The Washington times., 1909-03-29
Goes to Her Death With No
Emotion, Chanting a
Prayer.
THREE SHOCKS SENT
THROUGH HER BODY
Women Accompany Murderess For
Last March-Stolidly Indif-
ferent to the Last.

AUBURN, n. Y, March 29.-With
half-closed eyes and muttering a prayer
Mrs. Mary Farmer walked TO the cleo
trio chair in historic Auburn prison at
four minutes and thirty seconds past 6
o'clock this morning, and gave up her
life as penalty for the murder of Sarah
Brennan.
The electrical execution of the first
woman in Auburn prison, and the sec
ond in New York State was signany
successful. After three contacts OF the
powerful current, the murderess was
pronounced dead by Warden Benham at
6:15 O'Clock.
While the mystic power sufficient TO
move the heaviest freight train or orive
the most ponderous machinery was
racing through the rigid, distended body,
annihilating every vestige of human
life, the husband paced his cell within
t. stones throw OF the execution
chamber, condemned TO die in the same
chair for completely in the murder
which has been styled by two courts
and the governor as one Of the most
deliberate and cruel in the criminal
annals OF the State.
Innocent Sufferer.
Two score miles away. within sight Of
the scene OF the murder, in the little
village of Brownsville, an infant son
lay fretting in his crib, unconscious Of
the significance Of this dawn-the climax
TO the first chapter OF the judicial decree
that may make OF him an orphan, shorn
even OF the consolation. of wholesome
memory.
In a last word to Father Hickey, Of
the Holy Family Church, WHO has min
lstered to her spiritual needs through
out the long confinement IL the dungeon
OF the condemned, Mary Farmer die
tated her coafession-a perfunctory,
brief decla4ation OF her husbands inno-
cence Of the crime for which he stands
condemned to die.
Father Hickey believes the chair has
claimed an insane victim. Sheriff Bel
linger, Of Jefferson county. who dis
covered the mutilated body Of Sarah
Brennan in the trunk and first accused
the husband and wife, has no patience
with the theory of even a supervened
insanity.
she was as sane as I am" declared
the officer who thinks the law bat half
vsndicated, after witnessing the execu-
yon.
Although no maternal interest was
manifested by Mary Farmer in her
baby boy during her long Incarceration
in the woman's prison, the shadows or
the death chair chamber witnessed the
fruits OF / fieeting thought TO his future,
in the dictation Of an autobiography that
IS TO be read 10 him by Father Hickey
when tie lad is capable OF understand
ing.
Showed No Feeling.
Until the ominous tapping Of Captain
Patterscn's mace upon The heavy iron
door of the cOndomned's cell as a signal
for the death march Mary Farmer was
a study of vacant disinterest. Her in
termittent manifestations of religious
thought were the result Of the fncessant |
counsel Of her spiritual adviser. As the
procession formed, the condemned wun- /
ans eyes closed and her lips responded
TO the reverberating monotone Of Faith /
er Hickcy's prayer.
As the ponderOUs door swung inward
TIE priest emerged, chanting the writ
The sound Of his voice and the shuf- 4
fling Of feet relieved the tension OF
the witnesses and the Duzzing Of the T.
dynamo Just behind him with ewes T
closed, walked Mary Farmer with "a
step and IeUruur that betrayed the /.
mask OF stupid indifference. With q
hand t0uchlng gently each elbow f.
walked Mrs John DUnnigaq and Miss .
Mary Gornlan, the wOmans attendants .
who have watched day and night at mo
cell Or the condemned woman since .
her iucarce ration.
Captains Crowley and MartinE and the F.
principal Keeper, Captain Peterson.
closed the procession.
StumblCs on Mat.
At the end OF the short walk OF a /
dozen PAGES Mary Farmer stumbled 4
Slightly upon the rubber mat that in