Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-11-03
Several Persons Besides Vernon Rogers and Mary Rogers Guilty Of
Gross immortality
GIRL LESS THAN Is YEARS OLD SEDUcED BY A GUARD
ExWaden Hapin Denied Charges Made Against Mary Rogers
Says She Lied Before

The state prison investigation, which
was reopened at Bellows Falls Monday,
revealed more scandal by showing i'm
moral relations between employees of the
institution Gov. Bell was present at the
session. Judge 2. H. Allbee of Bellows
Falls. who was a director of the prison
from 1900 to 1902, testified at length In
regard to supplies, conditions at the
prison, etc, and told Of his visit in
August 1902. when he was in Windsor on
law business At that time he found
Supt Cakes absent and Warden Harpin
i'm charge, and the latter. after question
ing told about Cakes taking state sup
plies to his summer camp at Sunapee,
taking beefsteak to his daughter in Wood
stock his use of mileages, etc. Mr..
Cakes was next called to the stand and
his memory seemed deficient. Some of
the testimony related to the pair of
scissors with which Mary Rogers re-
moved the bolts from her inner cell
This is the way one press report reads
at this point:
She was in solitary then, and was do
ing some writing, and wanted to cut some
paper She asked me for some shears
/ told her 1 hadn't any, and couldn't
allow her to have any. Mr. Flint, who
was one Of the guards, was present, and
he had a small pair OF pocket scissors
with blunt points. He said she could
have those IL was willing. Nothing more
was said. but later she had them.
Whether he gave them TO her or not
do not know.
Former Warden E. B. Harpin testified
at length, largely in relation to the fric-
ton between himself and Supt. Cakes.
He was rigidly cross examined by Judge
Palmer, Mr.. Oakes's attorney but his
statements did not differ essentially from
those which he had heretofore made.
At this point Attorney General Fits
said: There has developed in the in
vestigation of the prison some wrong
dongs on the part of the officers and
the employees, showing lack of discipline
and a reprehensible state of affairs. l
refer to the Burr Kimball case, which has
been touched upon before in the investiga-
ton but has been deferred until all
parties interested should be present. The
case is one of great delicacy and in
wolves the character of several persons
Burr and Peasley have been notified
that testimony derogatory to them was
likely to be made public today. But they
have not appeared, nor are they repre-
sented."
Miss Gertrude Kimball was then sworn.
Miss Kimball stated that her age was IL
years; that she had been assistant mat
ron since May 2. 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 Oct 10, only 10 days ago. Miss
Kimball stated that she did not know
Burr until she went to the prison.
In answer to Mr. Fitts's questions Miss
Kimbal said that she became familiar
with Mr.. Burr and that their relations
to the point of criminal intercourse were
frequently repeated. When asked If she
confided any Of these things to the prison
women Miss Kimball said: IT did, but
only to Mary Rogers since she was
brought down stairs the last time"
Attorney Fits brought out the fact
that Mrs. Rogers had an influence with
Miss Kimball which she could not resist
and had a way of "worming" things out
of her.
Miss Kimball admitted that she knew
that Mrs. Rogers had corresponded with
L. e. Peasley, Burr's roommate, and mad
seen some of the letters, which she said
were love letters, and indicated improper
relations between Peasley and Mrs
Rogers. Peasley and Burr both were
married.
Miss Kimbal said she had picked up a
letter written on tissue paper by Mrs
Rogers, which she showed to her aunt
Miss Durkee She said they exchanged
condolences. and Mrs. Rogers told hel
what had occurred in the west wing WITH
Vernon Rogers. Witness said she never
told Burr of the Rogers-Peasley cores
pondence. She said Craven told her o.
the Vernon Rogers analr' ana eNioehuS
knew Of It while It was going on.
Miss Anna Lindstart, who testified a.
a previous hearing, was again recalled
She said she had seen evidences OF anec'
ton between Burr and Miss Kimball, ant
had seen the latter kiss the young woman
Mrs Burr called her in from the stree
and asked her If she had ever seen any
thing imprudent between her husband anC
Miss Kimball She told Mrs. Burr wha
she had seen, and that they were yer!
friendly.
Superintendent Cakes discharged Mis-
Lindstart when she told him OF tn
stories about Miss Kimball and Burr
Cakes declaring that they were not true
Witness was asked If she thought Mr.
Harpin knew of these stories, or abou
Mrs. Rogers and Peasley. She said sh
did not know, but that Mr. Harpin hal
nothing to do with the female ward
Horace Boyd testified that Burr neg
lected his duties to be with Miss Kimball
and TO statements made by Burr abou
the woman. He never told Harpin
Cakes about the affair.
The prison hearing Tuesday was
session Of sensations. The committe
evidently were determined to probe tn
alleged scandals deep, and as wltnes
after witness was put on the stand Al