The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-12-15
HUNG AIT LAST.
Mrs. Rogers Dies on the Gallows
for Her Crime.
MURDERED HUSBAND
Whom She Chloroiormed at 8 MEETING In
the Woods While She Was Caress.
ing Him. Great Efforts Wer.
Made to Save the Woman.
But They Failed.

A dispatch from Windsor, VT, says
Mrs. Mary Rogers was hanged at the
Vermont State prison at 1:13 o'clock
Friday afternoon for the murder OF
her husband, Marcus Rogers at Ben.
nington, on August 13, 1902. Mrs.
Rogers was pronounced dead by the
prison officials at 1927 ID.
The execution took place after the
woman had twice been reprieved on
account Of appeals made by her coun
sel aud after the United States Su.
preme Court refused t) take action in
the case.
Oaly comparatively few persons
witnessed the hanging, the number
being restricted to those permitted d to
attend by the laws Of Vermont.
Mrs. Rogers maintained her COM
posure to the last and mounted the
gallows with q steady step. Although
deaGhly pallor Cvorspread her coun.
tenance, hardly a muscle Quivered as
Deputy Sheriff Sh; # )rd pronounced
the fatal words, Il now proceed to
execute the sentence Of the law and
may God have merc7 on your soul. {"
When the words were pronounced
Deputy Sheriff Angus McAuley sprung
the trap and the drop fell.
The crime for which Mrs. Mary
Rogers was sentenced to death was
the murder Of her hush and, Marcus
Rogers, at Bennington, on August 13,
1902. AT the time the crime was com
mltted Mrs Rogers was only nine.
teen. She had been separated from
her husband for some time and was
desirous OF marrying young man
named Maul Ice Knapp.
On the day Of the murder Marcus
Rogers went to bennington to visit
his wife and that night she arranged
to meet him In the woods near the
Walloomsack riv,r While caressing
him she induced him to allow her IT,
bind his hands, and while he was pO1
1erless she chloroformed him. In this
she was aided by Leon Perham,
half~itted by who was the son OF
the woman with whom she boarded.
Another woman, Estella Bates, was
present.
A few days after the murder Mrs.
Rogers, Perham and the Bates woman
were arrested. Perham made com
plete confession and both he and Mrs.
Rogers were found guilty of murder
in the first degree Perham was sen
fenced to imprisonment for life and
Mrs. Rogers was sentenced to the
death galloHs.
Various attempts were made to
commute Mrs Rogers sentence but all
failed The date set for the execution
was February 8, 1905 Gov. Bell grant.
ed two reprlevcs for the presentation
OF new evidence, but the court denied
the petition for new trial each time,
and the United States Supreme Court
refused to consider the case.
Certain disclosures regarding scan
dals In the Vermont State prison at
Windsor, where Mrs. Rogers has been
con fined, have, 1t is claimed, affected
public sentiment. According to testi
mopy before the prison Investigation
committee Of the Legislature one OF
the conv;cts at Windsor had access
TO Mrs Rogers coll some time after
the first reprieve was granted 1t was
alleged that this was part OF con
splracy on the part Of certain prison
ohlcials to bring about such u condi
| non aS WOuld luftner postpone the eX-
cution
MIS-. Rogers was the first person
sentenced TO death In Vermont with.
In The past thirteen years who was re.
fused clomency, The last woman to be
executed was Mrs. Emellne Meeker,
at Windsor, on March 80, 1888.
On the march to the gallows Mrs
Rogers declined the assistance OF dep
uties. Her step was firm. She mount.
ed the scan I'D unaded and stopped
exactly upon the center Of the trap
Sne sat down in the chair for @ mo
ment and, when asked If she had any
final Stntement to make she shook hel
head negatively.
Mrs Rogers body has been claimed
by her mother and sister, and will bt
buried by them at Hoasick Falls, N
Y, where the mother, Mrs. Josie Cal
lahan, resides.