The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-09-02
Testimony by Harold Harpin
in POStOn.
BEFORE COMMISSIONERS.
Harold Harpin Testified Regarding Con
duct of Prisoners and the Vernon
Rcgers-Mary Rogers
Scandal.

Boston, Sept. 2-The investigation
into the affairs Of the Vermont state
prison was resumed here yesterday to
accommodate several witnesses. The
chief one was Harold w. Harpin, son
Of the former warden who it was as
serted at previous hearing had allowed
Vernon Rogers, an inmate, to visit the
cell Of Mary Rogers.
BY far the larger portion Of the time
was spent in securing knowledge Of the
methods employed for guarding Mrs
Mary Rogers, under death sentence for
the murder of her husband. 1t was
shown by Harold Harpin, who was the
first witness, and who was formerly EN-.
lployed as a night guard at the prison,
and later by John Il. Proctor, formerly
guard and later assistant deputy and
Ishopkeeper, that the woman had no
female attendants. Her death watch
during the day was man, and the same
was true Of the night death watch. At
no time did she have female attendant,
witnesses said. Harpin knew very little
Of the woman and said he had never had
any sort of communication with her.
He also said he had never furnished
liquors to Vernon Rogers, one Of the
prisoners who was known as a "trustyD,
and allowed TO 60 about with consider
able freedom to do eTands and attend
to certain duties. Vernon Rogers was
given this privilege because OF good be-
hayior On cross-examination by Judge
| Palmer, Harpin said he had seen GER
tain physician, who is a near relative Of
former Superintendent Cakes, drive up
10 the rear az the prison in his automo-
bile and then saw Cakes 60 out to meet
him carrying five gallon can of what
he believed to be gasolene. Witness sup
posed at the time the visitor filed his
tank from the can.
This proceeding he had watched sew
eral times, he said. Harpin and Proctor
agreed that there was plenty of oppor
tunity for Vernon Rogers to make
false key and enter the cell of Mrs.
Rogers unbeknown to the officers. Hair
pin said when he left he was called into
the superintendent office and paid of,
Just after his father had been discharged.
As it was not a regular pay day he
thought it meant his discharge and so
Nt iHH1t0tdAtlN teil Nltnoul Hdt1NAVu-
ing the superintendent and they had no
talk about the matter.
He left on March Z. He did not I'M
derstand he was dropped for anything
in connection with Mrs. Rogers. Harpin,
in reply to an inquiry by the commits
sioners, said he thought the air in the
corridors Of the prison was very bad,
and the cells were all poorly ventilated.
The cells were infected with insects, he
said. One OF the prisoners developed
symptoms of consumption while in con.
finement, witness testified.
John i. Proctor, former shopkeeper
Of the prison who resigned in March tes-
titled that almost any of the prisoners
were allowed to have files, saws and
other tools in their cells if they were
making anything during the hours when
not at work.
lie told Of hanging up one prisoner by
the wrist because he needed discipline
The prisoner was suspended about 10I
seconds, Proctor said, during which time
he promised never to curse atSupt. Cakes
or Warden Harpin again which was one
OF his offences.