Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-11-02
Vernon Rogers Says He Got Key
to Mary Rogers's Cell from
Another "Trusty."
QUARREL OYER A LETTER
Sensational Scene between Deputy Kim
iry and Attorney l;nrIght-InVcsti-
EntiOn Postponed until Thurs
day of Next Wcck-SOmc
.On>irts Heard Yesterday.

Windsor Nov. 1.-The prison invcs ga-
ton was continued in the Wardcns office
of the prison this morning before the full
board with Attorncy-Gcncrul Fits and
attorneys representing the various inter-
,sts in attendance. Governor B,ll came
i'll this afternoon and watched the dcvc,-
oplncnts in the various scandals which
nave been unfold,d with Keen interest.
There were several sharp tits among the
opposing counsel and the conflict between
Deputy Sheriff j. IT, kiniry and Attorney
j. &. Enright as to which one had the
letter said tn have been written '" Mrs.
Barrie. wife Of one of the eN-convicts, by
cX-Warden Harpn. which Judge e. ;.
Palmer. of counsel for Mr. Oakos insist
cd should he put in the case and given
fun publicity in the newspapers, was
quite Il sensation. Th, letter was not
produced but an aiiidavit gwen by Mrs.
B,rri. relating tp lhs matter will be put
in al the next meeting of the commissions.
,rs which adjourned to Thursday. No
vcnb,r .. at 9 o'clock a. m. at the prison
in ordcr To give AttorneyGcnoral Fits
chance to prepare his arguments before
Washington next Monday. November 6.
Mr. Enrirht of the counsel for Mr..
lIarpin stated that recently hc had re
coiVod a iettc- from Mrs. Rogers Dictated
to Jane. referring IS he supposed to Miss
:. Jana Dur!,cc, the matron. whic! had
teen left under his door relating to her
confession and H. said that the testimony
II Mrs. Rogers should he taken in view
Of the accusation against Harold 1ar-
pin but this was not done.
The first witness was NerrCn Rogers.
tho "trnsty' convict who hal visited
Ms. Mary NJ. Rogers in her cell. lie
testified that Mrs. Rogers first called
his attention to hcr by rappns OH the
stcampipcs and asking him if he did not
wish he was in there ard he sad he did.
She told him 10 get the key and come
in and he asked Fred Morse. another
''trusty' prisoner To get him k, Y. He
finally got a key mad" e fiat bln,liron.
opened the outer door and Mrs. Rogers
opened the inner door with a pair of
scissors rs has already been testified TO-
He visited her four OF five times. the lust
ttre the morning she was taken htci> up
stairs. None of the officers made nnX
suggestion as 20 his going into her cc.l.
although Jacobs and Eill Britton, en-
ployes. jokingly told him. he said. tndt
;he old locks were rot much GOO Il in that
part ofithc prison. II" said that Harold
lIarpn had ncvrr said ANYTHING about
his cnilli, in t. see tine Rogers woman.
Tie WIS friendly with Votug iIarpin. help
ing the latter on two or three occasions
to cut out coupons in Il voting contest
which Harpin was Interested in. il,
learned from Mrs. Rogers aboiit Otner
scandals in the prison. especially Tie On.
ti'nt Nh craven VAS involved in. He said
that he did not know If any one else
toinC into Mrs RogcrSe coll except the
prison officials
Rogers said he had to caution Mrs Rog-
crs not to make too much noise rapping
ior tho officers would hear it, once he
tol1 her that Craven was aro,nd and
We uld hear it and she said she did not
care about him.
EXPERIMENT WITH DOORS.
An experiment was made with the door
" hich Mr.. Rogers went through and it
was demonstrated that when a prisoner
opened it just wide enough To go through
only a few inches was visible from tn .
warden's Office.
Dr. Dean Richmond the next witness
testified that he had been tn prison ply
sican since last April. lie was called to
prescribe FOR T.. w. Oakcs several times
last February and March and advised
him to resign the supcrintenicncy of the
prison because he was nervous and sick
and not ut physically to perform the du-
ties OF the Office.
"A lief he had M
been influenced to testify in the cases
against Sanderson and Mccormick by the
officials holding out any Inducements OF
getting his time shortened. He was SIM
ply advised to tell the truth which he
did
Wesley Leonard, an cx-convict, was re-
called and said that Willctt had told him
Of some talk about his time being short
enod if the latter would testify against
Saidcrson and Mccormick.
THE ESCAPE or CLARK.
Miss Flora Amden was called ana said
that she lived next to the wardcn's resi-
dcncc and knew when the prisoner
Clark, got away. She said that he was
left alone for one hour and a half or two
hours before he went over the bank and
disappeared.
Frank II Clark said he corresponded
| for several newspapers and told of the
offer of s5o to Harold Ilarpn, also to his
| father for the name of the signature t.
the "pois1n letter" so-called, which was
sent to Harold Harpin before Mrs. Rogers
Was to have been executed last February
The offer was not accepted.
MORE ABOUT MISS PARKER.
WallGce A. Hutchinson. oX-bookkeepol
| at the prison, was recalled. lie said thai
Miss Parker was not friendly with MIR
Harpin shortly after she came to WORK
| at the prison but that she and John
Oakes were quito attentive 10 cacl other
Charles Batchclder, States attorney fol
| Windsor county. testified that he in
Vestigatcd the criminal cases against tho
old guards. Sanierson ana Mccormick
for furnishing articles to the prisoner,
in the regular course of business ant
was not influenced by his position MS at
torney fer Miss Kimball IN the Barr case
William q. Eritton, VINO has been con
nectcd with tho prison since isei OFF AN,