The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-10-20
MYSTERY IN DEATH
OF RICH GROCER
ON VISIT HERE
Police Learn That Escaping Coal
Gas Overcame Girl In
Same House.
COMPANION IDENTIFIED BY
CARD IN HER POCKETBOOK
Victim Was D. c. Rogers, of
Metuchen-Wife Over.
come by News.

Dewitt -. Rogers, a well-to-do grocer
of Metuchen, was found dead at 26
Centre street early today A woman
was found unconscious. Physicians
have not been able to rouse her from
her stupor.
Rogers, who is well-known In New
ark. told Joe Winans. cabman at the
Four Corners, last night that he and
his wife were unable to return home
and asked that they be taken to some
place where they could get room for
the night.
Winans took the couple to rs Centre
street, a boarding-hous conducted by
Mrs. Anna Haley. According to Mrs.
Haley she at first refused to let Rog-
ers in, declaring she did not rent rooms
for the night. Winans is said to have
interposed and told Mrs Haley that
he knew Rogers and everything was
all right
Mrs. Haley says she gave Rogers
room on the first floor next to one
occupied by her mother. She says he
had been drinking.
Wondering why her dodgers for the
night did not make their appearance
this morning, Mrs Haley entered their
caught her attention She shook the
man and found he was dead. The
woman lay as In a stupor and could
not be aroused. DIR. Vaudeville, who
was called, pronounced the man lead
According to Mrs. Haley's mother
Rogers was alive at o'clock this
morning. She said the man attempted
to pass through her room at that hour,
4 ON ,xyI.o ha COS
drew
The police ascertained that the woman
with Rogers was not his wife. Rogers
/ left Metuchen about | O'Clock yesterday
4 afternoon to buy vegetables for his
! store. The vegetables arrived this
morning in Metuchen. Rogers was IN
the habit of coming to market in New
ark about three times week. s=
When Informed of her husbands
death over the long-dstance telephone,
Mrs, Rogers was prostrated by tho
shock. She is in the care of physicians
and will probably be unable to come to
| Newark. She says her husband was N
good health when he left home.
County Physician Mckenzie, who was
summoned, is investigating.
Four hours after Rogers was found
the woman With nl11, WHO Ildu Dtti re-
moved to the City Hospital, recovered
consciousness. She refused to give her
name. The authorities declare that
they know her name and that she is
prominent.
In the woman's handbag were found
forty nine cents, some toilet articles
and cards bearing the name Marie
Franklin
Mrs Haley's mother said that she
noticed the odor of coal gas In the
night, and, hearing a fall, went up
stairs. She said that she found her
daughter had been overcome by the
gas and had fallen to the floor.
The investigation is being carried on
to determine whether or not Rogers
succumbed to coal gas.
One of the cards found in the wom-
ans handbag at the hospital bore across
the back the address 45 Franklin street.
At that number 1t was said that a
young woman who gave her name as
Marie Franklin had been living in the
house until three weeks ago. She left
at that time and her mail was stopped.
When the young woman came to the
house a few months ago she said she
was from New York.