The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-08-28
THE VERMONT STATE PRISON.
Investigation Continued, But Without
Sensational Disclosures.

Sensational Disclosures
Bellows Falls, August 2s.-The inves-
tigation Of the state prison was resumed
Saturday morning. The first witness
was John M. Woodfn Of Rutland, who
has been a director of the prison since
1901. He testified that he thought Mr.
Cakes was careful and conservative
buyer and considered him good super
intendent His only criticism was that
he considered him conservative and not
quite ready enough to adopt modern
ideas and methods. ". S. Lowell, the
present superintendent Of the prison,
stated that a prisoner named Clark,
who had yet five years to serve, and who
was suffering from an obnoxious disease,
escaped from the prison last May. He
escaped while in custody Of the war
den and while papering and painting in
the warden's house outside the prison
walls. Every effort was made to cap
ture the prisoner, but without success.
a body was found soon after in the
woods back Of Ludlow Village, and it
was thought to be that Of the prisoner.
The next witness was II. II. Peck,
high sheriff Of Windsor county. He stat
ed that the first intimation that he
had that Anna Batchelder wanted to
interview Mary Rogers for a Boston
paper was on the morning of June i,
after she had reached Windsor. He re-
eeiyed a letter a day afterward, written
by Miss Batehelder, asking for an in
teryiew On the night before he had
heard nobody telephone and he never
| had himself talked with her over the
| telephone about this matter or about
/ any other matter, as Others had testi-
/ fed While he suspected that she was
present as reporter, he had no know
1 ledge Of the fact until he reached Mary
Rogers cell. AS Miss Batchelder passed
/ Mrs. Rogers she said to her, Il am a
reporter" Mrs. Rogers remarked; II
/ have no love or respect for reporters.
As this was the day before the one
set for Mrs. Rogers execution, Miss
Batehelder told her that she had been
granted a reprieve This was the first
that Mrs. Rogers knew that a reprieve
had been granted. The official notice
Of the reprieve was received that after
noon Mr. Peck did not object to the
interview in Mrs. Rogers cell, nor did
Superintendent Lowell Mr.. Peck
| thought Mr., Lowell did not know she
4 was d reporter until after she was in
| the prisoners cell Sheriff Peck stated
that he did not leave the state last
week SO as to avoid being summoned
to the hearing.
Superintendent Lowell was again call
ed To the stand and admitted that Mrs
Rogers was IN his custody until deliv-
cred into the hands of the sheriff fol
execution, and that he could have pre-
vented Miss Batchelder's interview. and
would have done SO had ii done beei foi
the fact that she was a sister Of The
state attorney and friend OF Sheriff
Peck. He said that Mr. Peck did talk
over the telephone with Anna Bachelor
regarding the interview with Mrs. Rog
ers. and that Sheriff Peck, on the day
before the interview, pulled letter from
Anna Bachelor out Of his pocket ant
said that she wanted to interview Mrs
Rogers. The investigation adjourned al
noon and the next session win be helC
at Young's hotel in Boston at a. m
/ on Friday, September ].