Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-30
MARY FARMER
PAYS PENALTY
MURDERESS ELECTR0CUTED
AS PRIEST PRAYS
MEETS DEATH IN CHAIR WITH
CRUClFlx IN HANDS
Slayer of Mrs. Brennan Dies for Brutal
Crime Which She Committed
at Brownvi lle-Exe-
: cution Quiet

executed Tor the lHuIucI vi wi . HeNi an
Brennan at Brownville last April.
The execution OF Mrs. Farmer-the
second infection of the death penalty
on a woman by electrocution in this
state-was effected without sensation
al incidents.
Five women, two of whom were prison
attendants, were witnesses. Father
hickey, spiritual adviser of the con-
demned woman, following the. execu-
ton gave out statement signed by
Mrs. Farmer in which she declared
that her husband, James Farmer, was
entirely innocent and knew nothing of
the crime until it had been committed.
Led by Father Hickey, and with
Mrs. Sunnigan and Mrs. German, who
have attended her constantly since she
was brought to Auburn prison, Mrs
Farmer walked unfalteringly to the
death chair her eyes half closed, and
clasping a crucifiX in her hands.
AS she was being strapped in the
chair, Father Hickey stood at her side
and offered prayers for the dying. b.
Dies at First Shock
DR.. John Germ, the prison physician,
said that the woman was dead after
the first shock, but as there was still
a tremor of muscles reacting, two
succeeding contacts were given.
State Electrician David said that
1910 volts and ~ amperes was the
strength of the current that passed
through the woman's body.
After Warden Benham announced
that the physician had pronounced
Mrs. Farmer dead, DR.. Edward Spitzka
of Philadelphia and DR.. Charles Lam
bert of the Pathological institute at
Wards island, N. Y, performed the
autopsy.
All night long the wretched woman
had prayed within her cell on the sec
ond tier of the woman's department on
the condemned row, after she babe
farewell to her .usband. Separated by
steel bars and an intervening screen,
husband. and wife spent their final
hour together in quiet conversation.
The final word was spoken, last
goodby, the weeping husband returned
to his cell, and the woman was led
down the narrow corridor.
Early thu morning Father Hickey
joined the watcher at Mrs. Farmer
cell door. In the pale light of the
corridor the woman and priest prayed
together, the last sacrament was ad-
ministered, and Mrs. Farmer said she
was not afraid to die.
Dressed in Black
Mrs. Farmer was dressed in plain
black waist and skirt. Her hair was
brushed back from her forehead and
fell in two braids. Two or three locks
We're cut from the scalp so that the
head electrode might be properly adj
iusted. and the woman attendants slit
the left side of the skirt as far as the
knee and cut the stocking.
None except those having official IN
Vitations were admitted to the eXecu-
ton. The three woman witnesses were
Dr. H. NJ Westfall of Moravia, n. y;
Miss Agnes Baird of Troy, N. Y, and
Miss Margaret T. >Byrne of Auburn.
Miss Baird and Miss Byrne are nurses;
When all was in readiness the wat
nesses were formed in line, and after
being cautioned against any demon
stration led into the death chamber.
State Electrician Davis tested the
dynamos and wires leading to the death
chair. Everything was found to be IN
working order. Warden Beham nodded
to Capt. Patterson. There was low
knock at the steel door, the door was
opened by some one within and the
woman was led in.
The priest led the way, offering an al
most inaudible prayer, while Just behlnd
him came Mary Farmer. Her hands
clasped a crucifix and she murmured
until the end came:
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, nave mercy
on my SOUL"
Time Seems lnternInapic
Tt might have been only a few sec
onds before the straps were adjusted,
though it seemed an 1ntermlnanie
period.
: The two woman attendants stood by
the wall and the two nurses and DR.:
Westfall ranged themselves in front OF
the black-gowned figure, while Capt.
Patterson adjusted the leg electrode.
The rubber mask was adjusted over
the eyes and the head electrode at
tached.
A word from the state electrician and
the attendants, nurses and Warden
Benham stepped back from the thick
rubber mat on which the death chair is
placed The hand of State Electrician
Davis traced a slow arc with the switch
behind 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 race
with her hands. Only the clicking of
the tightening straps and the murmur
of dynamos in an adjoining room could
be heard.
The first contact lasted a full minute,
the voltage starting at 1910 and being
gradually lowered to 200, then raised
again to the full limit of 1910 volts.
The current was applied at 6:C5
"
a strange sound-half moan and hale
murmur-came from the womans lips
Or. Germ and DIR. Spitzka applied the
stethoscope to the heart while Elec-
trician Davis felt the artery in the
neck.
Current Again Applied
Muscular action was noted by the
physicians and again the current
passed through the woman's body for
period of a few seconds.
Once more the physicians stepped for
ward and applied the test to determine
if life still remained IN the limp figure
in the chair For the third time the
state electrician sent the current
through the body
The woman was then pronounced
dead and DR.. Germ directed the prison
attendants to remove the body to the
autopsy room.
Locked in his cell in a faraway cor
ner of the prison Jim Farmer, the hus-
band, prayed during the hour of his
wife's execution.
She had told him she had to die at
dawn and that she had made a state
ment that he was innocent of the
crime. The man verged on collapse
from grief and frequently 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
wardens office, a file of witnesses, UNI
81 - 80 10