The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-12-08
GOV. BELL REFUSED
TO INTERFERE IN
THE ROGERS CASE

though the vote on the bill IN the senate
was never made public, II is known that
the ratio opposed 10 its passage was
q bout TO l.
DATE EOR EXECUTION SET.
The date set for the execution was Feb
ruary 3. 1875. ON February ., after Mrs
Rogers had received the last rites OF the
Roman Catholic church, Governor Charles
j. Bell granted her a reprieve until June
2 I'm order that the claim OF her attorneys
to newly discovered evidence might be
aired before the Vermont supreme court
i'm AN attempt 10 secure for the woman a
new trial. The day previous 10 the day the
reprleve was granted the sheriff of Wind
sor county. Henry II. Peck. 10 whom fell
the task OF executing Mrs. Rogers went 10
Montpelier accompanied by his deputies,
and petitoned Governor Bell TO grant a
reprieve
ON May IL last the fun bench OF the
Vermont supreme court heard the evi-
dcnce on which the petition for a new
trial was based and a little more than a
week later denied the petition.
on June a second reprieve by Govern
or Bell removed the doomed woman from
under the shadow OF the scaffold. This re-
prieve Was granted in order that the
United States supreme court might pass
upon the constitutionality and legality Of
the proceedings governing Mrs. Rogers
sentence
The United States supreme court was
then petitioned for a writ OF error In order
that the case might go before the highest
tribunal but this was denied. On June 10
habeas corpus proceedings were institu-
ted. Further legal activity on the part OF
the condemned wcman's attorneys result
ed in the case being carried before the
supreme court OF the United states on an
appeal from the rulings Of the Vermont
court. On November o. last the United
States supreme court refused 10 stay the
sentence ot the Vermont court
LAST HOPE VANISHED.
with the decision OF the highest court
in the land. Mrs. Rogers last hope for
life vanished. as Gov Bell announced that
ne would not interfere with the sentence
OF the court.
Mrs nosrrs was tho daughter Of Mrs.
Josie Callahan of Hoosic Falls. y. Y.
Certain disclosures regarding scandals
in the Vermont state prison at Windsor
whore Mrs Rogers had been confined,
have. IL Is claimed, affected public senu-
ment According 10 testimony before the
prison investigation committee OF The leg
islature. one Of the conyicts at Windsor
had access 10 Mrs. Rogers cell some time
after the first repreve was granted by
Gov. Bell II was alleged that this was
part OF \ conspiracy on the part or Ger
tain prison officials 70 bring about such
a condition as would further postpone the
execution.
MIS-. Rogers is the nlst person SeUNenCtu
to death I'm Vermont within the past IL
years. who was refused Clemency. The
last murderer executed I'm the state was
Sylvester Bell. who was hanged In 1922
for wife murder. The last woman 10 be
executed was Mrs. Emeine Meeker, who
paid the death penalty at Windsor OH
March 81. 1888 In Vermont all executions
are held at the state prison. and by pc
cularity OF the Vermont law the duty OF
hanging condemned murderers devolves
upon the sheriff OF Windsor county. re-
gardless OF the section OF the state in
which the crime was committed.