Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-12-04
A DESPERAD0'S VIEWS
Gustaye Marx Tells Why He
Became an Outlaw.
FOR SAKE OF MONEY, NOT GLORY.

More In Holding tp Than Upon
scanoIdinE Paintings" Says Chi
cngo Mana sehooimats's Tribute.
Gustave Marx. the young desperate
of Chicago whose confession has clear
ed away the mystery surrounding SIX
murders. is pronounced by alienists
victim of the dime novel, OF gang
feuds and of the lawless dance hall
Reared in a rough quarter OF Chicago.
Marx and the tNee accomplices be ac-
cuses drifted naturally into outlawry.
lit wasn't SO much dime novels,
guess" said Marx as he lounged
against the grating OF his cell. I'VE
were not trying to be bad men for
the glory I'm IL. We needed the money;
that's all.
II was making S25 a week as a
painter, but that is not enough when
you are hitting up the races. Did
ever expect TO reform? Well. ! guess
not. | could never have gone back to
the old slow life on S25 week. What's
life anyway To enjoy yourself till
you die, isn't it? And you can't die
more than once, can you? | knew
they'd get me sooner or later. but |
made up my mind Id have a good time
as long as 1t lasted and then take my
medicine.
"The men swere killed because they
did not obey orders quick enough.
Some of them made foolish moves aft.
er we had the drop on them. and these
moves cost them their lives"
Marks companions. Harvey Vandine
Peter Niedermeier and Ernest ROeskl,
are fugitives, with score Of police on
their trail.
I'VE had decided to kill Roeski." said
Marx, because we could not trust
him. He slipped away and did not
take part in the car barn robbery,
None of us trusted Niedermeier." be
continued. IL was not afraid OF him
telling on me, for he was worse than
/ was, but he was tricky. and ! was
afraid he would shoot ME In the back
and grab all the money after he did
some job. always kept him Gov
cred and would have killed him first
had he attempted anything. Vandine
was honest. l trusted him.
They can't hang me but once
was never afraid of anything. al
ways expected to be killed. | wish
had been killed when | shot Quinn.
Yes, | used to read the Bible when
| was home. That was a bluff for the
old folks. wasn't much on the read
only newspapers and some thrillers,
Of course. But any one who tries to
follow out dime novel methods In hold
ups will get caught every time"
Then how did you get into the lifer
Il couldnN see that would be risk
ing my life in holdup any more than
did every day on a rickety scaffold-
ing painting. Our first job fell through.
We were regular amateurs. We were
going to hold up Northwestern train
at GAINESVILLE. Wis. We planted some
powder in the woods near there. but it
was discovered. and the game was up.
Then we came back to Chicago and
held up the Clybourne junction station
OF the Northwestern on July g."
How did you spend your money!"
"Oh, drinking and going to dances. |
had girl, of course, and it took quite
a bunch of money to keep her going.
'Niedermier and Vandine were the
best shots In Chicago They could plug
quarter every time forty feet away.
We had planned to 60 to the Hole In
the Wall country, In Wyoming, when
it got too hot for us here.
1--WE fired more than 10000 car
tridges. We spent a lot Of our money
for ammunition. We would 70 into a
shooting gallery and shoot away $40
and then go on to another. We knew
that success depended on our being
quick and sure shots"
Detective Quinn had been warned
that Marx would shoot to kill. Quinn
had his hand on his weapon in his over
coat pocket when he approached Marx,
yet was shot and killed before he could
defend himself.
NOBODY could lick Marx" said q
former schoolmate Of the youth, land
many time have gone blocks out Of
my way to avoid him. He used to chew
tobacco in school, When we gave the
teacher an apple shower. Gus always
stole all the apples. Once he had
gang that went about stealing marbles
from the boys on the Fairgrounds. II
ended by his stealing all the plumber
from the rest Of the gang. and when
they protested he licked them one after
another"
j. M. Fitzgerald, criminologist, has
examined Marx. He says:
"In the study Of thousands Of men
have never seen one who was Of such
pronounced type Of the daredevil sort
the deliberate, merciless despera,1o