Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-04-27


He declared that there was probable
cause OF guilt. He said tho very idea
OIL suicide was absurd. Esther Rogers
had just purchased q new hat and
set OF furs. She had purchased n now
hat for her mother and witnesses
had testified that she was in good
humor
SHE WANTED TO LIVE.
She was making preparations to
1.-Two and not to die. Would Il woman
who expected TO Kill herself buy new
hat and a set Of furs III which to do
1t? Hc dwclt upon Rogers alleged
duplicity md after a heated argu-
ment asked His Honor to send the
case on to the grand jury. Attorney
Smith followed. He said that he did
so only to enable Attorney NJ. ;. Full
ton 10 argue The crSe. He did not be
lieve that any argument was ncces
sary. Rogers had acted perfectly
square about the matter. Ho had Civ
on the alarm. There was no evidence
THAI he had lived urhappiIy with hts
wife. Tho neighbors had testified to
this feet and he saw no need to deal
further with the case Ms there was no
direct evidence on which to hold him.
WOULD NOT HAVE KILLED
HERSELF. .sr
Attorney NJ. j. Fulton proceeded
70 argue the C..Se. tie declared that
esther Rogers would never have de
cided to kin herself wearing new
hat, with furs that she had jusC Dur
chased, with q street dress on her per
son and while wearing her rubbers.
II she wished to kill herself, sne
would have selected the lounge that
was in the room. The evidence show
cd that she was lying Oil the floor
between tho stove and the wall, with
the revolver near her lcfG hand.
TILE NEW HAT.
He took up the now hat that she
had worn and through which was n
bullet hole. lie cited the fact that she
was five feet four inches tall and
then he took up the revolver, with
manner placed Esther Rogers hat
on his own head and with his hand
demonstrated 10 .ihc court that it was
impossible for Esther Rogers to have
shot herself with the rcvu.vcr in any
position so that the ball would have
followed the course that it was
found to have followed at tho eXami
notion Of uhe body by the surgeons.
A VITAL CONCLUSION.
He called attention to tho state
ment OF Coroner Whitfield. He had
stated that when he examined the
body Of Esther Rogers, she had been
dead more than four hours. Then the
attorney became dramatic. He de-
olarcd that if thSY was fact, then
Robert l.. Rogers was with his wife
when she was killed. The alarm was
given after s O'Clock that night and
ii Esther Rogers was dead more than
four hours before, Rogers was with
her. He argued th;.t the course OF
tho bullet showed that she had been
shot and killed. The course OF The
bullet showed that the revolver was
fred by Il person, holding the weapon
in the left hand.
THE COURSE OF THE BULLET.
The bullet had taken course to
, the right after it entered the head.
He called to Robert l.. Rogers to
sand out. Hon. II. NJ. Smith, Jr.,
had temporarily left the side Of his
cl .ent and Attorney NJ. j. Fulton
glared at Rogers rs he stood UP ana
pointed the revolver at him point
blank, showing as he asserted how
the bulle. had been fired by him and
declaring that he was the murderer
of his wife. There were few people
IN the court room although many
gathered on the side walk above.
iWhe argument concluded, Judge
. Crutchfield declared that the case was
one that should be considered by the
grand jury. Bail was allowed in the
sum Of 100000, with Attorney
Smith as surety.
DECLARED Ills INNOCENCE.
Robert l.. Rogers protests his in
nocence and says that he does not
know how his wife came to her death.
Attorney Smith takes the same view
and says even IL 1T is shown not to
, have been case OF suicide it is Ger
tainly case OF accidental killing as
the prosecution has not yet establish
ed a justifiable motive for the deed.
The case will be investigated by the
grand jury May 9Th, 1918. It was
raining in torrents on the outside.
] but in few minutes all had braved
the storm and were fastening to
their homes in different sections Of
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