Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-14

ready to 60 and will be glad when the time
comes. l would not have killed my wife
and her father II l had not got so mad.
But there is no use TO worry now. tie
done"
This morning Niegenhnd ate . hearty
breakfast and at noon, less than an hour
before his death. he ate heartily Of boiled
beef and horseradish and said be relished
his meal.
In all his actions Niegen1nd displayed a
sort Of stolid indifference to his impending
doom. which, while evidently unnatural. did
not seem to indicate real unconcern, simply
a lack Of Rensitiveness to the actual con-
ditions. When he started from his cell to
the gallows he said TO those accompanying
him:
Come on. we are going now. It will
soon be over"
He had been laughing Just before this,
but as he emerged from the prison door
into the open air he rslspsed into a state
Of manifest seriousness, which remained
until he mounted the scaffold, where siH
minutes later he swung to his doom.
Niegenhnd had requested Rev. Mr.. Allen
bach to have his body buried at Pierce,
his home, and the minister is endesvoring
to carry out his wish, but may not sue
coed. II he does not, the burial will be
in Wyuka cemetery, Lincoln. E
Gottlieb Breyer, brother Of the murdered
woman, was the only relative at the execu-
ton. Representatives Of the Omaha and
I Lincoln newspapers and several members
Of the legislature were present.
N~iesenand RecOnciIed to Fate.
Niegenhnd has spent the last three weeks
under the close espionage Of the death
watch. He has occupied a cell isolated
from all the others, In the hospital ward.
He has watched death approach With rer
markable calm. He asserted ten days ago
that he had made his peace with God. and
thereafter was seemingly contented and
without dread or fear. He has eaten three
square meals a day and slept soundly at
night. His general health has been good
and he has laughed heartily at some poor
little jokes OF his OWN.
E~iegenhnd's crime was a peculiarly afro
cious one. On September II last he arrived
in Pierce from Kansas. He had. some years
before, lived in the county. and had met
and married a Mrs. Peters, the widowed
daughter of Albert Breyer, a prosperous
farmer, living six miles east Of Pierce.
Niegenhnd was addicted to drink and had
an ugly temper. His wife left him because
Of his abuse and before the tragedy secured
a divorce. At the same time she was
awarded the custody OF their child, a boy
Niegenhnd claimed at the time that it was
the influence OF his wife's parents that
caused all their troubles. He talked wildly
Of revenge. but went away.
On Thursday morning, September IL last
he appeared at the Breyer farm and had q
talk with his father-in-law. HI was or
dered on the place. A few hours after.
ward he returned and this time demanded
Of his wife that she return to live with
him, but she refused and was counseled by
her parents to have nothing more to dc
with him. He asked TO see his boy, but
the wife told him the child was no longer
his and that he could not see him. Niegen.
find turned away and, going back to Pierce
bought a revolver. About dusk he returned
to the farm. Outside he met Breyer. The,
had an alteration and he shot the old man
Mrs. Breyer, his mother-in-law, witnessed
the shooting and ran out crying to Niegen-
find not 20 shoot her husband. He tool
several shots at the old woman, but she
ran away and escaped fatal injury, although
two bullets struck her. Three times be
shot at the PROSTATE old man. reloadinl
while standing over him. His Wife heard
the shooting and ran out. but. fearing
Niegenhnd would kill her. started AROUND
the other side Of the barn. Her ~ex-husbane
intercepted her as she turned the corner
and killed her. Niegenhnd started 10 ru1
down the road and met a younger sister
Of his former wife. 1t was charged at frs.
that he attempted to criminslly assault her
but It developed later that he simply tor,
her clothes on in his mad rage. He die
not shoot her. and she gave the alarm.
Flight and Capture.
For almost a week Niegenhnd was a fugi,
tive from justice. The Lincoln bloodhound
chased him unavnilingly. He seemed L
have disappeared from sight. AS a matte
Of fact. however, the man had walked
three miles away from the Breyer farm
and slept peacefully all night al a forme
acquaintance's house, where news Of tn
tragedy had not been circulated. He rod
with this friend TO within two miles o
Ninside. in Wayne county. the next morn
ing. A little distance down the road n
was Oyertaken by County Commissions
Cullen, who gave him a lift for four mile
in the country. Niegenhnd finally stoppe
at the home OF Gustave Rehmus. where b
obtained employment. The hue and CT
went on. but only Cullen recognised hi
erstwhile companion by the description
He did not know where Niegenhnd hA
gone. Dave Leary, a liveryman Of Wa
side secured a few clues and started on
TO the Rehmus place. -Four miles southeas
Of WiDsice he overlook Rehnus and Neig
enhnd, driving cattle in the road. Lear
drove round the herd and. h~urrying en- I
20 Cullen's place, told hin Of his suspicion,
Soon the two men and III" herd showed NJ
Cullen Identified Niegenhnd. TINS va
enough for LeaTy. and with a companion
Perry Borum. and sWO shOtguns. took
shortcut across The fields TO head on Meg
onhnd They took positions overlooki9
the road and when the murderer came u
ordered him TO throw up his hands. Fo
reply he pulled a six -shooter and. leapin
behind Rehmus. sought - wee ht7
shield His would-be eAptors we're con