on
a relative who lived in another part Of
the city. There was young man
boarding with her mother at the time,
named PaynS. He was the accepted
sutton of Mary, and when she went out
that Sunday she told him to call for
her at the house of her relative in the
evening. 1t rained that night and he
did not 90, supposing that Mary would
remain at her relatives house over
night, as she had often done before.
The aged Mrs. Rogers seemed to have
a presentiment of what was about to
happen, and said soon after her daugh-
ter left the house: 81 fear / shall never
see Mary again" The next day Mary
did not return, and on inquiry at her
relatives house it was found that she
had not been there. All trace of her
was lost until four days after. when her
body was found floating in the Hudson
near Weehawken. The marks on the
body left no doubt but that she had
been murdered. A great sensation was
caused, and the detectives followed up
every possible clue. In a thicket
on the Jersey shore near where
the body was found were
discovered the gloves, parasol,
and part of the clothing of the muir.
dered girl. 1t appeared at first as il
the thicket had been the scene of a
struggle, but on close inspection it was
decided that the place had been ar.
ranged carefully to give it that appear
ance.
Just before this time mysterious
boats had been seen on the Hudson
One of them was manned by gang Of
roughs who committed all sorts of out
RACES. Anonymous letters were sent tC
one of the daily papers pointing to this
boats crew as the murderers of Mary
Rogers. 1t was also discovered thai
Mary had been in the habit of meeting
secretly man with gray beard, anC
that she had been seen with young
naval officer on several occasions. /
was alleged that she was in company
with this officer when she first disap
peared from Anderson's tobacco shoI
on what she subsequently said was ;
visit to her aunt. After the murder
rudderless boat was picked up on tn,
Hudson near where the murder wa
supposed to have taken place and tskeI
to the barge Office. From there
mysteriously disappeared. Mary Rog
ers was last seen alive on Sunday. d
Monday an empty boat, with the sal
and oars lying in its bottom, was see
floating down the river below Weehaw
ken. The young naval officer &C
counted for his Whereabouts from tn
time Mary left her home until her bod
xpoo found and tho mvqtarv of he