The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1905-12-13
saArs. Rogers Dies on the Gallows
for Her Crime.
MURDERED HUSBAND.
Whom She ChloreIormed at Meeting in
the Woods While She Was caress.
ing Him. Great Efforts Wer.
Made to Save the Woman.
But They Failed.

Made to Save the Woman.
But They Failed.
"a, dispatch from Windsor, VI, says
Mrs. Mary Rogers was hanged at the
Vermont State prison at 1:13 o'clock
Friday afternoon for the murder OF
her husband, Marcus Rogers at Ben.
nington, on August 13, 1902. Mrs.
Rogers was pronounced dead by the
prison officials at 1:27 IL.
The execution took place after the
woman had twice been reprleved on
account of appeals made by her coun
sci and after the Q nited States Su.
prsme Court refused to take action IN
the case.
Only comparatively few persons
witnessed the hanging, the number
being restricted to those Permitted to
attend by the laws Of Vermont.
Mrs. Rogers maintained her COM
posure to the last and m ounted the
gallows with steady step. Although
8 desthly pallor oVerspread her coun-
tenance, hardly muscle Qlivered as
Deputy Sheriff Shsfford pronounced
the fatal words, Il nov proceed to
execute the sentence Of the law and
may God have mercy on your soul. |"
When the words were pronounced
Deputy Sheriff Angus McAuley sprung
the trap and the drop fell.
The crime for which Mrs. Mary
Rogers was sentenced to death wss
the murder Of her husband, Marcus
Rogers, at Bennington, on August 13,
1902. At the time the crime was com
mltted Mrs. Rogers was only nine.
teen. She had been separated from
her husband tor some time and was
desirous Of marrying 8 young man
named Maurice Knapp.
Oa the day OF the murder Marcus
Rogers went to Bennington to visit
his wife and that night she arranged
to meet him in the woods near the
Walloomsack river. While csressing
him she induced him to allow her t.
bind his hands, and while he was pow
,erlesS she chloroformed him. In this
<she vas aided by Leon Psrham, q
hslfwltted boy who was the son OF
. the woman with whom she boarded.
Another woman, EStella Bates, was
present.
A few days after the murder Mrs.
Rogers, Psrham and the Bates woman
were arrested. Perham made com.
plste confession and both he and Mrs.
Rogers were found guilty Of murder
in the first degree. Psrhsm was sen
fenced to imprisonment for life and
Mrs. Rogers was sentenced to the
death gallo1S.
Various attempts were made to
commute Mrs. Rogers sentence but all
failed. The date set for the execution
was February 3, 1905. Gov. Bell grant.
ed two reprleves for the presentation
of new evidence, but the court denied
the petition for q new trial each time,
;;and the United States Supreme Court
refused to consider the case.
Certain disclosures regarding scan
edals in the Vermont State prison at
Windsor, where Mrs. Rogers has been
confined, have, it Is claimed, affected
public sentiment. According to testi
mony before the prison Investigation
of the Legislature one OF
the convlcts at Windsor had access
TO Mrs. Rogers cell some time after
the first reprieve was granted. It was
alleged that this was part OF a con-
4spiracy on the part Of certain prison
ofioials to bring about such q condi.
tion as would further postpone the e1.
.cIltion.
Mrs. Rogers was the first person
sentenced to death In Vermont with
in the past thirteen wears who was re-
fused clemency. The last woman to be
executed was Mrs. Emeline Mssker,
at Windsor, on March 30, 1888.
Ga the march to the gsllows Mrs.
Rogers declined the assistance OF dep
uties. Her step was hrm. She mount
ed the scat I'D unaided and stopped
exactly upon the center Of the trap.
iSae sat down in the chair for q mo
ment and, wh6l asked If she had any
final stntemsnt to make she shook her
head negatively.
Mrs. Rogers body has been claimed
by her mother and sister, and will be
hurled by them at Hocsick Falls, N.
Y, where the mother, Mrs. Josie Cal
lahan, resides.
y