Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-08-22

A startling story was brought out FRI
day at the inquest held before Justice
Shurtleff at Bennington, into the death
of Marcus Rogers, whose body was found
in the Walloomsac river at Bennington
Thursday when Levi Perham, Is, con-
fessed that the man had been murdered,
and implicated himself and the wife of
the dead man as the participants in the
crime. Levi Perham, his brother Boyd,
"A, Mrs. Rogers and Miss Stella Bates
were all placed under arrest as the result
of the confession, the Bates woman, it is
alleged, having obtained the chloroform
with which the victim was first rendered
unconscious. Rogers separated from his
wife several months ago and went to
work for his brother at Hoosic Corners,
his wife, it is alleged, having since been
living at Bennington with another man.
Rogers had his life insured for $500 for
his wife's benefit, and this fact had
most important bearing upon the hus-
bands death
Rogers left Hoosic Falls Tuesday morn
ing for Bennington. He was seen up
to p. m, and not again until his body
was found in the river Thursday morn
ing. The body was brought to the bank
of the river, and the face was found to
be covered with scratches, while there
was severe bruise over the right eye
brow. The left ear was badly torn.
Rogers was known to have had S23 or
$24 in money with him when he left
Hoosic Falls, but when his pockets were
examined after being taken from the
river, they contained but little over 81.
besides his insurance papers and a silver
watch
The fact that the lungs were full of air
led to the general belief that the man
had been foully dealt with, and, because
of the unfriendly relations said to have
existed between the dead man and his
W Inn dnf~
surveillance and an inquest was ordered.
a hat was found near the river, pinned
to which was a note purporting to have
been written by Rogers, in which the
writer Said that he had ended his own
life, as there was nothing further to live
for.
The inquest was held Friday afternoon
before Justice Shurtleff at which eight
or nine witnesses gave testimony as to
the relations between Rogers and his
wife, their frequent quarrels, the move
ments of Rogers etc, but the climax
was reached when the Perham brothers.
Levi and Boyd were placed on the stand
Boyd, the elder, was first examined. He
directly charged his brother and Mrs.
Rogers with the crime of murder. In
his story Boyd Perham said that the
deed had been under consideration for
several weeks. He said Mrs Rogers APP
preached him a few days ago and Of
insurance on her husband $500 If he
would go to Hossic Corners and do
away with him. He refused point blank
to have anything to do with such an
undertaking. He did, however. know all
that had since occurred. Failing to
enlist him in her service. Boyd said, that
Mrs. Rogers approached his younger
brother, Levi, and exerted such an in
huence over him that the latter consented
to lure Rogers to Bennington. where a
trap had been set for him. Rogers, he
said, was enticed to Morgan's grove.
where on the evening of Tuesday he met
his wife and Levi Perham. The meet
ing was apparently a friendly one, and
under the impression that his companions
were showing him a trick with ropes.
Rogers allowed them to bind him hand
and foot. When in this helpless con-
dition, they chloroformed him and threw
him into the river. To create the i'm
preston that the man had committed
suicide they wrote note to that effect
to his hat, which was hung upon tree
near the place where 1t was found by the
parties who discovered the body Tues
day morning.
Perham's story created a great sensa-
ton and the excitement was in no wise
modified when Levi Perham took the
stand at the conclusion of his brothers
recital and confessed that all that had
been revealed against himself was true.
There was no need for further witnesses
and the inquest was closed, and the
arrests followed