The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-12-15
Mrs. Rogers Dies on the Gallows
for Her Crime.
HUSBAND.
Whom She C~hloroiormed at a Meeting In
the Woods While She Was Caress.
Ing Him. Great Efforts Wer.
Maje to Save the Woman.
But They Failed.
But They Failed.

A dispatch from Windsor, VT, says
Mrs. Mary Rogers was hanged at the
Vermont State prison at 1:13 O'Clock
Friday afternoon for tho murder Of
her husband, Marcus Rogers at Ben,
nington, on August 10, 1902. Mrs
Rogers was pronounced dead by the
prison ofloials at 1927 12.
The execution took place after the
woman had twice boon reprieved on
account of appeals made by her coun
sci and after the Unlted States Su.
preme Court refused to take action in
the case.
Only a comparati vely few persons
witnessed the hanging, the n humber
being restricted to those permitted to
attend by the laws Of Vermont.
Mrs. Rogers maintained her COM
posure to the last and mounted the
gallows with a steady step. Although
a deathly pallOr CyorSpread her coun.
tenance, hardly q muscle quivered as
Deputy Sheriff Shi II ,rd pronounced
che fatal words, Il now proceed to
execute the sentence Of the law and
may God have mercy on your soul. {"
When the words were pronounced
Deputy Sheriff Angus McAuley sprung
the trap and the drop fell.
The crime for which Mrs. Mary
Rogers vas sentenced to death vas
the murder Of her hush and, Marcus
Rogers, at Bennington, on August 10,
1902. At the time the crime was com
mltted Mrs. Rogers was only nine.
teen. She had been separated from
her husband for some time and was
desirous OF marrying q young man
named Maurice Knapp.
On the day OF the murder Marcus
Rogers went to Bennington to visit
his wife and that night she arranged
to meet him In the woods near the
WalloOmsack river. While caresslnQ
him she induced him to allow her t.,
bind his hands, and while he was pow
gerless she chloroformed HIM. In this
she was aided by Leon Perham, q
halfwitted by who was the son of
d woman with whom she boarded.
Another woman, Estella Bates, was
present.
A few days after the murder Mrs.
Rogers, Perham and the Bates woman
we're arrested. Perham made g. com
plete confession and both he and Mrs.
Rogers were found guilty Of murder
I n the first degree. Perham was sen
fenced to imprisonment for life and
Mrs. Rogers was sentenced to the
death gallows.
Various attempts were made to
commute Mrs Rogers sentence but ali
failed. The date set for the execution
vas February 3, 1905 Gov. Bell grant.
ed Two reprlevcs for the presentation
OF new evidence, but the court denied
inc petition for a new trial each time,
and the United States Supreme Court
refused to consider the case.
Certain disclosures regarding scan.
dals IN the Vermont State prison at
Windsor, where Mrs. Rogers has been
confined, have, 1t is claimed, affected
public sentiment. According to testi
mopy before the prison investiga alton
committee OF the Legislature one OF
tie %coov,cts at Windsor had access
10 Mrs. Rogers coll some time after
the iirst roprteve was granted. 1t was
alleged that this was part Of o con.
splracy on the part Of certain prison
otlicialS to bring about such q condi
tion as would further postpone the ex.
cutiOn.
MIS-. Rogers was the fist person
sentenced TO death in Vermont with.
In the past thirteen years who was 70.
fused clemency. The last oma to be
executed was Mrs. Emeline Meeker,
at windsor, on March 80, 1883.
o. the march to the gallows Mrs
Rogers declined the assistance Of dep
uties. Her step was firm. She mount.
ed the scan Id unalded and stopped
exactly upon the center Of the trap.
she sat down in the chair for o mo
ment and, when asked If she had any
1nal Stntement to make she shook her
head negatively.
Mrs Rogers body has been claimed
by her mother and sister, and will be
buried by them at Hoosiok Falls, N.
T., where the mother, Mrs. Josie Cal.
lahan, resides.
Where Are The Books.