At the turn of the 19th century, the rates for pregnancy out of wedlock rose dramatically, along with the decline of social and sexual control over the younger generation. Born in 1820, Rogers may have already been another statistic to the rising sexual culture. The women she referred to as mother, may in fact have been her grandmother. New York was the city in which she and her sixty-two-year-old mother ran a boarding house until her death. New York had become a prime example of the dangers of cultural practices that called for change in the mid-1800s. In the mysterious murder of Rogers, there are many suspects. The first is a man by the name of Daniel Payne. At the time of the murder, he is the fiancé and boarding house resident of Rogers. However, after the death, it was Arthur Cromelin, an ex-lover of miss Rogers, who set out on a quest and found her body to be identified on the East River. The book notes when Rogers disappeared, Cromelin knew exactly where to find her. It is believed that the cause of …show more content…
The media played a significant role in the course of actions that preceded Mary 's death. The newspapers essentially caused mass hysteria among people, which accelerated change. Not only did the media assist in the changing of public policy, it will impact what types of stories the media cover in the future. The publication of Mary’s death was nationwide. In addition, it was the first celebrity death to become idolized by the media. New York in the mid nineteenth century was a place that allowed individuals to embrace freedom of movement and possibilities that would otherwise be unknown to a more classical setting. However, men and women of the rising culture became the victims of their own creation. The case of Mary J. Rogers also shows how manipulation lied within those who wanted to mold public policy into their own