The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-12-09
StoicaI as an Indian
She Walks to Her
Doom.
HARDLY A STRUGGLE
There WAS No Unusual Incident Con-
nected With the Hanging of This
Woman Who Died Upon the GaIIows
for the Murder of Her Husband at
Bennington, Vermont, on the Third
of August, 1902.
(By the Associated Press.l

W Ho9o"a' tVVEs
(By the Associated PresS.)
Windsor, VT. Dec. S.-Dithout a
tremor and without a word, Mrs Mary
Mabel Rogers today marched to her
death on the gallows at the State
prison here, and paid the penalty of
numbering her husband. Marcus Rog-
ers, at Bennington, on August IS. 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 haQ
marked her demeanor ever since her
arrest more Than three years ago.
Geatly to the relief of those officials
who were assisting in executing the
sentence, Mary Rogers last hour was
remarkably free from narrowing incl
dents. 1t had been feared that the
wOmanis wonderful courage would de-
sert her At the last moment and that
She would have to be carried to the
scaffold in state of collapse. In,
stead. however, Mrs. Rogers met death
bravely.
There were no sensational incidents
i'm connection with the hanging. Al
though the woman was not officially
L
seconds after the trap was sprung she
evidently suffered no pain. Her neck
was broken at the second cervital
vertebra and she lost consciousness
Immediately tho drop fell. A few
convulSive movements of her PIN
ioned hands was the only evidence that
itality had survived the first shock.
The drop fel! at 1913 %. m.. and Mrs.
Rogers was pronounced dead by the
attending physician at 1:27 1-2. The
woman's foot barely touched the floor
for an instnt but the deputies on the
platform Of the scaffold Immediately
tightencd tho rope and raised the un-
conscious form q coucle of inches
Although Mrs. Rogers remained
calm until the end, she ate nothing TO-
day. Prison Matron Durkec prepared
breakfast and carried it to Mrs. Rog-
ers '.eii but tho nisoner deciinend it.
At noon another meal was sent to
MIS-. Ilogers and again she refused to
eat
Calm in Deaths Shadow.
Since the death watch was estab,
lished about ten ds-rs a-o Mrs. Rogers
had eaten heartily until today. and she
has slept soundly. Last night she re-
tired at II O'Clock and woke this
morning at five. NJ. and Mrs. NJ. IL
Ioukes of tho prison staff comprised
the death watch. eating and sleeping
in the same room with the condemned
woman.
Margaret, the little child of tins
Loul1eS. was FREQUENT visitor in the
cell and her childish Dratte evidently
eased many weary hours during Mrs.
Rogers last davs and helped her toi
keep her mind off her own fate. Dur
ing the last few da~s Mrs. Rogers
spent great deal of time in crochet
ing tokens for relatives and friends.
Every night her crochet hooks were
taken from her for fear that she might
do herself some injury. but were re-
turned the next morning. She read
the Bible a great deal and received
number of calls from Re-. Mr.. Hayes,
the prison chaplain and Rev. Father
G. c. Delaney, pastor of the loca. Ro-
man Catholic parish.
Hope Lived to the Last.
Up to within three hours of hei
death the woman consoled herSel1
with the hone that she would rot be
executed. II was shortly after 10
O'Clock this morning when she was in
formed that Governor Bell had de- |
MED her third reorieve. the final
effort for which was made by Mrs. |
Rogers attorneys today.
High Sheriff Henry Peck. who Of /
nCldIlN WdS III charge OF the execution, (
but who in reality did not see it, owing I
to heart trouble. arrived from his |
home at White River Junction on an +
early morning train. Most of the dep /
uties had come to Windsor yesterday /
and at 10 O'Clock this forenoon they !
proceeded TO the prison. All of then, |
had rehearsed their parts in the exc /
cution.
BY 1890 the deputies witnesses,
guards, and thre three newspaper |
men allowed TO witness the hanging, !
were at the Jail. The hour set for the !
fall of the drop was between 1 and z |
o'clock. and soon after ] O'Clock two !
deputies we're dispatched to Mrs. Rog- /
ers' cell 10 escort her TO the death /
chamber The guards found Mrs. |
Rogers receiving spiritual consolation !
from Father Delaney her confessor, |
who. the day before. had admins,
tered the sacrament of Holy Commun-
ion 70 her.
Her Last Words
At :06 the death march was begun /
Down three flights of stairs from Mrs.
Rogers cell in the central section OF
the prison. the procession wended It's
way. Through the great room ana |