The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-29
mrs. Vary Farmer ElectrOcuted
for Brennan Murder.
Second Woman to Tie in the
Chair in New York.
LEAVES A STATEN ENT
In Which She Declares Fer
Husband Innocent
And That She Alone Was Au-
thor of the Crime.
LEAVES A STATEN ENI

lHS a prayer IOr ner soul, MIS-. mary
Farmer was quietly led to the electric
chair in Auburn prison shortly after 6
O'Clock this morning and executed for
the murder of Mrs. Sarah Brennan at
BrownvilIe last April.
The execution of Mrs Farmer-the
second inf1iction of the death penalty
on woman by electrocution in this
state-was effected without SEN
sational incidents. Five women. two
of whom were prison attendants.
were witnesses. Father Hickey,
spiritual adviser of the condemned
woman, following the execution, gave
out a statement signed by Mrs. Far
mer that her husband was entirely in
nocent and knew nothing of the crime
until after it had been committed.
Led by Father Hickey and with
Mrs Dunnan and Mrs. Gormas, who
have attended her constantly since she
was brought to Auburn prison, Mrs.
Farmer walked unfalteringly to the
death chair, her eyes half closed and
clasping a crucifiX in her hands. As
she was being strapped to the chair,
Father Hickey stood at her side and
offered prayers for the dying.
DR.. John Germ, the prison
physician, said that the woman was
dead after the first shock, but as
there was still a tremor of muscular
reaction, two succeeding contacts were
given. State Electrician Davis said
that 1.S40 volts and Il ampereS was
the strength of the current that passed
through the woman's body. After
Warden Benham had announced that
the physicians had pronounced Mrs.
Farmer dead, DIR. Edward Spftska OF
Philadelphia, and DR.. Charles Lam
bert, of the Pathological institute at
Wards island. New York, performed
the autopsy
Her Ante-NIortem Statement.
IT,
prepared yesterday before she was
taken to the condemned row was writ
ten by herself and addressed to Father
Hickey. who told her that If she
could truthfully exonerate her hus-
hand she should do So The statement
signed in the presence of a notary and
dated March %, follows:
ITO Rev J. ]. Hickey:
My husband. James D. Farmer,
never had any hand in Sarah Bren-
mans death, nor never knew anything
about it till the trunk was opened.
I never told him anything what had
happened. 1 feel he has been terribly
wronged. James D. Farmer was not
at home the day the affair happened,
neither did James D. Farmer ever put
a hand on Sarah Brennan after her
death Again l wish to say as strongly
as I can that my husband, James d.
Farmer. is entirely innocent of the
death of Sarah Brennan, that he
knowingly had no part in any plans
Csigned) MARY H. FARMER
Subscribed and sworn to me, this
2Sth day of March. 1908:
fSigned) B. F Vinegar.
Notary Public, Cayuga county.
After the wretched woman had prayed
within her cell on the second tier of the
woman's department to the condemned
row she bade farewell to her husband.
Visits Her Husband.
rrfco7ar her two
men attendants. Father Hickey and
Warden Denham, walked from the wo-
mems prison to the gate leading to the
mems department, where a carriage was
in waiting. The drive of about 100 yards
was quickly over and she was placed in
the steel cell. and her husband sent for.
Warden Benham had earlier in the day
placed the five condemned men in other
parts of the prison and Farmer was
given a cell in the old condemned row
where he could not hear the FOOTBALLS
of the witnesses on their way to the
place of execution and know that his
wife was about to die.
Separated by steel bars and an inter |
vening screen husband and wife spent
their final hour together in quiet con-
verse. The women attendants were in |
prison guard was within call.
The final word was spoken, a last !
soodby, the weeping husband returned
tC his cell and the hopeless woman was
led down the narrow corridor Early
this morning Father Hickey Joined the
watchers at Mrs. Farmers cell door. (
in the pale ochre light of the corridor
the woman and priest prayed together,
the last sacrament was administered
and Mrs. Farmer said she was not
afraid to die.
Witnesses Were Few.
Mrs. Farmer was dressed in a plain !
black waist and skirt. Her hair was
brushed hack from her forehead and
fell in two braids. Two or three locks
were cut from the scalp so that the
head eiectrode might be properly ad- I
justed and the woman attendants slit
the left side of the skirt as far as the (
knee and cut the stocking. None ex- 4
cept those having official invitations was !
admitted to the execution. The three
women witnesses were DR.. H. NJ West /
fall of Moravia, n Y, Miss Agnes Baird
of Troy, n. Y, and Miss Margaret T. /
Byrne of Auburn. Miss Baird and Miss
Byrne are nurses. When all was in |
witnesses to form in line, two by two /
and cautioned them against any dem
onstration in the electrocution cham |
Der.
Across the prison yard the dozen or
more witnesses followed the warden A
keeper opened the door leading to the
condemned row and the witnesses pass
ed along the corridor into the death
chamber.
Quietly the witnesses took their
seats. The two nurses and DIR. West
fall sat directly in front of the chair,
under instructions of Warden Ben
ham, that they might assist in adiust-
ing the electrode to the limb.
State Electrician Davis moved |
quietly about the switches that were
screened of in a corner of the room |
ana then placed portable row of in