The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-12-12

in the Death Characteristic Walked
Unaided From Her Cell to the Scat
fold and Mounted the Steps There
Without HeIp-Spiritual Consolation !
Was Administered by Father Della
ney. Her Confessor.
Windsor, VT, December S.-Withou-
a tremcr. and without Il word, Mrs. |
Mary Mabel Rogers today marched 70
her death on the gallows at the state
prison here, and paid he penalty of
numbering her husband, Marcus Ros-!
ers. at Bennington, on August i, /
1902. To all appearance Mrs. Rogers
was the calmesl person in the cham
ber' of death. She faced her end WITH
the same stoical Indifference that aaa
marked her den4eanor ever since her
arrest more han three years ago.
Greatly to the relief of those officials
who were assisting in executing the
sentence, Mary Rogers last hours were
remarkably free from narrowing incl
dents. 1t had been feared that the
woman's wonderful courage would
desert her at the last moment, anu
that she would have 10 be carried to
The scaffold in a state OF collapse. IN
stead, however. Mrs. Rogers net
death bravely.
There were no sensational incidents
in connection with the hanging. Al
though the was not officially
pronounced dead until fourteen m1n-
| utes and thirty seconds after the trap
was sprung. she evidently suffered no
| pain. Her neck was broken at the
| second cervitaI vertebrae, and she lost
consciousness Immediately after the
| drop fell. A few feeble ~convulsive
movements OF her pinioned hands was
! the only evidence that vitality aad
survived the first shock. n drop
i fell at 1:15- p. m, and Mrs. Rogers
was pronounced dead by the attendant
physician at 1:27 1-2. The woman
feet barely touched the floor for an in
slant, but the deputies on the plat
form scaffold Immediately tightenea
he rope and raised the uncOncious
form a couple of inches.
Although Mrs. Rogers remained
calm until the end, she ate nothing to-
day. Prison Matron Durkee prepared
breakfast, and carried it to Mrs. Rog-
ers' cell, but the prisoner declined it.
At noon another meal was sent to
Mrs. Rogers anG again she refused to
eat.
Since the death watch was establish
ed about ten days ago Mrs. Rogers
had eaten heartily until today, and
she has slept soundly. Last night
she retired at II o'clock, and woke
this morning at 5. Mr.. and Mrs. M
H. Loukes. of the prison staff, COM
prised the death watch, eating anu
sleeping in the same roo with the
condemned woman Margaret, the
little child of the LOukes, was a fee
ouent visitor in the cell, n hel
childish talk evidently eased many
weary hours during Mrs. Rogers las
days. and helped her to keep hel
mind off from her w fate. Durlns
the last few days Mrs. Rogers spent Z
great deal of time in crochet1ng tok
ems for relatives and friends. Every
night her crochet hooks were axe
from her. for fear that she might IL
herself some injury, but were returned
the next morning. She read the BlD''
a great deal and received a numDe'
of calls from Rev. Mr.. Hayes, tn
prison chaplain. and Rev. Father c
c. Delaney. pastor of the local Rom
an Catholic parish.
Up to within three hours of ne
death, the woman consoled herSei
with the hope that b would not 81
executed. 1t was shortly after 1
O'Clock this morning when she wa
Informed that Governor Bell had de
MED her a third reprieve. the INA
effort for which was made by Mrs
Rogers attorneys today.
, High Sheriff Henry H. Peck, VIII
l officially was in charge of the execu
> ton, but who in reality did not sc
it. owing to heart trouble, arrived
from his home al White River juno
, ton on an early morning train. Mos
of the deputies lad come to Windso
. Yesterday. and at 10 o'clock this fore
; noon they proceeded to the prison
| All of them had rehearsed their part
| in the execution.
|, By 1890 the deputies. witness 3
: guards and the three newspaper me-
: allowed to witness the hanging wer
at the Jail. The hour set for the fal
was between 1 and 2 O'Clock, n 500
: after / o'clock two deputies wer
4 QiSDdISuGu " SIS- INOSCAo tOA -
eort her to the death chamber. Tn
guards found Mrs. Rogers receiving
: spiritual consolation from Father DE
; laney, her confessor, who the day be
fore. had administered the sacramen
of holy communion to her. At 10
the death march was begun Dow
three flights of stairs from Mrs. Ros
ers' cell in the central section of II
. prison, the procession wendell its wa!
Through the great room and into IN
u-cct wing where the callOwS hai