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Show mi mm dies ID ELECTRIC CHAIR I Goes to Her Doom Calmly With Constant Prayers for Mercy on Her Soul. SECOND ELECTROCUTION OF WOMAN N NEW YORK Detailed Story of the Revolting Crime for Which Extreme Penalty Was Inflicted. AUJ1UEX, X. Y March 29. Murmuring Mur-muring a prayor for her soul, Mrs. Mary Parmer was quietly led to tho electric chair in Auburn prison shortly after G o'clock this morning and executed for tho murder of Mrs. Sarah Brcunan at Browjisvillo last April. The execution of Mrs. Farmer tho second infliction of tho death penalty on a woman iu this state was effected without sensational incidents. Five women, wo-men, two of whom were prison attendants, attend-ants, were witnesses. Father Iliekoj', spiritual advisor of tho condemned woman, wo-man, following thc execution gavo out a statement signed by Mrs. Farmer, in which she doclarod that her husband, James Farmer, was entirely innocont and knew nothing of tho crimo until it had been committed. Led bi' . Father IIickc3' and with Mrs. Dunuigan and Mrs. Gorman, who havo attended her constantly sinco she was brought to Auburn prison, Mrs. Farmer walked unfalteringly to tho death chair, her eyes hnif closed and clasping n crucifix in her hands. A sho was being be-ing strapped in tho chair Father Jlickoy stood at her sido and offered prayers for the dying. Plrst Shock Kills. Dr. John Gcrin. tho prison physician, said that tho woman was dead after tho flrst shoclc, but as thero was still a tremor of muscles reacting, two succeeding suc-ceeding contacts wero given. State Electrician Elec-trician Davis said that 1S10 volts and soven and a half amperes was tho strength of thc curront that passed through tho woman's body. After Warden War-den Bonham announced that tho physician physi-cian had pronounced Mrs. Fanner dead Dr. Edward Spitzlca of Philadelphia and Dr. Charles Lambert of thc Pathological Pathologi-cal institute at Ward's island, New York, performed tho autopsv. All night long tho wretched woman had prayed within her coll on the second sec-ond tior of thc woman's department in tho condemned row. after sho had bado farowell to her husband. Separated by steel bars and an intervening inter-vening tcrcon husband and wife spout their final hour together in quiet conversation. con-versation. Parting With Husband. Tho final word was spoken, a last goodbye, tho weeping husband returned to his cell and tho hapless woman led down tho narrow corridor. Early this morning Father lliekc.y joined the watchers at Mrs. Farmer's cell door. In tho pnlo ochre light of tho corridor corri-dor tho woman and priest prayod together, to-gether, the last sacrament was administered adminis-tered and Mrs. Farmer said sho was not afraid to die. Mrs. Farmer was dressed in plain black waist and skirt. Her hair was brushed back from her forehead and fell in two braids. Two or throe locks wero cut from tho scalp so that the head electrode might be properly adjusted ad-justed and tho woman at Icndants slit ( . Continued on. Page Four. I MRS FARMER DIES i IN ELECTRIC CHAIR Continued from Page One. the left side of the skirt as. far as the knee and cut tho slocking. None except those having official invitations in-vitations were admitted to the execution. execu-tion. The three women witnesses wore Dr. II. M. Westfall of Monrovia, N. Y.; Miss Agnes l3aird of Troy, N. V., and Miss Margaret T. Byrno of Auburn. Miss Baird an1 Miss Byrne arc nurses. When all was in readiness the witnesses were formed in lino after being cautioned cau-tioned against any demonstration and lod into Ihe death chamber. State Electrician D.'uvis tested the dynamos and wires leading to the death chair". Everything was found to be in working order. Wardon Bonhnm nodded to Captain Patterson. There was a low knock at. the steel door, llio door was opened by some one within and the woman was lod in. The priest led the way. offering an almost inaudible prayer, while just behind him came Mary Farmer. Her hands clasped a crucifix and she murmured until the end came: Her Final Prayor. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph, have mercy on my soul." It might have boon only a few seconds before tho straps were adjusted, though I it scorned an interminablo period. The two women attendants stood by the wall and the two nurses and Dr. 