Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-03-29

body. Physicians then announced the
woman was dead.
The prison physician said: Mrs.
Farmer was killed at the first con-
tact. There was some slight muscular
movement as is usual in electric exc
lcntions and additional contacts were
applied until the tremors had ceased" ;"
Locked in cell in a faraway cor
ner of the prison, Jim Farmer, the
husband, prayed during the hour Of
his wife's execution. She had told him
she had to die at dawn. and that she
1l,ld made a statement that he was in
nocent of the crime. The man verged
OIL collapse from grief, and he fire.
q1lently gave way to tears.
Mrs. Farmers Crime.
Mrs. Mary Farmer is the second
woman to meet death in the electric
CT air. The crime for which she was
executed and for which her husband.
James D. Farmer. is also under sem
tence of death, was the murder of Mrs.
Sarah Brennan, a neiEhbor in the vii
lage of Brownsville, Jefferson county,
about four miles from the city OF
Watertown, on Thursday, April 20,
19D8. The body OF Mrs. Brennan was
found on the following Monday in a
trunk owned by Mrs. Farmer and in
her possession. Mrs. Farmer and her
husband We're given separate trials,
and altho the evidence was circum-
stantial both were convicted and SEN
fenced to be electrocuted. Mrs. Farm
ers counsel attempted at the trial to
establish that she was insane and ir-
responsible for the crime but the court
of appeals declared that it was Clear
ly deliberate and Intentional act"
and that there was no circumstances
that "mitigated against it's heinous-
ness"
Mrs. Farmer came to this country
from Ireland in 1900 and worked for a
time as a domestic in Binghamton, go
ing. from there to Buffalo where she
married James D. Farmer in 1904.
Early in 1905 they moved ITO Browns
Vile where they remained for a few
months at one of Farmers relatives
after which they kept boarders in an
adjoining village In May, 1907, they
moved into a portion Of an old build
ing formerly used as a hotel in part
of Brownsville, known as Paddy Hill.
Property Back of Crime.
Mrs. Brennan and her husband Pat
rick, lived in a house near by which
they had occupied for twenty years
and which was owned by Mrs. Bren-
nari. Mrs. Farmer became frequent
caller at the Brennan home and Mrs.
Bre nnan occasionally called on the
Farmers. Mrs. Brennan kept the deed
to aer property, insurance papers and
a savings bank book in a black oil-
cloth pocketbook in tin case in her
bedroom.
tobsr, 1907, Mrs. Farmer went to a
lawyers office in Watertown, pro-
due I'D deed of the Brennan property
and, innpersonating Mrs. Brennan, had
the deed transferred to James d.
Farmer, signing the name Sarah
Brennan" The deed was returned from
the clerks office to James d. Farmer,
on Nov. 26, and on Jan. Z, 1908, Mrs.
Farmer and her husband went to an
other lawyer in Watertown and had
the deed drawn to Peter J. Farmer, a
child who had been born to them the /,
preo eding Sept. 2.
Killed in Former Home.
On the day of the crime Mrs. Bren-
mans husband left early for his work, |
1is wife telling him she was going to .
visit dentist in Watertown. Between
, and 10 O'Clock she was seen to leave
ler home and enter the Farmer House.
She was never seen alive again. Early /
he same day Mrs. Farmer took her
baby to the home of neighbor and left
t, saying she was going up town. Be-
ween that time and the time Mrs.
Brennan went to the Farmer house,
Mrs. Farmer passed back and forth be-
ween the two houses several times.
Shortly after noon she went for her
,aby and arranged for a young daugh-
er of the neighbor to assist her in car
ng ..or the child.
The girl, upon her arrival. found
Farmer and his wife at lunch and later
le left for the home of his sister where
lie was laying walk. Soon after Mrs.
Garner went into the Brennan house.
he returned and told the girl to go
or her husband but Farmer refused TO
eturn home Mrs. Farmer then went 10
he sisters home with a package which
,rov,ed to be the black oilcioth pocket
ook of Mrs. Brennan containing the
eeds, insurance and other papers and
aid she wanted to leave 1t for awhile.
Farmer Claims Property.
Bre nnan upon his return from work
hat afternoon was unable TO get into
is house. The keys which his wife
ras in the habit of leaving We're not
4 their accustomed place. While he
vas irying to get in he saw Farmer