The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-03-29
WOMAN MURDERER
Is ELECTROCUTED
Mrs. Mary Farmer Is Second Woman
to Die in Electric Chair in
New York
By Associated Press.

By Associated Press.
Auburn, ~ Y. Mar 29-Murmur-
aing, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, have
mercy on my soul" Mary Farmer
was electrocuted in the Auburn prison
at six o'clock this morning for muir
der of Mrs. Sarah Brennan.
The condemned woman gave out
signed statement in which she de-
clared her husband, James Farmer
was entirely innocent and knew moth
ing of the crime until after it had
been committed.
Story of the Crime.
Mrs Mary Farmer is the second
woman to meet death in the electric
chair. The crime for which she was
executed and for which her husband,
James D. Farmer, is also under SEN
tence of death, was the murder of
Mrs. Sarah Brennan, a neighbor, in
the village of Brownsville, Jefferson
county, about four miles from the
city of Watertown, on Thursday, April
23, 1908. The body of Mrs Brennan
was found on the following Monday
Z in trunk owned by Mrs Farmer
and in her possession. Mrs. Farmer
and her husband were given separate
trials, and although the evidence was
circumstantial, both were convicted
and sentenced to be electrocuted Mrs.
Farmers counsel attempted at the
trial to establish that she was insane
and irresponsible for the crime but
the court of appeals declared that it
was clearly deliberate and inten-
tional act, and that there was no
circumstances that "mitigated against
its Nervousness"
Mrs Farmer came to this country
from Ireland in 1900 and worked for
a time as domestic in Binghamton,
going from there to Buffalo where
she married James d. Farmer in 1904
EARLY in 1906 they moved to Browns
vile where they remained for few
months at one of Farmers relatives
after which they kept boarders in an
adjoining village In May 1907 they
moved into portion of an old build
ing formerly used as a hotel in a part
) of Brownsville known as Paddy Hill.
Mrs Brennan and her husband Pat
rick lived in a house nearby which
they had occupied for twenty years
and which was owned by Mrs. Bren-
nan. Mrs Farmer became frequent
caller at the Brennan home and Mrs.
Brennan occasionally called at the
Farmers. Mrs. Brennan kept the
deed to her property, insurance pa
pers and a savings bank book in a
black oil cloth pocketbook in tin
case in her bedroom.
Months before the homicide, in Oc-
tober. 1907, Mrs Farmer went to a
lawyers Office in Watertown, produc-
ed deed of the Brennan property
and. impersonating Mrs. Brennan, had
the deed transferred to James p. Far
mer, signing the name Sarah Bren-
nan" The deed was returned from
the clerks Office to James d. Farmer
on November &c. and on January T.
1908. Mrs. Farmer and her husband
went to another lawyer in Water
town and had the deed drawn to- Peter
J. Farmer, a child who had been
born to them the preceding Septem-
Der 2.
On the day of the crime Mrs. Bren-
mans husband left early for his work
his wife telling him she was going
to visit a dentist in Watertown. Be
tween and 10 o'clock she was seen
to leave her home and enter the Far
mer house. She was never seen alive
again. Early the same day Mrs. Far
mer took her baby to the home Of
neighbor and left it saying she was
going up town Between that time
and the time Mrs. Brennan went to
the Farmer house. Mrs. Farmer pass
ed back and forth between the two
houses several times. Shortly after
noon she went for her baby and ar
ranged for a young daughter of the
Continued on Page A.