The Detroit times., 1909-03-29
WOMAN is PUT
TO DEATH IN AUBURN
FOR MURDER
Continued from Page one.

the flenl sue, Nht'S oh SiNNetOuN 10
applied TO the leg.
Warden Benham gave quickglaDce
around and walked over 10 the painted
door opening into the death cell and
knocked. II opened instantly and the
OF death entered.
Father Hickey came first. Behind
him came Mary Farmer. supported on
either side by Mrs. Dunnigan and Miss
German. She was dressed In shabby
black. Her face was the color OF
chalk. Her eyes were Closed. She did
not see the room, the people, the chair.
Father Hickey leaned close TO her and
the prayer which she kept
repeating until the end;
Jesus, Mary and Joseph have
mercy on me"
The two women guards had prepared
Mrs. Farmer for the execution by
tightly braiding her hair. 10 insure
contact with the head electrode. The
braids were gathered in knot at the
hack OF her head. Her dress was SLIT
up the right side. and there was
slit I'm her right stocking 10 allow the
application OF the leg electrode.
Condemned Woman Is Seated.
II was only a few steps from the
door 10 the chair and in half dozen
seconds Mary Farmer was seated
The two women guards guided her
into the seat. holding her by the
elbows. Father Hickey leaned toward
her, insistently repeating the prayer
which he had told ner she must con
tinue to utter as long as her lips could
move.
When she was seated d.. Westfall
and the two nurses arose from their
seats and went to her. The five women
screened her as the electrodes were
applied by State Electrician Davis,
Capt. w. G. Patterson and the male
guards. Then Mr.. Davis stepped over
To the box partition in the corner, the
women withdrew to their seats, the
death watch drew back. and the war
den gave the signal. The light hum
on the dynamos made the death room
seem to pulse with life. and as Elec-
trician Davis brought down his lever
this dull sound was intensified. The
current was applied at five minutes
past six. A prayer was on the wom-
ans lips at the instant, and 1t changed
to q sudden moan Of anguish as she
stiffened against the straps that held
her in the chair
The leather mask hid her face SO
that the terrible agony shown there
could not be seen. But her loose fin
gers gripped convulsively as the dead
ly current of 1910 volts shot through
her body
The current was kept on for Jul
minute, Mr.. Davis lowering it and
then raising ii. When 1t was shut OF
the body OF Mary Farmer sagged
Imply in the chair DR.. Germ, the
prison physician, stepped forward ald
applied the stethscope TO her barred
bosom. There was still a flutter or
life and he drew back Again the cur
rent was applied and kept on for Ave
seconds. Persistent life fluttered still
within her breast and third contact
was given. lasting three seconds.
Then DR.. Germ. after his examination,
called DR.. Lambert, Of Wards island;
DR.. Sommers, OF Ogdensburg; DR..
Boyle. of Buffalo, and the other ply
sicians. Each applied the stethescope
and announced that death had ensued
When their examinations were at an
end Warden Benham turned to the
witnesses and said: 1.-The woman is
dead. The witnesses will please gath
er in the warden's Office and sign the
certificate
The body was taken then TO the
operating room where the autopsy was
held.
FIR. Hickey met the newspaper rep
resentatives in the Office of the war
den and gave out copies of Mary
Farmers confession. II was in her
own words, and given as she wished
ii to be made. Il give this at Mrs.
Farmers request" the priest said.
she wanted it known that her hus-
band had no hand in the murder for
which she died today. She made this
statement in the presence of notary
and signed 1t. She hoped to the last
that il might save the life of James
Farmer"
Mary Farmer entered her death
cell adjoining the execution chamber
at 1905 last night For two hours
she had stood and sat in the corridor
of the condemned row breathing
words of consolation and even cheer
to piteous. sobbing figure inside the
double barred and screened cell. He
was her husband.
At last a kindly hand touched her
shoulder TO give word that her last
farewell TO the living was over. She
sighed. arose firmly, pressed her face
close to the network OF iron and muir.
INJURED slowly:
Goodbye. Jim, | hope | have saved
you. We meet no more on earth. but
in heaven. Goodbye, dear, / brought
IL all on YOU Forgive me and pray
for me tonight"
The two attendants were trembling
with grief and tears rolled down their
cheeks.
Just Que second more. Oh, please,
Jim, don't forget little Pete-may God
save HIS soul" Tne husbands pa
thetic outburst OF gries sounded
through the melancholy hall His face
was pressed against the bars. Tears
fell through the grating and he re.
peated again and again: "Oh, God.
Mary. OH. God"
She turned 10 her attendants. She
did not break down. did not even shed
tear Only the rapid agitated twist
ing and twining of one hand over the
other betrayed the strain under which
she labored. Three steps away as
her husbands eyes followed her and
his cries OF despair sounded louder.
she turned slightly and eaid: BE
brave. Jim"
II was the parting advice of a wom-
an whose stoicism is the marvel of the.
Auburn prison authorities.