The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-12-09
SATIQBAL STORY
FOLLOWS HANGING OF
MRS. MARY ROGERS
Rope Stretched So Much That The w, mans Feet
Rested on The Floor And Her Body Had To
Be Held Up BY The Deputy sheriffs
NEWS WAS AT FIRST SUPPRESSED

WINDSOR. Vermont Dec. 9.-The
news that the hanging Of Mary Rogers,
Friday, for the murder Of her husband,
Marcus Rogers, had been bungled has
sent thrill of horror through the
State. 1t is learned from eye-wit-
nesses that the rope, with which the
wretched woman was hanged, had
mot been tested when the drop came
the weight of the body stretched the
manila strands SO that the woman's
feet dropped on the floor In this
emergency, stalwart deputy sheriffs
seized the rope, lifted the body clear
of the floor and held on for nearly IA
minutes while the woman slowly
strangled to death.
The prison officials made efforts to
prevent the bungle from becoming
known, and, for a. time, they were
successful. But towards evening
the awful truth became known, through
the States witnesses.
G. A. Mccarthy, of counsel Tor, Mrs
Rogers, wno was present at the exc.
cution, told the nauseating story in
these Words e
when the body Shot down after
the trap had been sprung, the feet Of
the woman struck the chamber floor,
and as the body swung, the feet
dragged on the floor Twas awful to
see. Several deputy shsnfs on the
scaffold leaped forward and seized
the rope and dragged the woman clear
of the floor, and there they held her,
taking turns relieving each other, for
fourteen long minutes, until the wo-
mans life was strangled out of her."
Deputy Sheriff Kiniry, who virtual.
,Iy had charge of the execution, was
not inclined to say much about the
hanging, but what he did say was sig;
nihcent.
"sherifi, why did the deputies take
hold of the roper" He was asked.
'T don't want to say much about it,"
Kiniry replied.
I'VE didn't want the woman's feet
to touch the foor,"
Did you see that her feet we're
dragging?
mo, did not. turned my back
and don't know who the deputies
we're that held on the rope l did not.
1t will be the last hanging in this
State"
Another eye witness tells the story
of the hanging, as follows
"The trap was sprung at 1:14
O'Clock with crash that could be
heard hundred yards from the pris-
on. The body shot down like plum.
met, and snapped back when the rope
became tight. The woman trembled
convulsively and her feet dragged on
the floor. The rope had stretched.
To save the woman from an even
slower and more awful death, the
deputies on the scaffold floor, seized
the rope and pulled the woman from
the floor. The spectators started for
ward at the sight.
"'My God, she will return to con-
sclousness II they do not keep her
clear Of the floor witness was heard
to say
"The deputies pulled hard on the
rope and held hard, for the woman was
heavy, and the strain on them was in.
tense. Minutes passed and the wo-
man still lived. 1t seemed an hour
to witnesses. All the woman's weight
was being held by the deputies, who
worked in relays and shifts in keep
ing the body from touching the floor.
MARY Rogers was being slowly
strangled to death by a rope held by
the agents of the State, and not from
a moose attached to the galows cross.
tree.
Doctor Deane Richmond, the prison
payslcian and Doctor A. W. Daley,
pronounced the woman dead at 1928,
just fourteen minutes after the trap
had been sprung"
Superintendent W. 5. Lowell, of
windsor prison, did not see the hang
ing. Three minutes before the drop
fell, he huTiedly left the prison build
ing and walked to the stable, where
he busted himself with his horses un.
IN the execution was over. Mr.,
Lowell had the confidence Of Mrs.
n ff.dnfiniIsd lSn Elffh pannY u q