The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1909-04-02
WOMAN MURDERER
Is ELECTROCUTEO
Mrs. Mary Farmer IS Second Woman
to Die IN Electric Chair ir
New York.
~ Associated Press


Auburn y. Il. Mar 2s-Murmur
ling. Jesus Mary and Joseph have
mercy on my soul Mary Farmer
was electrocuted % the Auburn prison
at six O'Clock this morning for muir
der Of Mrs. sarah Brennan
The condemned woman gave out
a signed statement in which she de-
clared her husband. James Farmer
was eutirely innocent and knew moth
ling Of the crime until after it had
been committed.
Story Of the Crime
Mrs MARY Farmer IS the second
woman TO meet death II the electric
chair The crime for which she vas
executed and for which her husband.
James D. Farmer. IS also under sen.
tence Of death. was the murder OF
Mrs sarah Brennan, a neighbor. In
the village Of Brownsville. Jefferson
county. about four miles from the
city Of Watertown, on Thursday. April
%. 1908 The body of Mrs Brennan
vas found on the following Monday
10 a trunk owned by Mrs Farmer
and iu her possession Mrs Farmer
and her husband were given separate
trials. and although the evidence. was
cireumstantial. both we're convicted
and sentenced to be electrocuted Mrs.
Farmers counsel attempted at the
trial % establish that she was insane
and irresponsible for the crime but
the court Of appeals declared that II
was clearly a deliberate and inten.
tional act. and that there was no
circumstances that "mitigated against
us Nervousness
Mrs Farmer came TO this country
from Ireland in 1900 and worked for
d time as q domestic in Binghamton,
going from there 10 Buffalo where
she married James d Farmer In 1904.
Earl. in 1905 they moved 10 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 a part
of Brownsville known as Paddy Hill.
Mrs. Brennan and her husband Pat.
rick lived IN q house nearby which
they had occupied for twenty years
and which was owned by Mrs Bren.
nan Mrs Farmer became frequent
caller at the Brennan home and Mrs.
Brennan occasionally called az the
Farmers Mrs Brennan kept the
deed TO her property. insurance pa
pers aud a savings bank book in a
black oil cloth pocketbook in a tin
case In her bedroom.
Months before the homicide. In oc-
tober, 1907 Mrs Farmer went to a
lawyers Office IN Watertown. produc-
ed deed Of the Brennan property
and. imperaonatng Mrs Brennan. had
the deed transferred to James ID. Far.
mer. signing the name Sarah Bren.
nan" The deed was returned from
the clerks Office TO James ID. Farmer
on November 26. and on January Z,
1908. Mrs Farmer and her husband
went 20 another lawyer in Water
town and had the deed drawn to Peter
j. Farmer a child who had been
born 70 them The preceding septem.
Der 2.
On the day OF the crime Mrs Bren.
mans husband left early for his work
his wife telling him she was going
to visit a dentist IN watertown BE,
tween 9 and 10 o'clock she was seen
TO leave her home and enter the Far.
mer house She was never seen alive
again Early the same day Mrs. Far
mer took her baby to the home Of a
neighbor and left It saying she was
going up town. Between that time
aud the time Mrs Brennan went "a
the Farmer house. Mrs Farmer pass
ed back and forth between the two
houses several times Shortly after
noon she went for her baby and ar.
ranged for a young daughter Of the
neighbor to assist her IN caring for
the child
The girl upon her arrival. found
Farmer and his wife at lunch and
later he left for the home Of bis sis.
ter whore he was laying a walk Soon
after Mrs. Farmer went into the Bren.