Republican farmer., 1909-04-02
MARY FARMER ELECTROCUTED
 AT AUBURN Goes Bravely to Her Death Shortly After Six This
 Morning.
 Makes Confession Exonerat-
 ing Her Husband. Declares He Had Nothing to Do With the Death of Sarah Brennan - Affect ing Meeting Between Husband and Wife in the Death Chamber of the Prison - Story of the Crime for Which Mrs. Farmer Was Executed.
Makes Confession Exonerat
 ing Her Husband.

II OI 1l1CI w ClS IACCoCOos Auburn. N. Y, March 2s.-Mary Far mer's confession to her priest:
 My husband, James D. Farmer, never had any hand in Sarah Bren- mans death nor never knew anything about 1t till the trunk was opened never told him anything that happen ed. I feel he has been terribly wrong ed 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 I wish to say as strong ly 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 that led to it; that he knew nothing whatever about it." (Signed) Mary F. Farmer.
 Subscribed and sworn to before me this 18th day of March, 1909. GSagned) B. F. Wingar, Notary Public, CayuSa County
 Auburn, N r., March 29.-with half closed eyes and mutterdng the prayers of the Catholic church, Mrs. Mary Far Auburn prison at four minutes and thirty seconds past six o'clock this morning and gave up her life as pen alty for the murder of Sarah Brennan. The electrical execution of the first woman in Auburn prison and the sec ond in New York State was signally successful. After three contacts of the powerful current the woman was pronounced dead by Warden Benhalm at 6:15:40 o'clock.
 The husband paced his cell within a stones throw of the execution cham Der, condemned to die an the same chair for compHcity in the murder which has been styled by two courts and the Governor as one of the most deliberate and brutal in the criminal annals of the State. Two score miles away in the little village of Browns vile, an infant son lay fretting in his crib unconscious of the significance of this dawn-the climax to the first chapter in a judicial decree that may make of him an orphan, shorn even of the consolation of a wholesome memory. Unconscious of the heritage of woe that hangs his future with an barrier, the child holds no key to the inscruta:ble problem of the life he must attempt with such 8 hopeless handicap-a living monument to the awful judgment visiting the iniquity of the father upon the chill dren to the third generation"
 Father Hickey, the chaplain, believes the chadr has claimed an insane vic tim. Sheriff Bellinger of Jefferson county, who discovered the mutilated body of Sarah Brennan in the trunk and who first accused the husband and wife, has no patience with the theory of even supervened insa nifty. 'She was as sane as am,' declared the of ficer who thinks the law but half vim dicated after witnessing the execu- ton.
 The maternal instinct was manifest ed by Mary Farmer during her long incarceration in the woman'S prison. when she realized what rhe future held for her son. Her intermittent mani- festationS of religious thought were the result of the counsels of her spirit ua1 advisor. As the procession form ed the condemned woman's eyes closed F, irncr dcad 4o fGn he rations of Father Hickey's prayer. Just behind him with eyes closed, walked Mary Farmer with a murmur. Gently walking at her elbow were the two women attendants who have watched day and night at the cell of the condemned woman since her in carceration. Captains Crowley and Martin and the principal keeper. Cap tain Patterson, closed the procession.
 At the end of the short walk of a dozen paces Mrs. Farmer stumbled slightly upon the rubber mat that en- closed the chair but the firm grip of the attendants staunche6s any fear and the victim gave no sign. The corrf- dor GOor changed as she seated herself calmly in the brass-rigeed chair. At a. signal from Warden Benham the two arranged themselves on the | insulated mat to observe the execu- | ton as Captain Patterson adjusted the | electrode to the victims leg. Captain |
 
 the wrist contact straps. the heavy | helmet and mask. To safeguard | against an emergency the hair of the | condemned was arranged in little bradds which hung loosely in the back 1
 Electrician Davis signalled that all | was in readiness as he stepped toward | the switchboard. Warden Benham nodded his assent to the electrician. | The switch was damned into it's socket | at 6:05:38 and the limp body jumped | into the creaking straps remaining | rigid in the distended position while | $40 volts, seven and one-half an1peres of electricity raced through the body | A barely audible moan escaped the lips | at the first shock. The contact was | until 6:O6.4o, just one min ute and two seconds.
 The voice of Warden Senham broke l an oppressive silence as the physicians | retreated from the lifeiess form at l 5:15:40 o'clock. "The physicians say the woman is dead," announced the | warden. ''Dr. Gerin wishes to an- nounce that the autopsy will take place at S:30. You will please return to the | office and sign the death cert 'ficate."
 The priest consented to take charge | of the body and the remains will be inferred in St. Joseph's cemetery just | the city limits.