Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-08
Crime for Which She Was Ex-
eCuted Was the Murder Of
Her Husband.
GOV. REFUSED TO INTERFERE.
United States Supreme Court
Had Declined to Take Any Ac-
ton in Her Case.
She Mounted the GalIows With
Steady Step, Maintaining Her
Composure Until the Last.


Windsor, VI, Dec. s.--Ars. Mary Ma
bel Rogers WAS hanged al the Vermont
state prison at Windsor at 1913 o'clock
this afternoon for the murder OF her
husband, Marcus Rogers, al Benning-
ton. Aug 10, 1902. Mrs. Rogers was
pronounced dead by the prison officials
at t21h.
The execution took place after the
woman had twice been reprieved on ac-
count Of appeals made IN her case BY
her counsel and after the United States
supreme court had refused to- take ac-
ton IN the case.
only a comparatively few persons
witnessed the hanging, the number be-
ing restricted to those permitted to at
tend by the laws of Vermont.
MRS. ROGERS LAST DAYS.
BY agreement between Gov Bell,
Sheriff Peck and supt Lowell. the fol-
lowing official account Of Mrs, Rogers
last days was given by the prison au-
thorties. and Mrs NJ. II. Loukes, one OF
the death watch:
THE death watch began Nov. IS, when
Mrs, Rogers was placed IN solitary con-
iinement In a cell on the southwest cor
ner OF the woman's department on the
third floor. The death watch consist
ed Of MI and Mrs NJ n. Loukes, of tho
prison stan, who have passed every
hour of the day and night with Mrs.
Rogers. except for an occasional brief
relief by some other prison official. This
room has contained two beds, curtained
off from each other, and here Mrs.
Rogers and her death watch slept night
after night. and here, too. on a small
table they have eaten regularly togeth-
en- The windows overlooking the pris-
on yard are painted so that the inmates
Of the room have absolutely no oppor.
tunity TO see out of IT,
HER ONLY VISITORS.
THE only visitors in the death room
since solitary confinement began have
been Supt Lowell, Warden Palmer, Miss
s. j. Durkee. the matron Rev. w. II.
Haynes, the prison chaplain; Rev, Fa
ther G.. G. Delaney, and Marguerite, the
four year-old daughter of Mr., and Mrs.
Loukes The girl has helped to divert
Mrs. Rogers mind by her childish
pranks. Mrs Rogers has slept well
most of the nights since the death
watch began and her appetite has not
failed her. Last night she did not 30
10 bed without some urging. She re-
tired about II o'clock and slept fairly
we'll until o'clock this morning.
THE LAST ACT,
Mrs. Rogers maintained her compos-
ure 20 the last and mounted the gallows
with steady step. Although dead
ly pallor overspread her countenance,
hardly a muscle quivered as Deputy
Sheriff Spafford pronounced the fatal
words; II now proceed 10 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.
Promptly at 1906 O'Clock, Deputy
Sheriff Stafford, who was In charge OF
the execution, dispatched two OF his
deputies to Mrs. Rogers cell In the cor
trial section OF the state prison, where
the women prisoners are confined. In
the meantime a little group, consisting
Of sheriffs deputies, prison guards.mili-
tary guards, legal witnesses and three
Vermont newspaper representatives
were IN the west wing OF the prison.
where the scaffod had been erected.
IN GOOD SPIRITS
Mrs. Rogers has been in good spirits
an tho time considering Of course.
what must have been passing In he"
mind IN anticipation of the awful hour
OF execution She has conversed win
the death watch, but has talked but
little Of her case except when Supt
Lowell was present She has occupied
her time TO o great extent IN crochet
ing lace for aprons 20 BE- sent to lela-
tives and persons who had sent money
10 her. AT night her crochsting needle
WAS regularly taken away from her.
and given to her the next day, She
has read the Bible and has even COM
mltted some passages TO memory. She
| has written a few letters to relatives
and sympathiZiug persons, She has
never lost hope THAI IN some way
| her life might be spared and even this
morning appeared To retain some faint
| Idea that NJ the last moment might In
| terposo 20 save her
The gallows were erected yesterday
| but every prccaution was taken TO
mufie the sounds Of the hammer and
no lntimation whatever that the work
! was IN progress reached Mrs. Rogers
| cell
Even the death watch did not know
| about u. Mrs. Rogers. however. was
being made ready.
COMMUNION ADMINISTERED.
Yesterday morning Rev. Father c. G.
| Delaney, " the Roman Catholic church
| administered communion to Mrs. Rog.
! ers and gave her spiritual consolation
| In the afternoon Rev VIM. II. Hayes
the prison chaplain, visited her cell ard
read the Scriptures and PRAYED with
| her After he went away Mrs. Rog-
| ers Joined with Mr., and Mrs. Loukes IN
| singing hymns, Mrs Rogers asked
| FOR the visit Of the clergyman and ap-
| peared 20 believe that her sins had
| been forgiven. She had not confessed
| her crime directly and positively nor
| had she explicitly denied g. Indeed
! she has said little about {, lately. She
| said she did not consider Il brave 60
| 20 20 the scaHold and make q confess
| sion and that Il would not do her any
good TO tel what other people had
! done. When she allowed herself 10
| dwell upon the ordeal Of today she Ap-
| peared 10 be making every effort 10 20
| 10 her fate brayely and with frmness.
/ Tho usual talk has been current about
A - q Is.t- a. t.... 4. Ill