The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-08

left. Rogers. in spite of her life of
shame had OftentiII6s sent word. to his
wife to come to him and he would for
give and forget the past His strong
love for her and his Willingness to for
give were his undoing. She entered
into a conspiracy with Perham, who
was her willing tool, being led to be-
lieve that she would marry him.
Rogers Was Powerful.
Rogers was a powerful man and his
end had to be accomplished by cunning
and deceit. She wrote that she was
ready to come back: wanted to come
back and would he forgive her. Leon
Ferham turned states evidence and on
the stand he gave testimony. a recital
ssasia as shas rarely bsen21aeaEa g the
According to- .Perham Mrs. Rogers
had written to her husband, from
whom she was. estranged, asking him
TO meet her at $3.50 at night.
After the meeting and pretended
reconciliation Leon led the way into
Morgan's grove, and by winding
path to the river. A great stone wall
separated the grove from the river
bank. The distance from the wall to
the bank was less than half a dozen
feet.
May and I walked along with
Rogers until We came to a break in
the WALL said Leon. .She went
through and we followed. 1t was cold
and I had on a big overcoat. [ spread
this out on the ground and all three
OF US sat down We were only a few
feet from the edge of the river.
May said she had a new trick with
a rope.
"He laughed. May laughed. too,
and drew out piece of clothes line.
Then she said she'd bet she could tie
me so that I couldn't get loose.
III bet you can't 1 said.
"She tied my hands loosely and
broke away. She tried it again and I
broke away again.
" Try it on him., I said.
I'll bet you can't tie me, said
Rogers.
HE was as strong as an OK May
tied him and tried to tie him tight, but
he just gave a heave and broke away.
She tried it a second time, and he
broke loose without any trouble. She
was getting worried. She tried it a
again 1 saw that she couldn't tie him.
g Let me do it I told her.
81 took the rope-a piece of clothes
line. I said to Rogers
{" 'Kneel down and put your hands
behind you.
He Thought It Was Fun.
s'He thought it was fun and kneeled
down. I tied his hands behind him
and he struggled but could not get
loose. His back was towards May
4 gave her a signal and she drew
the vial of chlorOform and the hand
kerehief from her bosom. She poured
a few drops on her handkerchief-not
very much=and put her arms around
his neck. Suddenly she drew his head
back in her lap The move threw him
on his hands, which were behind him,
50 he was doubly helpless. Then she
put the handkerchief to his nose. He
suffered Suddenly she empties the
vial on the handkerchief completely
saturating it. He began to struggle.
g May, what does this meant he
asked, heaving his body What does
Jump on his legs she said.
q jumped on his legs to hold him.
Nav had him gripped around the neck
and pressed the handkerchief against
his nose His struggles were terrible.
He threw me off as if I had been
kitten. He got one hand free and used
it to help himself.
once did the handkerchief get away
from his nose. She had the grip of
tiger. He struggled and flung himself
and her on the ground, and every time
/ came near him a heave Of his legs or
his free arm would throw me off.
while he struggled. his breath was
deeper. Suddenly he became more quiet
and in a moment he was limp. May
pressing the chloFoform- soaked hands
kerchief down over his face. When all
was over she got up.
The body was rolled into the river. A
note was left, purpoTting to have been
written by Rogers, that he had drown-
ed himself Mrs. Rogers unseemly
haste in her efforts to collect the life
insurance and other damning elreuIn-
stances led to her arrest and Indictment
Perharns confessed and was sent to
windsor. prison for life. Mrs. Rogers
was found guilty on December p 1903,
and she was sentenced to be hanged in
the first Friday in last February. She
was thrice reprieved by Governor Bell