Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-08-16
LURED TO DEATH.
Particularly CoId-bIooded Muir
der at Bennington, Vt.
Marcus Rogers Tied lin Fun" Then
ChIoroformed and Drowned.
Wife the instinator and Levi Perhan,
Her Accomplish.

Pennington, VT, Aug 15.-A start
, ling story was brought out today, al
the inquest held before Justice ]. T.
Shurtleff into the death of Marcus
Rogers whose body was found in the
Walloomaac river here, yesterday
when Levi Perham, aged 10, confessed
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
years old, 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 sew
eral months ago and went to work for
his brother at Hoosic Corners, his wife
it is alleged, having since been living
here with another man. Rogers had
his life insured for $500 for his wife's
benefit, and this fact had a most inn
portant bearing upon the husband S
death.
Rogers left Hoosic Falls, last Tues
day, for Bennington and was seen at
different times during the day up to
T. NJ, after which hour he was not
again seen until his body was dis
covered in the river, Thursday morn
ing, lying on it's face about two feet
from the shore. The body was
brought to the bank of the river and
the face was found to be covered with
scratches. while there was a severe
l,o ,;.rt,+
left ear was badly torn and the nose
badly confused.
Rogers was known to have had $23
or S24 in money with him when he
left Hoosic Falls. but when his pock-
cts were examined after being taken
from the river they contained but lit
tie over 81, besides his insurance
papers and Il 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 ex-
listing between him and his wife and
the further fact that she was the only
person who would be financially bene-
fitted by his death, Mrs. Rogers was
placed under surveillance and an in
quest 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, this 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, and to the amazement
of those in attendance, 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. Rog-
ers approached him a few days ago and
offered to give him the amount of the
insurance on her husband (s500) if he
would go to Hoosic 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 influence over him that the
latter consented to lure Rogers to Ben
nington, where n trap had been set for
him.
Rogers, he said, was enticed to Nor
cans Grove, where on the evening of
Tuesday, he met his wife and Levi
Perham. The meeting was apparently
a friendly one and under the impress
sion thar his companions were show
ing him trick with ropes. Rogers al
lowed them to bind him hand and foot.
When in this helpless condition they
chloroformed him and threw him into
the river.
To create the impression that the
man had committed suicide, they wrote
a note to that effect, signed Rogers
name to it and pinned it to his hat
which was hung upon tree near the
place where it was found by the par
ties who discovered the body, Tuesday
morning.
CONTINUED on page %