Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-08-31

! am to blame for enough about il and
am willing 10 admit that. was requested
10 state as / knew it. So have ] done. IL
/ Is the dearest lesson I ever learned and has
caused me more suffering and anguish
than all Of my other trouble put together.
II does not seem 20 me he vas as much for
my interest at all a. for the guards
Very truly,
P.s The last time I was intimate with
him was on March 10th. l was told, too,
that Jacobs didn't lock his cell half of the
time, and as soon rs Jacobs got key TO nj
l the iron door 10 my cell be was going 10
let him come In three nights, and that
Jacobs slept some nights and he did his
work. This may not be true, but II II as /
was told about Jacobs.
Not anyone but Nern Rogers came into
my room. ! had no immoral relations
with anyone bat Yern Rogers.
tsignedl MABEL ROGERS.
Other witnesses gave evidence Friday
tending TO show that Sheriff Peck was
aware when Miss Anna Batchelder ar
ranged for the interview with Mrs. Rogers,
IL was the officers who called her up by
telephone and offered her the chance 10
interview.
AT Saturdays session, sheriff Peck. who
had been hunted for In vain for several
days, appeared. stating that he had not
been aware that be was wanted, until he
saw II in the newspapers.
Sheriff Peck testimony had to do al
most entirely with the interview secured
from Mrs. Rogers by Miss Anna Batchel-
der. The sheriff said he WAS not aware
that Miss Batchelder wished 10 interview
the condemned woman until she had
reached che prison. lie did not, be said
communicate with Miss Batchelder by tel
ephone.
have prevented Miss Batchelder from in
terviewing Mrs. Rogers had Il not been
that she was a sister Of the states attorney
and a friend OF the high sheriff. He tes-
titled emphatically that Sheriff Peck did
talk TO Miss Batchelder over the telephone,
a. which time be granted her permission
TO interview Mrs. Rogers.
Questioned As 20 the discipline at the
prison, the superintendent said prisoner
named Clark escaped from the institution
last MAY and what he believed 10 be his
body was found In the woods near Lud-
low village.
At the conclusion o. this testimony the
commission adjourned TO meet Ia Boston /
sept .. The meeting there will be for the
purpose OF examining merchants who have |
sold supplies "a be used IN the state prison. |
Harold Harpin. the eX-guard who is inn /
plicated By the statement Of Mrs. Rogers /
IA The furnishing TO Rogers OF the key by |
which he gained admission TO the cell OF 1
the murderess, Is at present employed as
cashier IN a Boston hotel. To a reporter 4
he denounced the story that he had any 1
thing 10 do with Il as a lie. lie claims 1
hat the affair did not take place until /
after he and his father had been discharged 4
by Cakes. He said he was not employed \
in the part Of the prison where she was
confined and had no means Of commune /
eating with her
Harpin's version is as follows
MARY Rogers death watch was re- 4
moved when she got her stay last winter,
but she was not taken from the west wing.
y as guard 40 the prison then but over
the men couviCts. After the death watch 4
was taken Of Mrs. Rogers Was allowed the
run OF the west wing corridor during the
daY, but al night was locked In the corner
cell. No officer was kept In the west wing
IN the day, but Vernon Rogers, who il a
trusty,' worked unguarded around the
west wing cell block but was shut out
m two places, on the north and on the
south ends.
These double doors were heavy wooden
ines with ordinary locks. the KEYS TO
= hich were carried by Miss Durkee, the
natron, who took Mrs. Rogers meals 20
Der. Miss Dutkee had 60 unlock the outer
ioor and open {. before she could unlock
he inner door 70 90 to the condemned
woman.
"Aiy father and myself have evidence
shich we can produce al any time that
While Vernon Rogers did get In where
Nrs. Rogers was. he never did 80 until a
ull wees after both my father and | had
been discharged, and We can prove exactly
low IL came about.
1.-THE way Il happened was this: Mrs.
Rogers had pair Of scissors with which /
he worked at the lock on one OF the In.
ide doors until she was able TO unfasten
and then she opened that door and when
he heard Vernon Rogers working around
n the hallway outside she raped on the I
DOR until he came 20 Il TO see what was
he matter and she talked to him through
he keyhole and told him il he could make
key that would unlock the outside door 9
he would like to have him come in and
se her. Vernon Rogers said al first ne
idn't think he could get a KEY and Mary
splained TO him how she had been ab e
D get her lock open BY the use OF pair OF
cissors aud told him TO twist up a heavy :
ieoe OF wire and he could work the lock.
"Nernon Rogers got the wire and made
crude key, but one which worked, and al
time OF day when he knew Miss Durkee
COULDN'T be around he got his door open,
larry Rogers opened the door on her side 4
nd the "trusty" and the condemned \
oman were together. This lasted about
NO Weeks ana then, being discovered Mrs.
ogers was removed 10 safer quarters in
ne central building and Vernon Rogers
as locked up.
vernon Rogers was accused OF having
cen helped by someone TO make his wire
ey, ana was urged to tell who il was, but :,
e stuck strictly to his original story that {
e made the key himself, and that no one
the world but he and Mary Rogers knew :,
p had Il until he was caught, and they
ever have got any other story out of him,
nd they won't because that IS the truth. 81
hey kept Vernon Rogers in a cell about
ur weeks, and finding he wouldn't inn
ieate anyone else, because he couldn't.
icy put him back at his work around the
Ills, as he had been doing before he was 4
ught in Mrs. Rogers company.
- \ on must remember that the first time
ernon Rogers ever got into the west wing
here Mary Rogers was, was a week or
ore after my father and myself had left M
e prison and neither of us were ever m.
1e the building after that, so that could "
no possibility have had anything to do hi
it'll il. -
Living in Windsor and having friends
III among the employees in the prison. as :.
: