Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-12-08

her but he declined and then she coaxed
Leon to assist, promising him 5000 of the
insurance money
Her next move was to inveigle her hus-
band TO Bennington, holding out to him
the hope that she would return with him
to Hoosick to live. He came to Bennington
on Monday, August II, and paid the pre-
MUM on his insurance policy and came
back the next day on his wifes invita-
ton to talk over arrangements for her
moving her things.
The two spent large part of the day
Tuesday together but what passed be-
tween them has never been told. Parting
at supper time he agreed to meet her
again at 10 o'clock that evening on SAT-
FORD street. Trusting her implicitly he
went to the trysting place totally unpre-
pared for what was to follow. Accom-
panied by Leon Perham Mary Rogers met
her husband greeting him with hugs and
kisses and all demonstrations of affection
lest he penetrate the darkness of her pur-
pose. In the bosom of her dress she car
ried a small bottle of chloroform while in
Perham's pocket was a piece of strong
clothesline which they had cut down in
the Perham backyard as they left the
house.
At Mrs. Rogers's suggestion they left
the street, crossing a few rods of vacant
field, and seated themselves by a low
stone wall on the baniS of the Walloomsac
and only few feet from the water Here
between the hours Of 1890 and II. 80 the
gruesome tragedy was enacted.
After visiting for a while Mrs Rogers
suggested that they try some tricks that
she knew. Marcus assented and getting
the rope from Perham, Mrs. Rogers tied
her husbands hands behind his back He
released himself easily and she tied him
again with the same result.
She then proposed that Leon tie him
I nd ha gIt g.,
time it was no joke and Marcus Rogers,
strong man as he was, found himself I'M
able to free his hands. Mrs. Rogers told
him she would take the rope off in a
minute, and. moving closer. she held his
head in her Jap and fondled him. Then in
| the darkness she drew the bottle of
chloroform from her pocket and pouring
its contents on her handkerchief, she held
| 1t to his nose with one hand while with
| her other arm she chung closely around
his neck.
| At a word from her. Perham seized
Rogers by the feet and held him helpless.
| What does this mean. Nary" choked
! Rogers, 1T smells like chloroform."
1T is chloroform and you'll soon find
out what it means" replied his wife.
Rogers never spoke again and after a
minute or two lay limp and lifeless. Hasti-
| ~ removing the rope they placed the
| body face downward in the edge of the
shallow stream, and. after hiding the
cord and empty bottle. and placing the
hat and previously prepared note where
they were found next day. they returned
to the Perham house and spent the night
together.
Mrs. Rogers, Leon Perham and Stella
! Bates were given a preliminary hearing
before the late Justice ]. T. Shurtleff who
held them without bail to await the action
of the grand jury. All three were indicted
for murder at the session of the grand
jury in Manchester in June, 1908. While
awaiting the assembling of the grand
jury the two women were confined in the
| house of correction at Rutland, and there
in December, 1902, a child was born tC
Mrs Rogers but the infant did not live
Mrs Rogers was brought to trial at the
term of Bennington county court that
convened in Bennington in December, 1908
Judge John II. Watson of Montpelier pre-
siding. The attorneys for the state were
States Attorney Jacob j. Stakeholder Of
Arlington and Hon o. NJ. Barber of Ben
nington Mrs. Rogers was defended by
Daniel A. Guiltinan of Bennington ant
Frank c. Archibald of Manchester.
After a trial lasting three weeks she
was convicted of murder in the first de-
gree and was sentenced by Judge Wat.
son to be hanged on the first Friday II
February, 1905. Leon Perham pleaded
guilty to murder and was sentenced t.
hard labor in the state prison at Windsor
where he is now confined Stella Bate:
was released, there not being evidence t
warrant trying her
Mrs. Rogers was taken to the stat,
prison in January, 1904. and has since
been confined there. The various steps II
legal procedure to save her life were re
viewed in The Phoenix last week.