Bennington banner and reformer. (Bennington, Vt.) 1903-19??, 1903-12-24
Leon Psrh.m pleads Guilty and Sasila Bates
Goes Free.

MIS- 1OOSSfS wall Ue aeu16tho6u WhVu
court reassem5les next Tuesday morn
ing.
Gentlemen OF the jury" saidCoun-
tys Clerk Cushmsn, what have you for
a verdict"
Oscar r.. Chase of ReadsbOro, fore
man of the jury, drew paper from his
pocket and read
equity Of muuder in the first de-
gree.
MRs Rogers, on whose face had hseu
a trace of a smile when the jury was
told to stand up, resumed her normal
expression of brutal don't care and
after hesitating a momsnt, sat dONn.
After moments consultation with
the opposing attorney, Judge Watson
announced, "PrOoeedipgs in this case
will be suspended until next Tuesday
morning AT that time sentence will
be imposed.
Sheriff Wilson led the convicted
murderess. from the court room and
.Gudge Watson calmly called the next
ease.
The foregoing was the final scene,
except the sentence ia fhe trial ofMrs
Mabel NJ. Rogers for she murder OF
hes husband, August II, 1892.
The jury got the case Monday at
Cookbook after trial lasting almost
entirely two weeks. After supper the
jurors proceedad to an informal ballot
which resulted unanimously in Favor
OF a verdict of murder in the iEst de-
gree. The formal ballot this mOpSing
was the same and the fate OF Mrs iRog-
,ers was sealed.
The e0prt room Nas well flied when
.court opened this morning bnt the
crowd was nothing what it had been
during the trial.
From the ;promptness with which a.
vegdict was reached, everybody knew
THAI it was conviction, the only CUES
tion being whsther it was first or sec
ond degree.
The jurors we're in their seats before
9 o'clock and Judge Watson came ia
Just on the hour, followed moment
later by Sheriff Wilson and the pris-
oner.
She had already been informed Of
the verdict but shewslked steadily and
met the gaze of the crowd without
Aiuching and had the point at issue
been less vital it would have appeared
as though she enjoyed the sensation
she was creating.
There was hush in the room as
County Clerk Cnshman ordered the
jury to stand up and the roll was
called. Mrs Rogers was thee ordered !
to stand and received the verdict
While sentence is deferred until next |
Tuesday, there is no question what the
sentence will be, as the law allows no
discretion in the matter, the verdict of |
in the first degree, requiring a |
sentence of death by hanging.
The date set for the carrying out Of /
this sentence. however, must be set not |
earlier than December, 1904, as the |
law provides that a session OF the leg
islature must intervene between SEN
tencs and execution,
The reason for this IS the peculiar
provision of Vermont law, giving the
the right TO commute a SEN
tence Of death to Imprisonment for
life. In other states this power rests
with the governor
1t is an interesting fact that for Is
years the Legislature has not allowed
a convicted murderer to be hanged;
every one of the seven or eight SEN
fenced, having been committed.
The last execution for murder in
his state was that of Sylvester Bell of
Fairfax who was hanged Jan. /, 1891, |
ior the murder of his wife.
The last woman to be hanged in this
state was Mrs Mesker OF Waterbury,
about II years ago.
Since the beginning of the trial, Mrs
Rogers, whatever her appearance in
,oNrt, has joked and laughed and sang
rs soon as she reached her quarters
n the jail.
Her mother, who sat beside her dur
ng the arguments and charge Monday
.hernoon, was not present this morn
ng.
1t is said that the jury are somewhat
bitter toward Morris Knapp and that
t might go hard with him, we're he to
appear before them.
When the foreman announced the
verdict, an attempt at applause in The
back of the room was promptly sup
pressed.
This is the only verdict for murder
n the first degree that has been given
n this county since the conviction of
elliot Fuller, twenty-five wears ago.