The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-12-08
MRS. ROGERS HANGED

Mdo AlotAA1h AhA a must AAARRi NahA
bearing upon the husbands death.
After the separation Mrs. Rogers, it
was claimed, went to live with another
man. Rogers was mred to Bennington
by note asking for a meeting. He
came to Bennington on Aug 13 and
was seen at various times during the
day up to D. m, after which hour he
was not again seen until his body was
discovered In the river the following
morning, lying on it's face, about two
feet from shore.
The testimony at the trial was to the
effect that Mrs. Rogers had met her
husband in the public square and sug
gested to him to walk along the shores
of the river to the outskirts Of the
town. 1t was early evening and the
path along the river was deserted Ar
irving at lonely spot on the rivers
edge the two sat down to talk They
had not been there long when Leon
Perham, a youth Of nineteen with
whose family Mrs. Rogers boarded,
came along and was introduced by the
woman to her husband.
Perham's confession showed that the
murder plot had been carefully laid.
The young man had in his hand a
strong cord and as the three sat and
conversed she suggested playing a
game and asked Perham to see IL he
could tie her hands with the cord so
that she could not unfasten It. The
young man tried but she easily unslip-
ped the cord. She then suggested that
her husband try It. He held out his
hands and she bound them together
tightly so that he was helpless She
then placed her handkerchief saturat-
ed with chloroform to his face until
he became unconscious. The two then
rolled the husbands body into the
stream
But with the commission Of the
crime Mrs. Rogers cleverness seemed
to have deserted her. BY her own ac-
items she betrayed herself Early the
next morning she visited the police and
frantically asked them to search for
her husband, declaring that she knew
he had met with harm Her solicitude,
in view Of the fact that she was known
not to have lived with him for some
time, excited suspicion. She herself
led the search to the river where the
body was found.
The body was brought TO the bank
and the face was found TO be covered
with scratches, while there was a
severe bruise over the right eyebrow
The fact that his lungs were full of
air led to the general belief that the
man had been foully dealt wich. and
because Of the unfrieadiy relations ex
listing between the dead man and hil
wife. and the further fact that she was
the only person who would be financial
ly benefited by bis death. Mrs, Rogers
was placed under Surveillance, and an
inquest was ordered
A hat was found near the river. pin
ned to which was note purporting tc
have been written by Rogers, in which
the writer said that he had ended his
own life. and Tor the public not tc
blame his wife for the deed. The hand
writing was later Identified as that o.
Mrs Rogers
Two days after the crime Mrs
/ Rogers and Pernam were arrested. Th'
youth Immediately confessed the crime
IN an it's details and at the trial, whiol
was begun December 10, he turne,
states evidence against Mrs. Rogers
The trial lasted twelve days and result
cd in finding both guilty Mrs. Roger
was given the death penalty and Per
ham. partly because Of his youth ant
partly because OF his confession, wa
sentenced 10 life Imprisonment
Then began the great legal battle Il
save the woman's life. At first publ
sentiment writhed and boiled agains
the hanging Of woman Women al
over the country signed their names q
petitions asking for clemency Doc
tors catered the plea that she was no
natural woman. not a sane womaz
but just a mere animal who brok
through obstacles in the way Of ne
goal as a COW would break through
board fence Legislators met and cor
sidered the adgisabillty Of hanging
woman. The majority were a
adament IN their determination 3
show no mercy. From one court 10 th
/ next higher the case Vas appealed, IN
; III It finally reached the United State
supreme court--and this last resol
declined relief The decision Of III
= highest tribunal was unanimous an
? was against Mrs Rogers IN eye-y poin
Governor Bell was appealed 70 but b
! declined to interfere with the coura
Of the law.