The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-01
DASH FOR LIBERTY
WAS TO HAVE BEEN MADE BY
NEIDERMIER.
POLICE CHIEF EXPECTED Il
AND ADOPTED MEASURES TO PRE-
VENT 1T.

Young Desperate Was Ready to
Make n Bold Move for Freedom.
His Ruse and How He PurpOsed
to Profit from It-Van Dein, His
COnfede rate, May Plead Insanity.
The Murderers Discuss Religion
and Give Their Views of Death.
Chicago. Nov. 3O-The youthful self
confessed murderers and train rob-
bers Peter Neidermier, Harvey Van
Dein, Gustave Marx and Emil Roeski,
were arraigned in court tonight. Marx
pleaded guilty to all the charges against
him, but his three accomplices plead
ed not guilty.
During the afternoon the prisoners
were removed from the Harrison police
station to the county Jail, where they
will remain until brought to trial.
No excitement marked the trip to the
Jail Each prisoner was placed in
separate patrol wagon and was guard
ed by seven policemen and two deputy
sheriffs. During the journey, Roeski
joked with one of the policemen and
sarcastically said:
81 would like to have you alone for
just one minute"
Neidermier's Plan.
Chief of Police O'Neil in person
frustrated plan by which Peter
Nedermier sought to escape from
the Harrison Street Station during an
interview with the chief. AS a result
of the incident, however, the police to-
day redoubled the guard over the cell
in which Neidermier was locked.
i. l..YA hi
plan to make dash for liberty. He
craftily arranged to meet Chief O'Neil
alone in Inspector LAWNS office, os
tensibly to make O number of confess
sions, and while gesticulating in illus
tration, tried to leap through the WIN
dow to the street. His plan was frus-
trated by the foresight of O'Neil, who,
before permitting the interview sta
toned three armed detectives outside
the window through which the bandit
hoped to escape.
Neidermier, seeing his plan checked,
signified that the "interview' need go
no further, and that he was ready to
return to his cell.
1--WE will all walk to the scaffold
without a tremor."
This was the statement made to-day
by the murderers, Marx, Van Dein
Neidermier and Roeski as they sat in
their cells and discussed their probable
fate.
May Plead Insanity.
Van Dein, it is said, will plead in
sanity. This may also be entered by
others of the bandits. Van Dein is
said to have a near relative who is
in an asylum. A great grandfather is
said to have murdered his wife and
daughter in Maine, and to have been
adjudged insane and sent to an asy-
lum, in which he died. Van Dein, while
not denying this report, would not con-
firm it. Roeski said that he had heard
of it from Van Dein in the Indiana
dug-out
Van Dein's mother has been working
with charitable organizations for sew
eral years, devoting much time to
organizing boys clubs, the purpose
of which was to keep boys from sa-
looms, smoking and reading lurid liter
allure. She told Police Inspector LAWN
to-day that she never suspected her
son of any wrong doing.
Gustave Marx to-day told the police
of an attempt which he said the other
three members of the robbers band
had made to take his life. He declared
that the three shot at him when they
were planning one of the abortive at
tacks on the money wagon of the
American Express Company.
Their Views of Death.
The prisoners scott at the idea of
a hereafter. Death ends all" is their
theory He'll is on earth, they say.
Questioned on the subject to-day,
Van Dein said: when we die it is
the end of us. This is my belief, and
has always been. even when as a boy
1 listened to the teachings of my moth
er, regarding the hereafter. l simply
cannot believe in an after life. 1 can't
see the reason in it. When we're dead,
we're dead. just the same as animals
They don't go to any heaven or hell
do they? Why should we? I respect
the teachings of the church. MY
mother is as good Christian as ever
lived
WAS her example nothing to your"
Il could not see things her way" he
replied. II never could"
You mean you would not, don't
your"
We'll, didnt-that's all. 1 didn't
see things as she did
You have no remorse for the muir
ders you committed?"
II can't feel so bad about it. When
people are dead-they're dead. When
l drop it is the end of me-"