Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-30

when the witnesses gathered at a 10
cal hotel and made their way to the
prison gate. Credentials We're careful
ly examined and only those having Of
fetal invitations were admitted. The
three women witnesses DR.. II. M.
Wcstfall of Moravia. n. Y. Miss Agnes
Baird Of Trey, n Y, and Miss MarSa-
ret tn. Byrnc of Auburn. grouped
nervously in the corner OF the warden's
room. Miss Baird and Miss Byrne are
nurses. When all was in readiness.
Warden Eenhaln directed the witnesses
to form in line. two by two, and eau
toned them against any demonstration
in the electrocution chamber.
Across the prison yard the dozen OF
more witnesses followed the warden.
Not !; sound came from the prison,
bat outside factory whistles calling
!.len to work shocked the ear A keep
er opened the door leading to the con-
demned row and the witncs ses passed
along the corridor into the death cham
ber.
Quietly the witnesses took their
seats. The two nurses and DR.. West
la'l sat directly in front of the chair
under instructions of Warden Ben
ham that they might assist in adjust
ing the electrodes to the limb. State
Electrician Davis moved quietly about
the switches that We're screened off in
Il corner of the room. and then placed
4 portable row of incandescent lights
across the arms of the death chair, adj
justed the wires and turned on the
current The globes CLEANED brilliant
ly under the powerful current. The
lights We're shut off and removed
Warden Benham nodded to Captain
Patterson. There was a low knock at
the steel door which seemed to echo in
the fearful quiet of the room of execu-
ton The door was opened by someone
within and Captain Patterson spoke to
the women attendants inside. There
was momentary pause and the
wretched woman was led in. The kind
y priest led the way, Offering an al
| most inaudibie prayer, while just be-
hind him came Mary Farmer. Her
hands clasped crucifix and she muir
INJURED until the end came:
Jesus. Mary and Joseph have mercy
on my soul"
it might have been only a few sec
onds before the straps were adjusted.
though IL See1Ettt dil w
riud of time to those who sat there
The two. women attendants stood by
the wall and the two nurses and DR..
Westfall ranged themselves in front of
the blackgowned figure while Captain
Patterson adjusted the leg electrode.
The rubber mask was adjusted over
the eyes and the head electrodc attach
ed. A spoken word from the state cleo
trician and the attendants, nurses and
Warden Renham stepped back from
the thick rubber floor upon which the
death chair is placed.
The hand of State Electrician Davis
| traced slow arch with the switch be-
| hind the curtain. A half spoken
prayer was halted as the condemned
woman cOnvulsed in the leather har-
| ness that bound her to the chair. A
woman attendant covered her face
with her hands. Only the clicking of
| the Tightening straps and the murmur
| OF the dynamoS in the adjoining room
could be heard.
| The first contact lasted a full minute.
| the voltage starting at 1870 and being
| gradually lowered to 200 then raised
| again to the full limit of 1910 volts. The
| current was applied at COS o'clock. Inc
rurrent was shut off and a strange sound
half moan and half murmur-came from
| ;he womans lips.
DR.. Garin and DR. Spitzka applied the
;tethoscope to the heart. while Electri-
clan Davis felt the artery in the neck
Muscular action was noted by the physi-
clans and again the current passed
| through the womans body for a few sec
OudS Again the M Y Sici1nS applied the
tests to determine if life still remained
in the limp figure. For the third time
the current was sent through the body
The physicians among the states wit
nesses were then called upon one after
another, to examine the woman, after
which Warden Benham said:
THE physicians announce that the wo-
| man is dead You will please return to
my Office and sign the witness roll
The body was removed to the autopsy
room. The prison physician said:
Mrs. Farmer was killed at the first
contact. There was some slight muscu-
lar movement as is usual in electric exc
cutons and thu additional contacts were
applied until the trcmors had ceased. She
was officially pronounced dead at els"
Locked in his cell in n far away cor
ner of the prison. Jim Farmer, the hus-
band, prayed during the hour of his
wife's execution. She had told him that
she had to die at dawn and that she
had made statement that he was inno-
cent of the crime. The man verged on
collapse from grief and he finally gave
way to tears. The husband will not be
taken back to the death row. until
Wednesday morning
The witness sheet was signed in the
warden's office. "A file of witnesses. I'M
strung and nervous. passed out from tn,
main prison gate and the official pro-
ceedinss of Mary Farmers execution
were over.
The physicians report that the AUTOPSY
disc los9d that Mrs. Farmer was norma,
III every respect and that the brain show
ed no LESSONS that would Indicate a Grim
raj tendency.
Mary Farmer was sentenced to death
Tor shocking and brutal murder. Her
husband. James d. Farmer. is also IN
DEL sentence Of death he having aided