Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-30
SAYS HUSBAND HAD
NO PART IN CRIME
STATEMENT GIVEN OUT BY CON
pEMNED WoMAN'S SPIRITUAL
ADVISER AFTER HER DEATH
TO THIS EFFECT.

Auhurn. N. Y. March 29.-Murmur
ing prayer for her soul. Mrs. Mary
Farmer was quietly led to the electrlc
chair in Auburn prison shortly after
& o'clock this morning and executed
for the murder of Mrs. Sarah Bren-
nan at Brownville last April. Inc
execution was effected without sen
sational incident. Five women, TWO
nf whom we're prison attendants, were
witnesses. Father Hickey, the spirit
nal adviser of the condemned woman,
following the execution gave out a
statement signed by Mrs. Farmer IN
which she declared her hnshano,
lanes Farmer, was entirely innocent
and knew nothing of the crime until
after it had been committed. Mrs.
Farmer walked llnfalteringly to the
death chair, her eyes half closed and
clasping the crucifix in her hands. AS
she was being strapped in the chair,
Father Hickey stood at her side and
offered prayers for the dying.
DR.. John Germ, the prison physician
said the woman was dead after the
first shock, but as there was still a
tremor of muscular reaction, Two sue
ceeding contacts were given. State
Electrician Davis said 1,S40 volts and
71b amperes was the strength of the
current that passed through the
Woman's body.
Parting With Husband.
James Farmer, the husband, who al
20 is under sentence of death for the
killing of the Brennan woman and
whose case is before the court Of ap
peals. was taken to another part OF
the prison that he might not hear the
tread of witnesses on their way to the
room of the execution or the marcf
Of his wife to her death.
The wretched woman showed last
night no evidence Of collapse, though
the last words between herself ano
husband, separated in their parting in
terval by heavy bars, forming an i'm
penetrable screen, were affecting tt
the two women attendants and the
captain of the guard. AS the law does
not permit it, there was no farewell
embrace.
After the steel door of Mrs. Farm
er's cell had closed and James Farmer
weeping, had been lead away, the
woman fell upon her cot and wept fol
time and then became calmer.
Story of the Crime.
Mrs Farmer will have been the sec
ond woman to meet death In the cleo
trio chair The crime for which she
( gave her life was the murder o
Mrs Sarah Brennan, nelghbor, II
the village of Brownville, Jefferson
county, about four miles from Water
town, on April %, 90S.
Mrs. Brennan and her husband Pat
rick lived in house nearby whicl
was owned by Mrs. Brennan. Th'
families occasionally visited. Mrs
Brennan kept the deed to her prop
erty, insurance papers, and saving
bank book in a black oilcloth pocket
book
In October, 1907 Mrs. Farmer wen
to lawyers Office in Watertown, Pre-
duced a deed to the Brennan property
and, impersonating Mrs. Brennan, ha'
the deed transferred to James I
Farmer, signing the name "Sara1
Brennan"
Seen Entering Farmers Home.
On the day of the crime Mrs. Brer
mans husband left early for his work
his wife telling him she was going t
visit dentist in Watertown. She wa
seen to leave her home and enter tn
Farmer house. She was never see
alive again.
Brennan upon his return from wor
was unable trS get into his house. Th
keys his wife was in the habit of lea1
Ing were not in their accustome
place. While he was trying to get i
Farmer, who was standing nearby, re
marked:
Brennan, don't you know I bough
I this place?"
Brennan finally secured ladder, Ell
tered second story window, and OF
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