Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-11
KILLING OF ROGERS.
Levi Perham, Alleged Accom- plice, Testifies of the Murder.
CHLOROFORMEDA THROWNIN RIVER
xyitness Told How Doomed Man Was Aured to Ills Death on Pretext of g wish For ReconcilIn-
 tion by His Wife.

BENNINGTON. Vt, Dec. 11.--With dull and listless air, as though the telling little concerned him, Levi Per ham, youth of nineteen, related in the county court here how for unreQuitgd love of Mrs. Mary H. Rogers he aided the woman to murder her husband, to the end that with the $500 insurance obtained on his life she might furnish q home for the man she loved.
 Perham was witness called by the state in the trial of Mrs. Rogers, charg- ed with the murder of her husband, Marcus NJ. Rogers. For eomplicity in the crime the witness and Miss Stella Bates are under indictment Interest in the proceedings centered upon the testimony of Perham, who admitted an infatuation for Mrs. Rogers that led him to become the willing tool of the woman, who actuated by her love for another, encompassed the death of her husband with almost incredible cum ming and playful manifestation of vifely affection that threw her victim entirely off his guard <
 According to the witness, the hus- band was lured late at night to river bank, where he was to meet his wife, from whom he had become estranged, for the purpose of reconciliation. The pretended equalization was effected, and then in a burst of well feigned, playful < afTection the woman proposed that they do tricks with rope which s.e brought with her. The husband, happy in the friendly relations re-established joined in the sport with entflusiasm After q little Mrs. Rogers wanted to see how strong her husband was. She thought she could tie him so that he could not release himself. He thought different ly. She bound his arms, but lie, easily released himself. Again she bound him, but he again loosed his cords.
 Mrs. Rogers suggested that Perham try his hand. and he bound Rogers. Again Rogers indicated his strength by breaking loose Then Perham bound him again. and this time securely. From her pocket Mrs. Rogers quickly drew a handkerchief and bottle of chloroform. Saturating the handker- chief, she placed it over her husbands face, and in three minutes he.w was dead.
 Perham testified that the only excia- tlt0A MI NVESlS HlduS MllHll HIS gMllE chloroformed him was to cry ''Stop!s He said this once. Mrs. Rogers picked up her husbands hat. which had fallen on the ground, and pinned note on it. which, she said would make people think he had committed suicide. On the paper she had written, T am going to drown myself, and nobody else is to blame for my death and signed her husbands name. Perham then &.hrew the body into the river, and, hand in hand. the two returned 10 their home.
 While Perham's story was told with apparent indifference as to the conse- quences to himself, all of the facts were not brought out without much question ing, but his narrative was not material ly shaken. Mrs. Rogers had entered plea of not guilty. Besides Perham. other witnesses told of the finding of Rogers body and Of the dead mans hat with note pinned upon it. Depu- ty Sheriff John Nash, who examined the body, told of it's condition and of finding a watch and wallet and q sum of money in one of the pockets.