The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-03-29
Woman Murderess Killed In
The Electrical Chair After
Three Charges, 1900 Volts,
Were Applied.
HER SOUL DEPARTED
WITH PRAYER ON LIPS
Before Being Executed, Won,-
an Gives Her Confessor a
Statement Exonerating the
Husband of Crime.

auourn, n L.. March SS.-Mr0.
Mary Farmer was punished for the
murder Of Sarah Brennan by death in
the electric chair at CHS this morn
ing. Five women and twenty men wit
messed the execution. The woman left
with Father Hickey a statement COM
pletely generating her husband.
James. who is also under sentence Of
death. 1t required three applications
OF electric current, I.SOO volts to kill
her. Her heart wns found to be flut.
tering after each of the first two char
ges. The condemned woman did not
collapse but steadfastly continued NUT.
tering prayer. Jesus. Mary and Jo-
seph have mercy upon me- which
Father Hickey had instructed her to
do. Her last words to her husband
were that she hoped she would sue
ceed In clearing him as she had
brought him into the trouble.
Mrs. Farmer was the second woman
upon whom the death penalty. by elec-
tricity has been imposed In this state.
The motive of her crime, which was
most brutal. was to obtain property.
The woman lef. in the hands OF her
father confessor. the Rev. J. J. Hickey.
the following confession completely ex-
onerating her husband.
Exonerates Husband.
Auburn. N. Y. March -. 1904.
ITO Rev. J. J. Hickey:
MY husband. flames d. Farmer,
never had q hand in Sarah Brennsu's
death. nor never knew anything about
IL until the trunk was opened. I new
er told him anything that had happen
ed. l feel he has been terribly wrong
ed. James ID. Farmer was not at
home the day the affair happened. nei-
ther did James d Farmer ever put a
hand on Sarah Brennan after her
death. Again wish to say az strong
ly as can. that my husband. James ID.
Farmer. is entirely innocent Of thu
death OF Sarah Brennan: that he
knowingly had no part in any plans
that led to II and that he knew nothing
whatever about It. Signed,
MARY H. FARMER"
+ Mary Farmer entered her death cell
adjoining the execution chamber. at
1919 last night. For two hours she
stood and sat in the corridor of the
condemned row. breathing words Of
consolation. hope and even cheer to q
piteous sobbing figure inside the dou-
BILE barred and screened CELL lie was
her husband. At last kindly hand
touched her on the shoulder to give
the word that her last farewell TO the
living was over. She sighed. arose.
firmly pressed her face close to the
net work of iron and murmured slowly:
Good bye Jim, I hope ! have saved
you. We meet no more on earth. but
in heaven. Good bye dear. brought
IL all on you: forgive me and pray feg
me tonight"
Trembied With Grief.
The two attendants were trembling
with grief and tears rolled down their
cheeks. They had seen many fare
wells, but never a condemned husband
to his wife who was about to die.
They urged her gently. She said.
"Just one second more. Oh. please
Jim don't forget little Pete-may God
| save his soul" The husbands pa
thetic outburst OF grief sounded
| through the melancholy hall. His
face was pressed against the bars.
Tears fell through the grating and he
repeated again and again. -'Oh God.
Mary. Oh God" She turned to her
attendants: she did not break down:
she did not even shed a tear. Only the
rapid and agitafed twisting and twin
ing Of one hand over the other betray-
ed the strain under which she labored.
As she stepped away the cries Of de-
spair sounded louder. she turned
slightly and said: BE brave. Jim" IL
was the parting advice Of q woman
whose stoicism is the marvel Of the
Auburn police authorities. There
were no embraces. or even handclasps
not even a farewell kiss through the
bars. There is no parting kiss for q
condemned husband or wife under tha
law.