Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-12-17
Morris Knapp Tells How Mrs.
Rogers and He Planned
to Marry,
WOMAN DECEIVED HIM
Claimed Her Husband Wns Her Brother
Wrote Him "Perbsm Has Let II
All Out" When Arrrstcd-Stnte
Giving Evidence In the Gar
rettO Murder Trial.

Bennington. Dec, 15.-Apparently as UNI
troubled and unnterested at any time
since the trial began, Mrs. Mary II. Rog
crs appeared in Bennington county court
to-day where she is on trial charged with
the murder OF her husband When court
adjourned last night, the woman was al
most hysterical and was led weeping to
her cell During the evening. however,
She became quleted and after good
nights rest seemed to be in good spirits
to-day.
The chief witness to-day was Morris
Knapp, a former lover of Mrs. Rogers He
was called late this afternoon and his APP
pcarauce caused considerable interest NJ
i was understood he was one of the CHIEF
witnesses for the state and such he proved
to hc. lie is about . years old, a bright
appearing young man and made a very in
tellgent appearance on the stand.
lie testified that he first met Mrs. Rog
ers about two months before the murder
was committed They soon became init
mate friends and he soon went to Per
hams house to board. Mrs, Rogers also
being "A hoarder there. He supposed the
woman was unmarried as she told hin
she was a single woman. Later she claim
ed that her husband was her brother anc
finally claimed to him that her husband
had left her ana married another woman
An attachment developed between him
ana MIS. ktGeIS ana AItN pltlliifu ~ &c
married They talked about furnishing
their house and Mrs. Rogers told him that
her husband had assigned to her the insu
rance on his life of $500, They were to-
gether every evening and took long walks
together She also sent him many love
letters.
knapp was a member of Co X. v y
G.. and at the time of the murder was AT
tending the State encampment at For
Ethan Allen. He returned to Bennington
the day after the murder Mrs. Roger:
met him at the armory and they walked
home together. She told him that he
husband had given her mis- life INSURANCE
papers and told her that he had no desire
to live any longer, intimating TO Knapi
that her husband had committed sulcida
| When Mrs. Rogers was placed under ar
rest she sent witness a note containin,
| these words: My God. Perham has lie
! il all ont. Come quickly and comfort me.
/ The rest Of Knapp'H testimony related Il
! the personal relations between him an'
the respondent.
along the same lines as introduced yester
day for the purpose of identifying The
handwriting of Rogers and his wife. NJ
q Middleton then explained in detail tn
territory surrounding the place where thu
alleged murder was committed. He show
ed the arrangement of electric lights wa
such that the spot on the river bank Il
in deem shadow and not in view of thu
road or bridge which crosses the river
few feet above. Deputy Sheriff John Nasl
and Deputy Sheriff Frederick Godfre'
were under cross-eXamination but nothing
of importance was developed.
other witnesses told that the water il
the river was very low at the time of TIT
murder, making drowning improbable.
! Mrs Rogers appeared bored with IN
tha 4tntp called X