The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-09
WENT CAIMk
 TO HER DEATH Mrs. Rogers Hanged in Vermont. NERVE HOLDS TO LAST Feet Touch Floor When Trap
 Is Sprung. Though Fourteen and Half Minutes Elapse Before Physicians Pro- nounce Lift Extient, Her suf-
 fcring Is Not Great.

Mabel Rogers today marched to her death on the galiows at the State pris- on here and paid the penalty of mur- dering her husband. Marcus Rogers, at Bennington August 13. 1902.
 To all appearances Mrs Rogers was the calmest person in the chamber of death. She faced her end with the same stoical indifference that had marked her demeanor ever since her arrest. more than three years ago. Greatly to the relief of those officers who were assisting in executing the sentence. Mrs. Rogers's last hours were remarkably free from narrowing incl dents. It had been feared that the woman's wonderful nerve would desert her at the final moment and that she would be carried to the scaffoid in a state of collapse.
 Instead. however, Mrs. Rogers met death bravely. There were no sensa- tional incidents in connection with tho hanging.
 Although the woman was not off, cially pronounced dead until fourteen minutes and thirty seconds after the trap was sprung, she evidently suf- fered no pain. Her neck was broken at the second cervical yertebra, and she lost consciousness instantly the drop fell. A few feeble convlusive mo- ments of her pinioned hands, were the only evidences that vitality had sur vived the first shock.
 The drop fell at 1:13 p. ni., and Mrs. Rogers was pronounced dead by the attendant physician at i:27 1-2.
 Feet Touched Floor.
 The woman's feet barely touched the floor for an instant. but the depu- ties on the platform immediately frightened the rope and raised the un~ conscious form couple of inches,
 The crime for which Mary Rogers was sentenced to death was the mur- der of her husband. Marcus Rogers. at Bennington. August 13. 1902. At the time tile crime was committed Mrs. Rogers was. only nineteen years old She had been separated from her hus- band for some time ana was desirous of marrying a young man named Maurice 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 Waiioom- sac River. While caressing him she induced him to allow her to bind his bands, and while he was powerless she chloroformed him. In this she was aided by Leon Perham, d half-witted boy, who was the son of the woman with whom she boarded. Another wo- man, Estelie Bates. was present.
 ktOhfe0 Bouy Into fftHeTs
 After chloroforming Rogers, Perham and Mrs. Rogers rolled the body into the river, where it was found the next day.
 In order to divert suspicion the women wrote note in which she impression that he had committed sui eide.
 Immediately after the murder Mrs. Rogers endeavored to collect her hus- bands insurance, amountig to $500, and also made arrangements to pur- chase furniture for the home where she expected to live when she mar ried Knapp.
 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 sem fenced to Imprisonment for life. while the verdict in Mrs. Rogers's case was death on the gallows.
 Under the Vermont law. tho power of communication of sentence rests with the legislature, that also pro- vides that when a person is sentenced to death a session of the legislature must be held between the time of sen tence and the date set for execution. At the last session of the legislature various attempts were made to com mute Mrs. Rogers's sentence. but all failed.
 Then an attempt was made to pass q law abolishing capital punishment in Vermont, but that also failed. An attempt to secure pardon for the wo- man shared the same fate.
 COmmlssion on sanity.
 bill was then introduced providing for the appointment of a State com
 g.. sanity This bill passed the house. but was defeated in the State senate.
 The date set for the execution was February 3. 1905, but Mrs. Rogers has been twice reprieved by Governor Bell The United States supreme court was petitioned twice, but refused to reverse the sentence of the Vermont court.
 Certain disclosures regarding scan- dals in the Vermont State prison at Windsor, where Mrs. Rogers has been have, it Is claimed, affected public sentiment. According to testi- mony before the prison Investigating committee of the legislature, one of the convicts at Windsor had access to l Mrs. Rogers cell some time after the | first reprieve was granted by Cover l nor Bell. It was alleged that this was | part of a conspiracy on the part of | certain prison officials to bring about | such condition as would further post | pone the execution.
 Mrs. Rogers is the first person sen fenced to death in Vermont within the | past thirteen years who was refused | ,lemency. In Vermont all executions | lre made at the State prison and by l peculiarity of the Vermont law the | Iuty of hanging condemned murderers ievoIves upon the sheriff of Windsor | ,ounty, regardless of the section of | he State in which the crime was com | nitted.