Waterbury Democrat., 1902-08-16
MURDER MOST FOUL
Heinous Crime at Bennington,
VT, Revealed.
The GUILTY PARTIES UNDER ARREST
Woman and Accomplish Enticed Her
Husband Into Wood, ChIorO-
Gormed Him and Threw the
Body Into the River.

BENNINGTON, VT, Aug. 16.-A
startling story was brought out at the
inquest held before Justice Shurtlen
into the death of Marcus Rogers,
whose body was found in the Wall
1oomsac river here Thursday, when
Levi Perham, aged nineteen, 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,
twenty-four years old; Mrs. Rogers
and Stella Bates were all placed I'M
der arrest as the result of the confess
sion, 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 Hoosick 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 i'm
portant bearing upon the husbands
death.
Rogers left Hoosick Falls last Tues
up to 8 p. m. and not again until his
body was found in the river Thursday
morning.
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 wife 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.
At the inquest held before Justice
Shurtleff eight or nine witnesses gave
testimony as to the relations between
Rogers and his wife, their frequent
quarrels, the movements 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 di-
rectly charged his brother and Mrs.
Rogers with the crime of murder.
In his story Boyd Perham said that
the deed had been under considera-
ton for several weeks. He said Mrs.
Rogers approached him a few days ago
and offered to give him the amount of
the insurance on her husband $500 il
he would go to Hoosick Corners and do
away with him. 81 He refused point
blank to have anything to do with such
an undertaking. HE did, however,
know all that, hadssfnce occurred. Fall,
ing to enlist himain3 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 Benning-
ton, where trap had been set for him.
Rogers, he said, was enticed to Nor
gan's grove, where on the evening Of
Tuesday he met his wife and Levi
Perharn The meeting was apparently
a friendly one, and under the impress
sion, that his companions were show
ing him d trick with ropes Rogers al
lowed them to bird him hand and foot.
When in this helpless condition, they
chlorofornaed him and threw him into
the river.
Perham's story created tremen-
dous sensation, and the excitement was
in nowise modified when Levi Perham
took the stand at the conclusion OF his
brothers recital and confessed that all
that had been revealed against him.
self was true.