'West-fall 'West-fall ranged themselves in front of the black gowned figure, while Captain Patterson adjusted tho leg electrode. Tho rubber mask was adjusted over tho cj'os and the head electrode- attached. A word from tho state olectriciau and the attendants, nurses and Wardon Bonhnm stopped back from the thick rubber mat upon which tho death chair is placed. The hand of State Electrician Davis traced a slow arch with the switch behind be-hind the curl a in. A half-spoken prayer was halted as tho condemned woman convulsed in tho leather harness that bound her to tho chair. A woman attendant covered her face with hor bauds. Only the clicking of tho tightening tight-ening strops and tho murmur of dynamos dyna-mos in an adjoining room could be heard. Details of Sxecutiion. Tho first contact lasted a full minute, the voltage starting at IS'10 and being gradually lowered to 200. then raised again to tho full limit of 1840 volts. Tho current was applied at (5:05 o'clock. The current was shut off and a strange sound half moan and half murmur came from the woman's lips. Dr. Oerin and Dr. Spizka applied the st cthoseono to tho heart while Electrician Davis felt tho artery in the neck. Muscular action was noted by tho physicians and again the current passed through the woman 's body for a few seconds. Once more tho physicians stooped forward and applied tho test to deteimine if life still remained in .the limn figure in the chair. For the third time tho state electrician sent tho current through the body. Tlie woman was then pronounced dead, and Dr. Gerin directed tho prison attendants to remove tho body to the autopsj- room. The physicians report that tho autopsy disclosed that Mrs. Farmer was normal in every respect, and that, the brain showed no lesions that would indicate in-dicate a criminal tendency. While the physicians were removing tho dead woman's clothing, preliminary to the autopsy, a photograph of tho two-year-old son of the couple, Peter Farmer now with his uncle in Water-town, Water-town, N. Y., was found in her dross. The condemned woman had told Father Ilickey. her spiritual adviser, to whom her public confession was made, that she had no relative that she knew of. After the. autopsy, Mrs. Farmer, with the photograph of hoi child clasped in her hands, was buried in St. Joseph's cemetery. Locked in his cell in a far away corner cor-ner of the prison, Jim Farmer, the husband, hus-band, prayed during the hour of his wife's execution. She had told him she had to die at dawn and that she had made a statement that he was innocent of tho crime. The man verged on collapse col-lapse from grief, and he frequently gave way to tears. Tho husband will not be taken back to the "death row" until Wednesday morning. Tho witness sheet was signed in the warden's office, a file of witnesses, unstrung un-strung and nervous, passed out from tho main prison gate and tho official proceedings of Mary Farmer's execution execu-tion were over. History of Hor Crime. The crimo for which she was executed exe-cuted and for which hor Jiusband, James D. Farmer, is also under sentence sen-tence of death, was tho murder of Mrs. Sarah Brennan, a neighbor, in Brownsville, Browns-ville, about four miles from Water-town, Water-town, on Thursday, April 23, 1008. The body of Mrs. Brennan was found on the following Monday in a trunk owned by Mrs. Fanner and in her possession. pos-session. Mrs. Farmer and her husband were given separate trials, and although the' evidence was circumstantial, both were convicted and sentenced to be electrocuted. electro-cuted. Mrs. Farmer's counsel attempted ut the trial to establish that she was insane and irresponsible for tho crime, but the court of appeals declared that it was "clearly a deliberate and intentional inten-tional -net," ahd that there was no circumstances cir-cumstances that "mitigated against its heinousness. " Mrs. Farmer came to this country from Ireland in 1900 and worked for a tlnie as a domestic in Blnghamton, going from there to Buffalo, where she married James D. Farmer In 1901. In May. 1907. i thev moved into a portion of an old building formerly used ay a hotel in a part I of Brownsville known as Paddy Hill. Mrs. Brennan and Iter husband. Pat- i rick, lived In a house nearby which they j had occupied for twenty vears, and which was owned by Mrs. Brennan. Mrs. Farmer became a frequent caller at tho 1 Brennan home and Mrs. Brennan occasionally occa-sionally called on tho Farmers. Mrs. Brennan Icept the deed to her property. , insurance nancrs and a snvintrK hnni.- 1 book In a black oil cloth pocketbooit in a tin case In her bedroom. i Months before tho homicide, in October, 1907, Mrs. Farmer went to a lawyer's office of-fice In Watertown. produced a deed of tho Brennan property, and impersonating Mrs. Brennan. had the deed transferred to James D. Farmer, signing the name "Sarah "Sa-rah Brennan." The deed was returned from the clerk's ofllce to James D. Farm-or Farm-or on Xovombor 2C, and on January 7. 