The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-02-03
STORY OF THE CRIME.
Deed for Which Mary Rogers Was Condemned
TO Death.

to Death.
The crime for which Mrs Rogers
was condemned was the murder of her
husband, Merritt Marcus Rogers, in a
vacant lot OFF Stafford street in the
village OF Bennington at II O'Clock on
the night OF August II, 1902.
She was then only 10 years OF age
while her husband was 30. Both were
natives OF the town OF Hoosick, n. Y,
where they were married when the
bride was only l6 During their three
years married lie they lived in Benn-
ngton, SALISBURY, Hoosick and Wal.
loomsac never remaining long in one
place. Mrs Rogers maiden name was
Bennett Her father is dead but her
mother still lives in Hoosick
one child was born TO Marcus Rog-
ers aud wife, daughter which was
killed when few weeks old by. fall
from It's mothers arms, she said,
though her husbands relatives charg.
ed at the time aud after her arrest that
she killed the baby by dropping it
head first on the door. The death of
the child occurred while they we're liv-
ing in Salisbury.
Rogers and his wife separated early
in the spring of 1902, He went TO
work for his brother in Hoosick while
Mrs Rogers came to Bennington and
worked as a domestic a part OF the
time but lei disorlerly life and
could not hold a position long. Her
husband visited her occasionally and
pleaded with her to return to Hoosick
and live with him but sue refused.
Wednesday, August Is, Marcus
Rogers hat was found hanging on the
low limb OF tire, st ,nding only a f. W
feet off Stafford street. On it was pin
ned note saying that the owner of
the hat was tired of life and would
drown himself. That same day Mary
Rogers called on Deputy Sheriff Nash
and told him that she feared her hus-
band had drowned himself. She want
ed Mr. Nash to call out the fire depart
ment and make search. She said
her husband had visited her Tuesday
but that they had quarreled and when
he left hehad thrown his life insurance
policy into her lap aud declared he
would drown himself. Neither the
note on the hat nor her statements
were taken seriously.
Thursday morning, however, S. l.
Jewett, who had heard the stories,
started on little search and ;ou No
the body OF Marcus Rogers lying face
downward 10 the Walioomsac river
where the water was about u inche:
deep and only few rods from where
Stafford street crosses the river. There
was no outward sign OF foul play ex
cept one slight bruise on the head ant
the suicide theory was instantly &C
copied Ia fact the body came nes
being bu.ied without further investi
CATION.
A. X. Richie, chairman OF the Ben
nington board of selectmen, howeve
noted that the handwriting OF the not
appeared to be that of woman an,
demanded an autopsy. The autops
showed that the man died from the Ell
fects of an anaesthetic and was dea
when the body was placed inthe water
1t was evident that murder'had bee
; committed and an investigation wa
Immediately commenced.
1t was found that Mrs Rogers had
room with family named Perhau
; living on Grove street, and that he
principal associate was a young VIC
man OF questionable character know
asStella Bates. The two had vsriou
male friends but we're most with MOI
ris Knapp, militia man OF Compan
X, VN G and Leon and Levi Perhan
two young men of the family wher
! Mrs Rogers boarded. Knapp wa
away that week attending the annus
muster at Fort Ethan Allen but th
other four we're arrested and question
ed closely.
Nothing was learned from the VIC
mep and the first clue came from Lev
Perhan who said he knew nothin
about it himself but that the others die
he thought, as Mrs Rogers had ono
approached him and tried to hire hil
to murder her husband. Leon Perhal
was then called into the sweat DO
and aftar hai no nuaationad fva mi mite