The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-12-09


Windsor Vt. Dec. She crime for
which Mrs Mary Mabel Rogers was
sentenced 10 death was the murder Of
her husband. Marcus Rogers, at Ben
uingt0n August is. 1902. At the time
tile crime was committed Mrs. Rogers
was only 10 years old. She had been
separate from her husband for some
time, and was DESTROYS OF marrying a
young man named Maurice Knapp. On
the day of the murder Marcus Rogers
uent 90 Bennington TO visit his wife,
and that night she arranged 10 meet
him in the woods near the WallOOm-
sac river While caressing him she
Induced him 90 allow her to- bind his
hands, and while he was powerless
she chlOnOformed him ia this she
was aided by Leon Perham, a half
witied boy who was the son Of the
woman with whom she bgarsed. An
other woman, Estella Bates, was
present
After chioroforming Rogers, Per
ham and Mrs. Rogers rolled the body
into the river. where il was found the
next day.
In order TO divert suspicion the
woman wrote a note TO which she
signed her husbands name. giving the
Impression that he had committed SUI
eide.
immediately after the murder Mrs.
Rogers endeavored to collect her hus-
ban-s life Insurance. amounting TO
S5oo and also made arrangements TO
purchase furniture Tor the house
where she expected 10 live when she
had married knapp.
IA few DAYS after the murder Mrs
. Rogers, Perham and the Bates woman
LWere arrested. Perham made a com
plete confession. and both he and Mrs.
4 Rogers were found guilty of murder
iu ihc hrsi degree Perham was sen
tcncl t0 Imprisonment for life while
The verde in Mrs. ROgers's case was
death on the galiows Under the Yer
mcni iaw ihe power of Communication
. OF sentence rests with the legislature,
and lhe law also provides that when
a person is sentenced 10 death. a ses-
SION OF the legislature must be leld
+ between the time of sentence and the
date SCI for the execution. At the last
session oI The legislature various al
ffmpts were made 10 commute Mrs.
+ hogers's sentence. but all failed Then
an attempt was made ne pass a Law
aholishing capital punishment in Yer
mont but that also JAILED. An az
tempt 90 secure pardon for The
woman shared the SAME fate. A bin
f was then intro iced providing for the
appointment of state commission 10
examine into the woman's sanity. This
bin passed the house unanimously.
put was defeated IN the state senate.
The date SCI for the execution was
February g. 1905. but Airs. Rogers has
been twice reprleved by Governor
Bell
The United States supreme court
+ vas petitioned twice. but refused 10
stay the sentence of the Vermont
court
certain disclosures regarding scan
+ dals In The state prison az windsor
where Mrs. Rogers has been confined
have, Do Is claimed affected public
sentiment According 30 the testimony
before the prison Investigation com.
mitteo Of the legislature, one OF the
cunrlcts al WINDSOR had access to Mrs
+ hOgers's cell some time after the FIRST
reprieFe was granted BIZ Governor
Bell ID was alleged that this was
lpart 81 q conspiracy on the part of
+ certain prison officials 10 bring abou,
fceh condition as would further
+ postpone the execution.
Mrs. Rogers is the. first person sen.
fenced 90 death in Vermont within the
F past thirteen years who was refused
( oiemency. tn Vermont all executions
F are held 40 the state prison, and by a
peculiarly of the Vermont Law the
DUTY Of hanging condemned murderers
deVolves upon the sheriff of Windsor
4 county. regardless of the section of
the state i'm which the crime was com.
Wrten