Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-12-02
CONFESSES TO
MANY MURDERS
Peter Neidermeier, a Young Chicago
Bandit, Tells a Startling List
Of Crimes.
WANTS REWARD FOR MOTHER
The FiliaI Instinct Very Strong De-
spite His Bloody career-others
to be Arrested.

HeleT, one VI lut mtuDtI VI lnc quui
tette of young bandits, who, for the
last six months, have terrorized Chi
cago, in another confession today add.
ed several more crimes to the long
list already charged against him, Van
Diem, Marx and Roeski.
With parental love uppermost in his
mind, Neidermeier offered to tell
Chief of Police O'Neill of score of
robberies, burglaries and other crimes
that he had committed il the rewards
offered will only be given to his moth
er.
Il want to know that my mother
will be cared for after | am hanged"
said the 21-year-old boy, who is now
a self-confessed murderer of five men.
II am guilty of crimes of which you
know nothing and for which innocent
men are suffering. There are rewards
offered for the culprits' arrest and
conviction. II you will guarantee that
these rewards will go to my mother
| will convict myself. | will confess
crimes that will startle you"
In order to make his word good
Neidermeier told of few crimes he
claimed to have committed. He out
lined them in such manner, Chief
of Police O'Neill declared today, as
only one concerned in them could do.
Neidermeier, however, refused to di-
vulge the names of his partners in
the affairs referred to pending the as
surance that his mother would get the
rewards referred to.
A few of the additional crimes he
claims to have participated in are as
follows:
Robbery of the Illinois Central lin
tied express at Paducah, KY, IN which
Barth, one of the robbers, cut his
throat, while surrounded in a swamp,
the others escaped.
Hold-up of a stage coach, commit
ted in Butler, Neb., two years ago,
and robbers escaped.
Hold-up and robbery of the Chicago
& Northwestern passenger train near
Bourne Ia. six months ago.
Hold-up and attempted robbery OF
a Baltimore & Ohio train at Edge
more, Ind, four years ago.
Minor hold-ups and robberies in
Chicago were mentioned by Neider-
meier. But in all cases he was care
full to conceal the names Of his asso-
ciates In crime, merely giving suffici-
ent outlines of the crimes to warrant
Chief O'Neill to believe that Neider-
meier is telling the truth.
When Neidermeier was taken back
to his cell II was with the assurance
that his mother would be bettered
$500 financially. Special Agent Will
ey. of the Chicago & Northwestern,
promised him that Mrs. Niedermeier
would be given $500 for the arrest
and conviction of the robbers at ely
bourne station and generating a man
named Dolan, of st. Louis, who is
now under indictment. Operator
Dougherty and Ticket Agent Lathrop,
of Clybourne station, were present
during Niedermeier's confession, go
ing over with him In detail the rob-
berry and shooting Of Lathrop.
Neidermeier detailed the Paducah,
KY, hold-up perfectly refusing to tell
-o,x,a. fou Tho raacnp that noua of the
Illinois Central Detectives were pres.
ent. He offered 70 tell Special Agent
O'Keefe the entire story of the rob-
berry and to show him the house In
Kentucky where he had hid after the
robbery.
81 held up the train alone" said
Niedermeier. then | entered the bag.
gage car and threw out the mail
sacks. Barth grabbed them. | did
not get any. as | was lucky in getting
away with my life. They found Barth
in a swamp with his throat cut.
Before last May | spent three
years in hold-ups and robberies out.
side Chicago and il the rewards are
forthcoming for my mother | will
make a clean breast of everything.
The police have been so appalled,
by Niedermeier's confessions that
they hardly give credence to all his
assertions. 1t is thought his anxiety
over his mothers welfare has prompt
ed him to make himself the author OF
crimes he did not commit. From as
sertions made by Niedermeier and
Van Dein today. it Is said several ar
rests will be made.
Chief O'Neill said tonight there was
strong probability that Neidermeier
and Van Dein will tell who were
their accomplices in other crimes in
which both men have had a hand.