Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-12-14

slight possibilities of regeneration. Gov.
c. j. Bell. of Vermont, might have in
tcrfcrcd. Tho murder was as brutal as
that Of Mrs. Martha Place, who hackt Il
hcr stcp-daughter TO pieces because Of
jealousy. in brooklyn. Governor Roosc-
welt declined to interfere and save her
from cloctrocution in March, 1899.
Mrs Rogers killed he, husband Marcus
Rogers in order that she might possess
herself OF SdW. his life insurance. and
marry another man. Tho murder was
committed in Bennington. ON August II.
1909. by the administration Of chloro-
form The circumstances leading up to
the murder brcathcd of foul deceit. cum
ming and n viciousncss inconccivablc in
n woman.
TIRED or HER HUSBAND.
| Mary Rogers was deeply loved by her
| husband. firing of her life with this
quiet, nrp,ctcnl"us man. she left him.
IN her unfortunate life that followed
| in bennington she mot a youth. barely
seventeen years old, by the name Of
Leon porha,n. a half breed Indian. who
became cnamorcd of her. Pcrham want
ed to marry hey. Mrs. Rogers had no
mind for that, but kept Pcrham dam
Cling by her side.
| Mrs. Rogers fell in love with Il we'll
knowp citizen Of bennington. who. how
ever. was not aware of her passion for
him. AS a woman of the street she
knew she could not win him. and in
her simple way bcthought that once
| in possession OF her husbands $500 life
insurance money she would Income an
I n
the thought came the plan tn do away
with Rogers. whom she had left. Rog-
or= in spite of hcr lie of shame. had
ofton'imes sent word to his wife to come
! To him and he would forgive ana for
got tn" past. Ills strong love for hcr
! ard his willingness to forgive were his
| undoing. She entered into - c"nspr-
acy with Pcrham. who was her willing
tool. being led to believe That She would
marry him.
| Rogers WAS . powerful man and his
end had to be accomplished by cunning
| ami deceit Sno wrote that sh" Wds
ready Ia como back: wanted to come
back and would ne forgive her Leon
I'crham turned States evidence and on
tho stand he save testimony. a recital
such as has rarely been heard in the
courts of law.
| According to Pcrham Mrs. Rogers had
written 10 her husband. from whom
she was o>irangcd. asking him to meet
hcr at a:3o a. night.
PRETENDED REcONClIIATiON.
| After tn" meeting and pretended re-
conciiition Icon led the way into Nor
gan'~ grove. and 10y "A winding path to
the river. 4 great stone wall separated
| tho srov" from the river bank. The
distance from the wall to tin" bank was
loss than half u dozen feet.
INLAY aud walked along with Rogers
until We came to a break III the wall
said Leon. She went through ana We
followed. 1t WIS cold and had on Il
| big ovcrcoat. I spread this ont on the
ground and all three Of us sat down.
We were only 81 few feet from the
edge OF the river ,.r..,.
MAY sand she had Il new trick with
il rope"
lite laughed May laughed too and
drew out piece of clothcs-line. Then
she said shed bet She could tie mo SO
that / couldn't get loose.
" IN bet YOU can't, SAID.
she tied my hands loosely and |
broke away.
she tried i, again and broke away
again.
"lry it Oh HIM | said
I'm bet you can't tie me- said
! Rogers.
! lie was rs strong He AN OK. May tied
him and tried !" ii" him tight. but ht
! inst eaNc a h";iv" ana broke away. She
tried it a second time. and he brok,
loose without ANY trouble. she was gel
TINS; worried. She tried it ~ third tirnc.
and when hr broke loose again ! saw
that she couldn't tic him
! ." let M" d" it, | told her.
Il took tho rop"-a piece of clothes
! line said to Rogers:
go Nnrnl d"Wn ana pat your hands
hohind VOW.
THOUGHT 1T WAS Fun
/ lie thought it was fun. ana kneclcd
down. | tied his hands behind him and
he struggled. but could not get l"os"
/ Ills back WAS towards May
II gave her IL signal and she drew tn,
vial Of chloroform and the handkerchief
from her bosom. She poured II few drops
ON her handkrrchicf-not very much
denly she drew his head back in he,
lap. The move threw Inn on his hands
which were behind him. 80 nc was dOubA
helpless. Then she put the handkerchief
to his nose lie sputtorcd. Suddenly sh,
enDtics the vial Oh the handkerchief
completely saturatinG IT, lie began I,
struggle.
" May. what does this mean he
asked. hoaving his body. What does il
mean
Jump ON his legs She said
Il jumped on his legs To hold him
May had him Grippcd around the mech
and pressed the handkerchief agains
his nose. Ills struggles were terrible
lie threw me off as IL ! had been {;
kitten lie got one hand tree and usc1
it to help himself.
| Put May chung to him and never once
did the handkerchief get away from hi.
nose. She had the grip Of IA tiger II,
struggled and flung himself and her OF
the ground, and every time ! came neal
him n hoave of his legs or his free arm
would throw me off.
ROLLED BODY INTO RIVER.
"Wh he struggled his breath wa.
deeper Suddcnly he became more quiet
and in IA moment he was limp. Ma,
chung to HIM. even after he was quiet