The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-04-21
CHICAGO BANDIT
ATTEMPTS SUICIDE:
iickening Story Of the Desper.
ate Attempt OF Niedermeyer
on His Own Lie.
is TAKEN TO q HOSPITAL.
There, When Wound is Sewed Up, He
Tears It Open Again and the
Veins Gush Forth His Life
Blood Once More.

Chicago, April 19.-Peter Niedier-
meyer, leader of the car barn bandit
eondemned to die on the gallows Fri
lay, made two desperate attempts at
suicide today. His condition is now so
p~recarious it is feared he will not sur
vive.
Nlediermeyer first masticated and
swallowed the heads of about 100 sui
phur matches. Then he sawed at the
radial artery of the left wrist with a
sharp pointed lead pencil. Striking a
bone IN the wrist he gave up trying to
sever the artery, and turned his weapon
TO large veins in his forearm, which lie
tore open, leaving a large Jagged wound
through which the blood gushed in
streams.
He was removed to a hospital. where
the wound was sewed up by the nh.,i-
clahs. While he was lying apparently
unconscious and with guards standing
by, Nled1ermeyer made a second at
tempt at self destruction. With both
arms under the bed clothes, Niedier-
meyer Stc.lthy removed the bandaees
from his wound, and with the sharn
finger nails of his right hand tore away
the stitches which the surgeon had
tahSii IL MS iell arm, ana the blood
began to squirt from the lacerated
veins. He unconsciously uttered a
yroan, and made a conclusive move
nent which attracted the attention OF
he physicians, and on throwing back
The coverlets the attendants saw with
horror what Niedieineyer had done.
Niedemeyer opened his eyes and with n
leering, wan smile plead with the doc
tors to let him die.
Nav Not Resover
He lost a quantity of blood and wa,
almost pulseless for a time. Most OF
the danger is that the phosphorus has
burned him SO severely that his life
I~cannot be saved for It's final snufing
out on the gallows.
In q letter written by Niedern1eyer
and found concealed in his cell. he ey-
presses repentance for his career, and
'egrets at leaving the few who have
loved him, but glorifies in his courage
and loyalty to his kind. The reasons
assigned for the attempt at suicide was
to SHOW the public that he could vet
cheat the gallows, Notwithstanding he
close guard placed over him.
Niedermeyer says he Sethis idea OF
swallowing phosphorus When 8. prisoner
in h jail committed suicide in that
manner while Niedermeyer was await,
ing trial. For the last two weeks he
has been saving all matches he was
able to hlch and beg. He even gave up
smoking to some extent 50 that he
could hoard them.
In getting at the veins and arteries
in his arm lie first sawed three long
gaShes. Then he pushed the saarp end
Of a pencil into one SO that it would
pass unde the veins. Then he twisted.
the pencil around and AROUND until the
veins twisted and burst. In doing this
the pencil was broken into several
pieces, Niederlneyer's first attempt was
nearly successful. q
During the day Niedermayer COZ
sented 10 listen to Father Q.Brien Of
Holy Name Cathedral, who has sfeadilv
sought to convert the bandit. Nieder-
meyer suffered intense pain. Father
o'Brien prayed for him. For the first
time Niedermeyer repeated the pray
ers after the priest, who recently bap-
|tized In the jail. N~iedermeyer's assoc
ates, Van Dine and Marx.