Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-07-21
A VERY SAD CASE.
FRANK ROgers's Attempt at Sui
eide

Help! Murder! Helpl' were the pierre
ing cries which aroused the people of Pros
PeCt NIL Monday morning between 2 and
CiocA' for few moments the cries
ceased only to be renewed again. Nearly
~ people on the hill hastily dressed and
hurried to the Putnam tenement building
Oh prospect street. from whence the noise
came Mr.. Crown, Mr.. Tomb. and Mr.
DIX were the first to reach the house. The
FORMER carried lantern, and the three en-
Tered the tenement occupied by Frank
hogers. Mr.. Hosley, who lives in the
mouse, also came to the room about the
same time. F. ID. Williams and ID. l..
Urlggs were trying to hold Mr.. Rogers, who
| was covered with blood which issued from
wounds in his neck. Mr. Williams and
MI Grlggs were nearly exhausted, and
| when the former saw that help was at hand
he released his grasp on Rogers. who
| quickly sprang to his feet, with the inten
ton, doubtless, of getting his razor. The
men seized him and threw him down. For
a few moments he was quiet, and then sud
denly sprang up again, while four men
were holding him. After another struggle
they again threw him to the floor, and tied
his legs with a rope.
Mr.. Rogers is a carriage trimmer by
trade, and is employed by F. D. Williams.
! Rogers has been addicted to drink for
years, although never seen in drunken
condition and almost none of his acouaint-
ances knew that he was a drinking man,
For the past two weeks Mr. Rogerss father
and mother have been at South Royalton
and his wife at West Randolph During
their absence he has INDUCED excessively
in mtoXicants. Wednesday of last week
he came to Mr. Williams for advice, telling
him that he was badly in debt, and fast be-
coming unable to work through the effects
of drink. He asked Mr.. Williams if the
latter would advise him to take the liquor
cure. Mr.. Williams told him yes, if he
could conquer his appetite in no other way.
Thursday Mr.. Rogers made his appica-
ton to the local managers of the Morrell
cure, and began taking the treatment. Dur
ing that day, he suffered somewhat from
tremens, being very eXcitable while in
Mettes barber shop. DIR. Ketchum says
he treated him for sleeplessness and loss
of appetite, principally, giving him only
the minimum injection of the liquor cure
Rogers was able to work at Mr.. Wlliams's
shop Thursday. He also worked Friday
and Saturday, going three times each day
to Dr. Ketchum for treatment. Saturday he
appeared in much better condition and told
his shopmates that he was improving. How
he spent Saturday night is not known, but
he probably began drinking again. About
3 o'clock Sunday morning he came to Mr..
Williams's boarding place on Elliot street.
He was in a very excited condition. He
told Mr.. Williams that two men of the vii
lage, whom he named, were following him
and trying to break up his home. He
wanted some money and said that he
was going to Hinsdale, thinking that if
he was out of the state he would be all
right Mr.. Williams tried to calm him,
told him that he thought everything would
be right. Mr.. Williams supposed at that
time that Rogers probably had got into
some trouble with the men named. Rogers
finally promised Mr.. Williams that he
would only go across the toll bridge and
wait until Mr.. Williams had seen the men.
Early in the morning Mr. Williams went
to Rogers's tenement 10 see his father and
mother, and for the first time learned that
they were away. He then saw the men to
whom Rogers had referred and they knew
nothing of the story told by Rogers. Mr..
Williams then searched for Rogers on the
New Hampshire side of the river, thinking
he was probably waiting there. Return
ing. Mr., Williams went to the telephone
exchange, and found that Officer Mudgett
of Hinsdale had telephOned to him that
Rogers was at that place. After consulting
with the officers of the MOrrell cure Mr..
Williams tried to telephone to Hinsdale to
have Rogers held, but the telephone office
there was closed He then drove to Hins-
dale. Rogers had not been there since
noon. Rogers arrived in Hinsdale between
1 and ) in the morning; he said that two
men had been chasing him and that he es-
caped them by running. He had breakfast
: at the restaurant in Hinsdale. He was
traced out on the Mortified road to Mr..
r Shattuck's, where he had dinner. Mr.
= Williams searched for Rogers in the vlcln-
ity of South Vernon and Officer Mudgett
= of Hinsdale went to Mortified 10 look toI
: him, but no trace of him could be round
| Mr. Williams finally started to drive home,
and while on his way between South Yer
non and Vernon stations, saw Rogers,
r walking north. Rogers's feet were Bills
: tered and he showed the effects of his hard
/ tramn. This was about 8 o'clock in the
= evening. Mr.. Williams brought Rogers
e here to the home of D. l.. Griggs, the loca
r manager of the liquor cure, where he was
: given some auieting medicine. Later MI
2 Williams and Mr.. Griggs took Rogers tt
r his own home and remained there with
him. Rogers was given medicine once
more during the night. Mr.. Griggs an6
Mr.. Williams say that he was plainly sui
fering from tremens. After O'Clock kog
ers arose, handed Mr.. Williams q ring VIII
: the request that he give it to friend; anC
also passed his money to Williams to b'
given to Mrs. Rogers. He then exclaim
ed "Now am going to kill myself" anC
began feeling in his pockets for his knife
e which. fortunately he laid on stand Il
II the evening when he wrote letter to hi
wife Not finding the knife he began t
k claw at his throat with his thumb nail
/ then rushed to the table and snatched up
fonr-tined silver plated fork. With this h
e. began iabbing his neck. Mr.. William
d and Mr.. Grggs seized him and threw hin
V ~ the floor. Rogers placed the handle o
= The fork on the floor after he was thrown
80 and dropped his neck upon the tines one
\ before The fork could be taken from hin
~ ~ He struggled violently, and after tim
Mr. Williams and Mr.. Griggs saw that the
" would be powerless to hold the madma
and they set up the cries which brough
tbe assistance spoken of above.
Before he was tied Rogers attempted
W ininre himself by whacking his head on IN
aoor lie bled quite profusely from hi
a wounds, Drs Ketchum and Bruce wer
"N IA Mr. HouOhtOn and Nj