The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-10-31
Official Investigation Of State
Prison at Windsor Is Bring
ing Up Rotten State
of Affairs
YOUNG GIRL EN-
PL0YEE WAS RUINED
Mrs. Rogers Had Immoral Relations
With L. E. Peasley, An Employee,
According to Testimony Present
ed at Yesterdays Session.

Bellows Falls, Oct. ST. Shocking in
stances Of immortality at the state prison
are being brought out at the hearings
being held by the special investigation
commission. Sensational testimony was
introduced late yesterday afternoon.
"Reprehensible State of Affairs.
Attorney General Fits said: "There
has developed in the investigation of
the prison some wrong doing on the part
of the officers and employees of the prison
showing lack OF discipline and repre-
hensible state Of affairs. / refer to the
Burr Kimball case which has been
touched upon before in the investigation
but had been deferred until all parties
interested should be present. The case
is one Of great deiicacy and involves the
character Of several different persons.
Burr and Peasley have been notified that
testimony derrogatory to them was ike
" to be made public today but they
have not appeared nor are they repre-
sented
Miss Gertrude Kimball was sworn in.
Miss KimbaIl state that her age was is
years, that she had been assistant ma
tron since May, 1904, her aunt, Miss
Durkee, being matron. Her duties were
table work and she also had charge Of
the female prisoners, locking them in
their cells. This responsibility she had
during her entire term of service, which
expired only October 10, about ten days
ago. Miss Kimball's room was the Sc
cond floor of the guard room. On the
first floor was her aunt's room and sew
eral Of the guards rooms.
Miss Kimball stated that she did not
know Mr.. Burr until she went to the
prison.
Attorney Fits: aDid Mr.. Burr be-
come familiar with you after You went
there3"
.TEe did,
did il continue while you were
thereg''
ut did,
Had it continued to the point Of Grim
inal intercourse n
sIt did,
"Was il frequently repeated while he
was there
1T was"
did you see him daiIy2g
Yes sir"
aDid lie tell you he would look out
for you if anything happeneds'
"Yes.n
eDid you know Of such things before
you went thereg"
No sill"
eDid you confde to any Of the prison
women2v
@0nly to Mrs. Rogers since she came
down stairs this last time"
Attorney Fits brought out the fact
that Mrs. Rogers had considerable in
fuence with her which she could not re-
sist, and had way Of "worming things
out Of herr
Miss kimbaII admitted that she knew
that Mrs. Rogers had correspondence
with r.. E. Peasley, Burr's roommate,
and had seen some Of the letters and in
dicated improper relations. Peasley was
d married man as well as Burr Miss
kimbail said she had picked up letter
written on tissue paper which she show
ed 10 her aunt. The witness said Mrs
Rogers influence had nothing to do with
her relations with Burr She said they
exchanged condolences and Mrs. Rogers
told her what had occurred in the west
said she never told Burr of Rogers Peas
ley correspondence. She said Craven
told her of the Vernon Rogers affair and
evidently knew Of if when it was going
on Attorney Fits brought out the
point that it was certainly imprundent
for 80 young d girl to have charge Of
hardened criminals.
Miss Anna Lindstart, who testified at
a previous meeting, was again called on
the Burr Kimball case. She said she
had seen them kiss Mrs. Burr had call
ed her in from the street and asked her
If she had ever seen anything improper
between her husband and Gertrude kim
ball, and she told what she had seen,
and that they were very friendly and
the day Mr.. Oakes discharged Miss Lind.
start she told him of the stories about
Miss Kimball and Burr, but Mr.. Oakes
said they were not true. She was asked
if she thought Mr.. Harpin knew of
these stories or about Mrs. Rogers and
Peasley, she said she did not knw but
that Mr.. Harpin had nothing to Do with
the female prisoners
Horace Boyd took the stand He said
Burr neglected his duties 10 be with
Miss Kimball, that Burr told him he
got her into trouble and it cost him sf00
to get her out Of il. He never toll Har-
pin or Oakes of the affair.
The first witness was Zina II Albee,