Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-11
THE ROGERS TRIAL.
Sensational Trial at Bennington, W.
Jury Procured-The Evidence.

Bennington, VT, Dec. 1O.-The trial
of one OF the most dramatic cases that
ever occupied the attention OF the
| courts Of this state was begun here,
Thursday. before Judge Wilson, when
| Mrs. Mary M. Rogers was brought be-
fore the Bennington county court.
charged with murder. The victim OF
| the tragedy was Marcus M. Rogers
and his wife, the government alleges,
was the principal in the crime. Two
other persons, Levi Perham, by whom
Mrs. Rogers was employed, and Stella
Bates, arc in the county jail, charged
with completely in the crime. It is said
that their cases will be brought before
the court at the conclusion of the Ro-
gers trial.
Love for another man is believed to
be the reason which led Mrs. Rogers to
take her husbands life.
Twenty witnesses have been sum-
omned from Bennington, Pownall,
Shaftesbury and Hoosic. 1t is thought
probable also that one or more of the
| defendants will go on the witness stand
and the trial is expected to be pro-
tracted one.
In a confession before the coroner's
jury, which he has since branded as
false, Perham said that Rogers, who
was not living with his wife, was lured
to the banks of the Walcomsac river
by the woman, on the pretext that she
wished to effect reconciliation with
him, and while she held him in the
embraced of feigned affection, Perham
and the Bates woman, bound him, ad-
ministered chloroforan and then cast
him into the river.
Both women made a complete denial
Of any knowledge of the affair. The
entire forenoon session, Thursday, was
taken up in selecting jury, AZ tales
men being examined before IL tales
men, satisfactory to the government
and defence were found.
After the unexpected delay of
Wednesday, in the choosing of jury
in the case of Mrs. Mary H. Rogers,
charged with the murder of her hus-
band, Marcus M. Rogers, the panel
| finally was completed soon after court
opened, Thursday.
When the warrant charging Mrs.
Rogers was read by the clerk she en-
tered plea of not guilty, and 0. M.
Barber, assistant state attarney, began
the opening argument for the State.
Mr. Barber outlined the government
case and concluded by saying that the
Stae proposed to prove that Mrs. Rog-
ers had taken her husbands life with
the expectation of securing the $500
insurance on his life and in hope of
later contracting marriage with a
Bennington young man, whom he did
not name.
Testimony tending to privet the gov
ernment's contention that Rogers was
murdered occupied the remainder of
the forenoon session. Several Witness
es told of finding the body in the river
and of seeing the dead mans hat, on
| which a note was pinned, lying nearby.
Deputy Sheriff John Nash, who made
an examination of the body and cloth
ing after it was removed from the
water, told Of finding watch and a
wallet containing a sum of money in
one of the pockets.
The state presented as the next witness
Levi Perham, a youth of 10, who related
how for the unrequited love of Mrs. Mary
Fl. Rogers he aided the woman to murder
her husband. to the end that with the
500 insurance obtained on his life she
might furnish a home for the man she
loved According to the witness the hus-
band was lured, late at night to Il river
bank, where he was to meet his wife,
from whom he had become estranged, for
the purpose of reconciliation. The pre-
tended reconciliation was affected. and
then, in a burst of well feigned and play
FIJI! affection. the. woman proposed that
they do tricks with a rope. The husband.
happy in the friendly relations they had
enthusiasm. After a 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 differently. She bound his arms,
but he easily released himself. Again she
bound him. but again he loosed his fet-
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 4 handkerchief and
bottle of chloroform. Saturating the
handkerchief. she placed it over her hus
bands face and in three minutes he was
dead. Pehram threw the body into the
which mad fallen to the ground. and
pinned note on it which she said would
make people think he had committed sui
eide. Then, hand in hand, the murderers
returned to their home.
While Perham's story was told with APP
parent Indifference as to the consequences
to himself, all of the facts were not
brought out without much questioning.
The state finished with him during the
afternoon, and he was under cross exam
nation when court adjourned for the day.
In the cross-eXamnation he contradicted
his direct testimony in several details.
but his narrative was not materially
shaken.
Other witnesses told of the finding of
Rogers body and of the hat with the
note pinned upon it.