1D0S, Mrs. Farmer and her husband went to another lawyer in Watertown and had deed drawn to Peter J. Farmer, a child who had been born to them the preceding September -. Dcod Oarofully Planned. On the day of the crime Mrs. Brcn-naifs Brcn-naifs husband left early for Ills work, his wife telling him she was going to visit a dentist in Watertown. Between 9 and 10 o'clock she whs seen to leave her homo and to enter the Farmer house. She was never seen alive again. T2arly the saino day Mrs. Farmer took her baby to the home of a neighbor and left It. saying she was going up town. Between Be-tween that Qme and the time Mrs. Brennan Bren-nan went to the Farmer houso Mrs. Farmer Far-mer passed back and forth between the two nouses several times. Shortly after noon she went for her baby and arranged for a young daughter of tho neighbor to assist her In caring for the child. The girl, upon her arrival, found Farmer Far-mer and his wife at lunch, and later he left for tho homo of his sister, where he was laying a walk. Soon after Mrs. Farmer Far-mer went Into tho Brennan house, she returned and told the girl to go for her husband, but Farmer refused to return home. Mrs. Farmer then went to the sister's home with a package, which proved to be the black oil cloth pocket-book pocket-book of lrs. Brennan containing the deeds, insurance and other papers, and1 said she wanted to leave It for a while. Brennan upon his rolurn from work that afternoon was unable to get Into his house. The keys which his wife was in the habit of leaving were not in their accustomed ac-customed place, while he was trying to get In he saw Farmer standing nearby, who remarked - "Brennan, don't you know I bought this place?" Brennan llnally secured a ladder, entered en-tered a spcond story window and occupied the house that nlgnt- Tho next morning he went to work ns usual. Mrs. Farmer that same morning went to the sister's house, took Mrs. Bren-nnn's Bren-nnn's oil cloth pocketbook from where It had been hidden In a chair, and with hor husband went to Watertown, where they had an attorney prepare papers ordering Brennan off the premises. These were served on him that night. Brennan went to Watertown and made Inquiries for his wife but failed to find her. and Saturday morning left for his work as usual, after spending tho night in the house. He returned home, however, later and found Mrs. Farmer and her husband occupying the house. Mrs. Farmer Far-mer told him that so long as he used tho Farmers well he could stay. Brennan then reported the matter to the district attorney's olTlce and engaged a constable to search for his wife. Part Played by Neighbors. The Farmers In the meantime, with others who were Induced to help b' free access to ale which was furnished, commenced com-menced moving their goods to the Brennan Bren-nan house. In one of the back rooms was a large black trunk whloh Mrs. Farmer asked ono of the men to lie with a rope Mrs. Farmer lifted the ends of the trunk while a clothesline was wrapped around It and tied securely. Mrs. Farmer said "she had stuff In there she didn't want broken." and had two men carrv It to tho Brennan house while she "walked along and directed where it should be placed In a back room where other thing3 were piled upon It. She then proceeded to do some washing. When tho constable who had been employed em-ployed by Brennan went to the houso and asked where Mrs Brennan was. Mrs. Farmer told him she had "gone to Water-town Water-town to get her teeth fixed." She sent for the parish priest, tpld him a similar story, and had him bless tho home. On the following Monday the sheriff with several others again visited the Farmers Far-mers and asked Mrs. Farmer to produce the deeds, and after some delay she pulled tho black oil cloth envelope from a cradle and showed the papers. Then a search of the houso was begun. Inoulry was made in regard to the trunk tied with a clothesline, whereupon Mrs. Farmer denied that she owned It. saying it belonged to her husband, and he- with an oath said It did not belong to him. The rope was removed, the lock broken, and In tho trunk tho sheriff found the body of Mrs. Brennan fully dressed. The head and face were horribly mutilated by many blows from a blunt instrument, hut the body was not injured. The turban hat which the woman wore was missing, but the burned wire framework of a hat similar sim-ilar to the one she wore was found In Mrs. Farmer's stove. Conflicting Statements. Mrs. Farmer and her husband were arrested ar-rested charged with the crime, which the woman at first stoutly denied. Then she slated that Mrs. Brennan was in her houso and stood by the door looking out uf the window and that she stopped up behind her and hit her with an ax. Sub-nuquently Sub-nuquently she said to the sheriff that she liad not told the truth: that "Jim" did ii. At tho Jail Mrs. Farmer nylc another statement In which she said that Mrs. Brennan came to her house and said she was not .fooling well. She said that Mrs. Brennan said "she would give anything If she would take that old ax that laid thorc and knock her brains out, and I said 'All right, hero she goes.' I takes the ax and kills her." She said then she put the body in the trunk, washed up the things that wore bloody and burned up tho things from which she could not remove the blood. She said Mrs. Brenna.n was sitting down in a chair by the window when she killed her. The cases of Mrs. Farmer and her husband hus-band were appealed to the court of appeals, ap-peals, which has yet to determine the husband's case. Mrs. Farmer's conviction was alllrmed and E. R. Wilcox, hor coun-sel, coun-sel, asked the governor to appoint a commission com-mission to examine Into the woman's mental condition, expressing the belief , that the woman was Insane. |