Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-04-12
PRISON REPORT,
Confined from 9TH paeeJ

cals who are responsible for the
discipline and conduct of the gull |
Ity parties. The only evidence of |
immortality we find among the prisoners |
is the Mary and Vernon Rogers episode, in
which they were crminaly intimate. In |
the west wing of the prison are division |
walls separating it into two sections, in |
| the smaller of which is the death cell |
11he entrance into this section is by means |
! of two doors in each division wall made p!
of pine boards nailed together crosswise |
and secured by old fashioned locks fast |
cncd to the outside of the doors and cas- |
ings by screws. After her first repricvc, !
| Mary Rogers was confined in this section
and had the freedom of the corridor dur
ing the day, being confined in her cell only
! at night. Vernon Rogers, who was a
trusty having the care of the other sec
ton Of the west wing, was left practically
alone during the daytime in the perform-
ance of his duties. BY some means, Rog-
ers procured a piece of scrap iron, from
which a rough key was made with which
| he unlocked one of the outer doors leading
| to the section wherein Mary Rogers was
confined. BY means OF scissors given to
her by Frank Flint, former death watch
| over her before her first reprievc, she re-
moved the screws from that part of the
inside lock which was fastened to the cas-
ing of the inner door, thus permitting Ner-
mon Rogers to pass through these doors at
WILL The giving of scissors, for any pur-
pose. to person awaiting execution was
a grave mistake and is deserving of the
severest Censure. The conditions of these
doors and locks are, in our opinion, re-
sponsible for this scandal, and we recon-
mend that steel doors be substituted
in their place. In justice to the officials
lit should be stated, and we SO find, that
the door opened by Vernon Rogers was SO
shielded by the walk leading to the second
tier of cells as to prevent detection from
the warden's office, which is on the same
level as said walk and from which place
the only view of this locality Of the west
wing can be had except from the ground
FLOOR of the wing itself.
The connection with the prison of all
parties against whom evidence of charges
of immortality have been made has ceased,
and in all cases where the l. atutes of lml-
Itations do not prevent prosecution on the
part of the State, proceedings have been.
or probably will be, instituted by the Al
ltomcN-gcncral to punish the offenders.
MARY ROGERS
In view of the fact that Mary Rogci-
has paid the penalty Of her crime, we do
not think it necessary or advisable to de
tail specifically her career at The Windsor
State prison. She was kindly and llu-
namely treated While confined in the prs
ON, and met her fate with the same indf-
ference that characterized her lie.
! TRANSPORTATION OF PRISONERS.
We find that the superintendent of the
State prison is allowed j. cents per mile
for travel each way IN the transportation
Iuf prisoners q s1lurCma ar roi1ptv po1rt
and. further if absent from the prison
more than two days, hotel expenses for
himself and prisoner, but that the prs-
onor should be lodged III jail if Il Jail be
located ut the place of hearing, and in
that event % cents day is allowed for his
keeping after the second day. In our
Judgment. as the superint endent is an en-
lploye of the State and in receipt of a sal
airy for his services he should not be al
lowed more than his actual expenses for
the transportation of prisoners, and if the
law gives him more compensation it
should be amended.
DEATH OF CLARENCE ADAMS
In view Of the many and persistent ru-
imors in regard to this matter, the commits
sion made thorough investigation into
this subject. and find that this prisoner,
clarence Adams. sentenced from
IChester, Vt, TO term in the State prison
at Windsor for burglary. and that he died
lat the State prison during his confne-
ment and was buried at Chester. The tes-
timony of the prison physician shows that
this person died from oGcima of the lungs.
The testimony of the undertaken shows
that he used from two to three quarts of
embalming fluid in embamIng the body,
a gill of which fluid of itself would be
Slltiifisrt n death The lD1pr. a 90