Evening journal., 1909-03-29
MRS. FARMER
PUT TO DEATH
Continued from FIRST Page.

Although no material interest was
manifested by Mary Farmer in her
baby boy during her long incarcer-
alton in the woman's prison. the
shadows of the death chamber wit
messed the fruits of a fieeting thought
to his future in the dictation Of an
autobiography that is 10 be read to
him by Father Hickey when the lad is
capable of understanding.
Until the ominous tapping of Captain
Pattersor's mace upon the heavy iron
door of the condemned cell as a signal
for the death march. Mary Farmer was
q study of vacant disinterest- Her in
termittent manifestations of religious
thought were the result of the inces-
SAINT counsel of her spiritual advisor.
AS the procession formed the con-
demned woman's eyes closed and her
lips responded to the reverberating
monotone of Father HiclSey's prayer.
AS the ponderous door swung inward.
thep riest emerged chanting the writ
ten prayers of the Catholic Church.
THE sound of his voice and the shuffl-
ing OF feet relieved the tenseness of
the witnesses and the buzzing of the
dynamo. Just behind him, with eyes
closed, walked Mary Farmer, with a
step and murmur that betrayed the
mask of stupid indifference. With a
hand touching gently each elbow walk
ed Mrs. John Dunnigan, and Miss
Mary German, the woman attendants
who have watched day and night at
the cell of the condemned woman since
her incarceration. Captains Crowley
and Martin and the principal keeper,
Captain Patterson, closed the process
sion.
No Sign of Fear.
At the end of the short walk of
dozen PAGES Mary Farmer stumbled
slightly upon the rubber mat that in
sulated the chair, but the firm grip
Of the attendants staunched any fear
and the victim gave no sign. The cor
ridor door changed as she seated her
self camply I'm the brass-rigged chair.
At a signal from Warden Benham, the
two women attendants and Or. Helen NJ.
Westfal ranged themselves upon the in
sulating mat to obscure the vision of the
witnesses. as Captain Patterson adjusted
the electrodes to the victims legs. Cap
tain Marting and Electrician Davis ad-
justed the wrist contact straps. the heavy
helmet and mask. To safeguard an emerg-
ency the hair of the condemned was ar
ranged in little braids which hung loosely
in the back.
Electrician Davis signalled that all was
in readiness. as he stepped toward the
switchboard. Warden Benham nodded his
assent to the electrician.
A few seconds seemed to elapse into an
hour as Electrician Davis stood with his
hand on the switch, watching the slow
breathing of the copdemned to catch the
exhalatlon and avoid the wierd moan Of
the breath as it passes out under the first
charge of electricity.
The switch was jammed into its socket
at 665:ss and the limp body jumped into
the creaking straps, remaining rigid in the
distended position while 1910 volts, seven
and one-half amperes OF electricity raced
through the body A barely audible moan
escaped the lips at the first shock. The
contact was maintained mtn e06:40 just
one minute and two seconds.
As the body relaxed into limp posture
with the opening OF the switch. Prison
Physician John Germ advanced with DIR.
spitzka, the alienist. from Jefferson Medi-
cal College. Philadelphia, and Electrician
Davis to examine the condition of the vic
tim.
Three Shocks Applied.
Dr. Germ slit the waist and applied the
stethoscopeto the breast. Attracted by the
flushed condition OF the flesh, DR.. Germ
passed the instrument to DIR. Spitzka, who
manifested intense interest in the peculiar
/ color Slowly under the examination the
| flush faded and apparently at the instance
/ OF the alienlst Elienist Electrician Davis
/ was signaled to apply a second contact
! The second shock of the same power was
/ applied at 6.0S;15 and maintained for five
seconds and a second examination re-
vealed the body as wax. A third shock was
applied at 611:50 and continued for three
seconds. and DR.. Germ again applied the
stethoscope. Following this examination
all attending physicians applied the m
strument, each nodding assent that life
was extinct.
The voice OF Warden Benham broke
an oppressive silence. as the physi-
clans retreated from the lifeless form
at $3.50 o'clock.
1.-THE physicians say the woman is
dead" announced the warden. DR.
Germ wishes to announce that the au-
topsy will take place at $50. You will
please return 10 the Office and sign the
death certificate"
As the echoes reverbcratcd through
the death chamber the witnesses began
to tiptoe. out OF the room, only the
physicians and Father Hickey remain
ing. Among the official witnesses was
Dr. Edwin A. Spitzka, of Jefferson
Medical College, Philadelphia.
For the first time in the history OF
the prison all condemned prisoners
} were removed from death alley adjoin.
} ing the execution chamber so tha
- --- --~~r1er was beyond earshot OF
eyesight of the five murderers await.
ing the day of execution. All Of tn,
condemned prisoners. save her husband
James ID. Farmer, were removed from
the death house cells last night be
fore the final visit between the con
demned husband and wife. After thl
parting James Farmer was taken t.
cell in the old condemned row il
another building more than a hundre,
yards distant and his wife was lef
alone in the blanketed chamber. Th'
meeting of the condemned woman ant
her husband. last night, was one of th
most affecting scenes ever witnessel
by Father Hickey, whose ling exper
ience with executions has somewha
, inuned him 70 their hardships. Their
s were no tears. no touch Of the hands
For fine screen aided the steel bar
I in carrying out the mandate foht la,
{ that there shall be no physical con
r tact between condemned prisoners. A
result of the meeting James Farme