Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-12-18
EXECUTED FOR THE MURDER
OF HER HUSBAND.
MEETS DEATH BRAVELY
Marches to the GaIloWs Without a
Word and Without a Tremor--
Neck Broken When Trap Is
Sprung-GovernoT Refused to IN
terfere Third Time.

Mrs. Mary Mabel Rogers yesterday
marched to her death on the galloWs
and paid the penalty OF numbering
her husband, Marcus Rogers, az
Bennington, August 10, 1902. To all
appearances Mrs. Rogers was the
/ calmest person in the chamber Of
death. She faced her end with the
same stoicaI Indifference that had
marked her demeanor ever since her
arrest, more than three years ago.
/ The last hour was remarkably free
from narrowing incidents. 1t had
been feared that the woman's won
derful nerve would desert her at the
final moment and that she would be
carried to the scaffold in a state Of
collapse. Instead, however, Mrs.
Rogers met death bravely
There were no sensational Incl
dents in connection with the hanging,
although the woman was not official
ly pronounced dead until IA minutes
and 80 seconds after the trap was
sprung, she evidently suffered no
pain. Her neck was broken at the sec
ond cervical vertebra and she lost
consciousness instantly when the drop
fell. A few feeble convulsive move
ments of the pinioned hands were
the only evidence that vitality had
survived the first shock.
The drop fell at 1:13 and Mrs. Rog
ers was pronounced dead at 1:271a
The womans feet barely touched the
floor for an instant, but deputies on
the platform of the scaffold immedi
ately frightened the rope and raised
the unconscious form a couple of
inches
Up to within three hours OF ner
death the woman consoIed herself
with the hone that she would net be
executed It was shortly after 10 in
the morning when she was informed
that Governor Bell had denied her a
third reprieye. BY 1880 the depu
ties, witnesses, guards and newspaper
men allowed to witness the hanging
were at the 1ail. Soon after 1
o'clock two deputies were dispatched
to Mrs Rogers cell to escort her to
the death chamber. The guards
found Mrs. Rogers receiving spiritua,
consolation from Father Lelaney, her
confessor, who the day before had
administered the sacrament of holy
communion to her.
At 1905 the death march was be-
gun. Down three flights of stairs
from Mrs. Rogers cell the procession
wendell it's way. Through the
guard room and into the west wing
where the gallows had been erected,
J down another flight Of steps, across
a short space of brick floor and the
foot Of the scaffold was reached
Holding her head high Mrs. Rogers
never faltered for an instant as her
eyes rested on the scaff0ld. Unaid-
ed she mounted the steps, walked on
to the trap and seated herself in a
chair. A moment later she arose,
having declined the offer by the au-
(! thorities to make a statement. The
straps and moose were arranged and
the trap was sprung. The rope was
a trife too long and the woman's
toes barely touched the floor beneath
She was beyond suffering, her neck
had been broken at the drop, and she
had instantly lost consciousness.
A little more than IA minutes later
/ the physicians pronounced that all
/ signs of life had vanished and soon
/ placed in q coffin.
At 2:25 D. m. the body was taken
from the prison to the railroad sta
j tion and the coffin was placed on
board train and sent to Hoosic
Falls, N. Y, where Mrs. Rogers moth.
er lives. Interment will be at st.
! Mary's cemetery in that town.
! No one entertained any doubt Of
the prisoners guilt The murder of
her husband was most brutal 1t
was carefully and skillfully effected.
1t was so cold blooded as to be ap-
! palling. The case attracted wide at
tention because of the prisoners sex,
and sentimental people the country
over objected to her execution on the
ground of her sex
/ Marcus Rogers was killed at Pen
nington August IS, 1902 At the time
| the crime was committed Mrs. Rogers
was only 10 years old. She had been
separated from her husband some
time and was DESTROYS of marrying
/ young man named Maurice Knapp.
On the day of the murder Marcus
Rogers went to Pennington to visit
his wife and that night she arranged
to meet him in the woods near the
Walloomsac river. While carressing
him she induced him to allow her to
bind his hands and while he was
powerless she chloroformed him. In
this she was aided by Loen Perham,
| the half witted son of the woman with
whom she had boarded. Another