St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-12-13
MARY ROGERS HUNG.
Executed for Murder Friday Afternoon

Executed Tor Murder Friday Afternoon,
Mary Rogers was hung at the state
prison at Windsor at 1.13 o. m. Friday
and died IA minutes later. The hanging
was under the immediate supervision Of
Deputy Sheriff Spafford and her neck was
broken as soon as the rope frightened.
There were dozen official witnesses to
the execution and about 40 deputies.
guards and attendants ready to act if
their services were needed.
Some of the daily papers had such SEN
sational accounts of the the affair that
the CALIFORNIAN is glad to print state
ment of Horace W. Bailey, now United
States marshal, which first appeared in
the Rutland News, contradicting the al.
eyed sensational features:
II went to the state prison on Tuesday
and remained until after the event in
question. Had only exact facts and oc.
currences been related in all of the daily
papers no statement would seem neces-
sary. For several days prior to the day
of hanging one would be led to believe,
by the sensational reports in some of the
daily papers, sent out from Windsor that
the newspaper reporters were in
oh arge of the state prison, having free
access to The death chamber For these
reports detailed in specific items what
Mrs. Rogers said and did, what she ate
and what she refused to eat, how she
slept and didn't sleep, how she sobbed
and didn't sob. They gave detailed
account of her meeting with her mother
and sister, quoting conversation, etc.
"These were lies made up out OF full
cloth. No reporter had been admitted
since the death watch and no interview
granted by prison official. The pound
ing incident to the erection Of the gal.
lows could not be heard in the death
chamber of Mrs. Rogers and all the de.
tails of preparation were attended to
with great care and detail by High Sher.
if Peck and Supt. Lowell, and carried out
by their deputies.
"On the morning OF the execution three
men, representatives OF Vermont news
papers, were admitted to the prison and
granted every facility to gain correct
information OF the event of the day and
OF the condition OF Mrs. Rogers from the
time of the death watch, Nov. 81. These
newspaper men were to furnish the state
papers with the account, and did so
furnish, and those papers relying on that
account have published plain, concise
statement of facts.
"The report that Supt. Lowell hid in
the barn is untrue. The story of the
hanging being bungling job is likewise
untrue Alter the dropit was discover
ed that the rope had stretched slightly,
so that the toes touched the floor; there
upon the body was lifted by the rope an
inch or two that it might swing clear OF
the floor. Both physicians stated that
the neck was broken by the fall and
death, therefore, was instantaneous and
painless. This event was not considered
ofimportance enough to be sent to the
public by the newspaper men who saw
it all. The time IA minutes, taken for
the cessation OF the heart beating was
not unusual, being at least two minutes
less than was the case with Bell, whose
hanging occurred some years ago. The
body was taken down in the usual way
and laid in the BASKETBALL done as
tenderly and kindly as though the mer
in charge were performing a last sad rite
for friend or neighbour.
1.-THE law was well executed and hope
it will be the last event OF its kinc
witnessed in the state for years to come