The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-03-26
Scandals at Windsor Under
Investigation
MARY ROGERS RUMORS
Prison MatrOn Says That the
Stories Told About Her Are
All Untrue

The Rutland Herald has shown com
mendable enterprise in hunting down
the rumors of scandal at the state pris-
on and though its representative met
the usual opposition of small aud
narrow minds in public places it was
able TO secure many facts of interest.
The following is from the Herald
story
Whatever the truth OF the numerous
stories to which the incident has given
rise, one indeputable result of the re-
cent discharge Of Keeper +. ID. Har-
pin and his son from the states prison
by Superintendent T.. W. Cakes has
been the creation of two belligerent
factions in Windsor, the members of
which are engaged apparently in a
fight to the finish. A surprising
amount of feeling has developed and
statements are being given circulation
by adherents of both the Cakes and
Harpin factions which for bitterness
have rarely been equaled in tangle
OF this nature in Vermont. and which
II proven true, lfprovide the expose
of rottenness in public Office such as
the state has never heretofore had the
misfortune to endure.
The hills of Windsor almost echo
with the charges o. abuse of power.
official mismanagement and moral
laxity, ex .ravagance and worse in ex-
penditure of state moneys, and de.
pravity in the conduct of state en-
ployees fostered apparently by care.
!, ssness on the part of those in charge
almost to the point OF countenanclng
the scandalous results.
The policy OF Superintendent Cakes
and of the prison since he assumed
its control has been the suppression of
facts which might tend to shed an un-
favorable light on the institution. The
guards and assistants are given to un-
derstand that whatever occurs within
the walls of the prison is not to be dis
cussed elsewhere and Mr. Cakes at
tude in matters affecting his Office and
the institution in his charge is to re-
fuse absolutely to say a word abo ut
them.
These same men also tell of strange
occurrences inside the prison walls.
The hush-up policy of Mr. Cakes is
not wholly successful, for through low
er channels the suppressed facts leak
out and sooner or later become town
talk. The world outside of Windsor
has never known that about year
ago, John Green, farmer in the EN-
ploy of the institution, tried suicide
by shooting himself in the throat.
The bullet tore gaping hole in the
back Of his neck and missed severing
an artery by the narrowest margin.
The effort was unsuccessful, the pris.
on physician attending the man, who
was discharged as soon as sufficiently
recovered.
The attempted suicide of Green was
not known in Windsor until recently
and even now the prison attendants
do not care to discuss the affair. The
physician says the attempt was made,
probably because of despondercy and
the man was discharged because the
officials did not want him to blow out
his brains there. He knew OF no
other discharges at that time.
Your correspondent has learned of
several instances of discharges of
male and female employees in the
prison under circumstances that do
no credit to those responsible for the
decipline of the institution.
Such occurrences as these make the
assertion that Mary Rogers the Ben.
nington murderess Is in delicate con.
dition, strike the Winsorites as far
rom preposterous. In fact the prison
board took enough cognizance of the
story to summon few weeks ago
employees of the institution and others
including Sheriff Peck and the matron
and investigate the story.
The result of this investigation is
not defnately known, but men in close