Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-08-22
MURDER AT BENNINGTON.
Marcus Rogers Chloroformed by His Wife
Who Wanted His Lite Insurance and Anoth-
err Man.

err Man.
The body of Marcus Rogers of Wal.
loomsac was found in the canal below
Cooper's mill at Bennington Thursday,
1t was lying face down in about siA
inches of water and had severe wound
on the back of the head. Rogers hat
was found hung on a tree, with a note
pinned to it saying the writer was tirec
of life and was about to do what he
had so often threatened 1t was signed
with Rogers name but not in his hand.
writing 1t was written with ink and
was apparently written by a woman.
Suspicion of foul play was aroused by
various circumstances. An inquest ano
autopsy showed that Rogers was not
drowned, but dead before he touched
the water. The stomach, head and
heart were sent to the state laboratory
at Burlington for examination. The
testimony showed that Rogers had a
life insurance of $1,000 payable to his
wife with whom he had not lived for
some time. He was last seen alive
Tuesday evening, August II. talking
with his wife near where his body was
found. He had worked at Hoosick
Falls while she lived in Bennington
in the family of Edmund Perham, who
has two sons. Boyd. -, and Leon, 10.
At the inquest Boyd Perham was sum
moned and testified that Mrs. Rogers
had offered him 500 to kill her hus-
band so that she could marry another
man. He declined. His brother Leon
was then given rigid examination and
finally broke down and told the whole
story as follows; Rogers, though dis
carded by his wife, was still in love
with her and often came to see her
Taking advantage of this his wife made
a date with him to meet her Tuesday
evening, August y, in Morgan's field
beside the stream where the body was
found. Rogers came and there found
his wife Mary, her chum, Stella Bates,
and Leon Perham. Mrs Rogers was
provided with a rope, a bottle of chic
reform and letter already written
saving he had drowned himself She
met her husband with friendlnes, and
after the four had talked for awhile,
she tied Rogers hands under pretense
of showing him a trick with the rope.
She then suddenly pulled the bottle of
chloroform from her pocket. turned
half its contents on her handkerchief,
and held it over his nose and mouth
while Perham seized him by the legs.
Rogers struggled but finally succumbed
to the chloroform. The body was then
rolled face downward into the canal,
the note was arranged as found and the
three murderers went home. Perham
was to receive 800 from the Insurance
money II is believed that he and Stel-
Ia Hataa we're nIanninu In 90 away and
La married. whom tbsv gnt rhn money
Perham in his confession tried To shield
her. claiming Thar the only part s1e
fool, in the affair was 10 buy the chic
rofnrn, far Mrs Racers and that She
d;d not l,now what + was wanted for
Rur otfrars MONDAY found younp man
HaroId Cu,nmirgs Who savsthat A. he
nas go;ng +n his homo ot 70 o,clork
morning he met parbam.
lIrs Rn,tar. and Stella Rates As
Pn[,ars' Tratcb had stn',rad at 10 IA
ahent tba ti,na +Iot :, - ln,,rN.od +ba
hodW of Rn%ar, wa. throu.n into The
rirar II womb oira hem inst abonr
az time ~ aat where thav we're mot
p I , Nondav arcnn,nan;ad The If.
acars 900 nrer the ROME rnvaraI bv The
nnrdarars and thair vict;m givina he
All do+ai1s nf tho rr;na II j. said he
a W. ~ ao fras tbrnU,h bis rnnfas-
81 az N fr Rnaers Is cain ana MAIN.
+ains tbat sba = ;sronent that Par.
nan, i 1.-Two 10 cam nntor;a+v Nor.
rs kna,,,, Tho youn,. MN whom, Mrs
aaIln'antaj ~ ,7arr, IL sba conId
w.. "a - - ,,,shn,,d - nat ;,,,,'I;
7ated some If his INV enyalnnes haar.
n(, her name ware fonnd an tha river
al, naar tba .cano nf tbe n,urdar brt
,,ra a ,rahohI, Jrarnad bv w. a. ,ba
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Iopdar that aitbongb he had been
'no,,nd ,r;th M - tba ,1ast s,,,n
,iar ho mnl,id nat bora ,,.rr;ad bar
MA, "a, N NV, airoin,stannas an5 i,nau.
' 'n - ber das;ans He had fnIlv
io,ida5 ~ t.sboi,a.i bsr far GOOD ~
80 sa ~ - j., uoe,,;oI. I'll.
49,, ,,.bara Sill pn+as bomr,b+ fa,lr
80" af nh1orosar,', =
% eli.u' ,,-ol - D., ,.oou, ia o5
p.t -, . ~. 10
- ne "a Lor i';i,' uoa'iai, Y Y ma.
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we , i'i+' ,,,r;rd, Loh,. T7a, har1 -
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