Perth Amboy evening news., 1903-12-11
KILLING OF ROGERS.
Levi Perham, Alleged Accom-
plice, Testifes OF the Murder.
CHLOROFORlNEDAyD THROWyIN RIVER
Witness Told How Doomed Man Was
Lured 10 His Death on Pretext
OF "a Wish For Rcconciiia-
tiGn by Ills Wife.

BENNINGTON. VT. Dee, l1.-With
II dull and ~listless air, as though the
telling little concerned him. Levi Per-
ham. II youth of nineteen, related in the
cougty court here how for unrequited
love of Mrs. Mary ii. Rogers he aided
the woman 10 murder her husband, TO
the end that with the $500 insurance
obtained Oh his life she might furnish
Il home for the man she loved.
g., Pcrham was Il witness called by the
state in the trial of Mrs. Rogers, clarg-
ed with the murder of her husband,
Marcus NJ. Rogers. For completely in
the crime the witness and Miss Stella
Bates are under Indictment. Interest
in the proceedings cCntercd upon the
testimony of PcrhAm, who admitted
an infatuatiOn for Mrs. Rogers thai led
him To become the willing tool Of the
woman, who. actuated by her o for
another, cncompasSed the death of her
husband with almost incSedible cum
ming and Il playful manifestation of
wifely affection :llat threw her victim
entirely off his guard.
According to the witness. the hus-
band was lurcd late at night to Il liver
bank, where he was to meet his wife,
from whom he had become cStranged,
for the purpose Of reconciliation. The
pretended cancellation vas ELECTED, and
then in IA burst of well feigned, playful
affection the woma proposed that they
do tricks with Il rope which she brought
with her. The husband, happy in the
friendly relations re-establisled, joined
IN the sport with enthusiasm. After a
little Mrs. Rogers wanted TO see how
strong her husband was. She thought
she could tic him SO that b. could not
release himself. He thought different
ly. She bound his arms, but he easily
released himself. Again she bound him,
but he again lo0sed his cords.
Mrs, Rogers suggested that Perham
try his hand, and he bound Rogers.
Again Rogers indicated his strength by
breaking loose. Then Pcrham bound
him again. and this time securely.
From her pocket Mrs. Rogers quickly
drew a handkerchief and a bottle of
chloroform. Saturating the handker-
chief, she placed ii over her husbands
face. and in three minutes he was dead.
Perlam testified that the only eXcla-
nation Mr.. Rogers made when his wife
cllOrcformed him was to cry stop
He said this once. Mrs. Rogers picked
up her husbands hat, which had fallen
on the ground, and pinned Il note OIL it,
which, she said. would make people
think he had committed suicide. On
the paper she had written, Il am going
10 drown myself, and nobody else Is to
blame for my DEATH" and signed her
husbands name. Pcrhum then throw
the body into the river. and, hand in
hand. the two returned to their home.
While Terham's story was told with
apparent indifference as to the conSe-
quenccs to himself. all of the facts We're
not brought out without much question
ing. but his narrative was not material
ly shaken. Mrs. Rogers had entered Il
plea of not guilty. Besides Perham,
other witnesses told of the finding of
Rogers body and of the dead mans
hat with Il note pinned upon it. Dppu-
ty Sheriff John Nash. who examined
the body. told of its condition and of
finding a watch and Il wallet and a
sull Of money in one of the pockets.