The Cairo bulletin., 1904-04-23
By Associated Press.


Chicago, April 22,-Atheist to ahe
last, but seeming unnerved complete
". Peter Neidormeier. leader OF the
street car barn bandits was hanged
today from a chair, contrasting with
his companions in crime, Gustav
Marx. and Harvey Van Dine, who
standing erect, kissed an image OF
Christ. and died without a tremor
The three executions were separate
twenty minutes apart, the same scat
rod being used for all
Only once before in the large mum
her of executions that have taken
place at the Jail in this city has j
been necessary to carry a condemned
man to the gallows, as Neidermeler
today
The crime for which the bandits
paid the penalty was one OF eight muir
ders, which they are known to nave
committed that of Francis Stewart,
clerk in the car barns OF the Chicago
CITY Railway company.
Neidermeier had boasted continual
" Of his courage. but as the last mo-
monts approached he collapsed ana
was unable to take three consecutive
steps of the march to the galloWs'
DR.. f. w. Mcnamara, the jail physi'
elan had visited Neidermeier previous
IL and said Neidermeiers physical
condition was satisfactory The ban.
IN leader himself told Chief Deputy
Sheriff Peters, who appeared with the
death warrant that the last walk
would be without aid. Deputy Peters
then read the document and Neldef
meier started from his cell. lie had
zone only two steps when he sank
ana Il was found IL would be neces'
sary 20 lift him to the scafold. I'm
mediately Neidermeier's feet were
strapped together and he was hand
cuffed. placed upon the hospital
truck. and wheeled to the end OF the
Tiers of cells and carried down a
fight Of stairs. Neidermcler MADE nc
effort of resistance, saying nothing
and anearine almost in a daze, ne
was seated upon chair placed over
the trap door Of the scanold. NC
minister or priest accompanied Mel
dermeier he having finally SAID ne
wonld die as he had lived, an athe
ist On the sealfold Jailer Whitman
dIsregarded the custom OF asking
whether the condemned man wished
to say anything. Shrond and hoot
were quickly adjusted, the bandit IN
stinctiyely moving his head so ina
the rope might more easily be ar
ranged and took last glance at th'
spectators. lie appeared as II IN
gtupor. A moment later, at 1859
the trap fell The chair being qulch.
removed from behind, as the bod
shot downward The shroud became
partially dsarranged and the ieariu
muscular struggles Of the dying MAJ
continued fifteen minutes IN view o
the witnesses of the execution. II wa
AT first believed Neidermeier had nor
ribly stranglod to death, but after al
official examination ii was said hi
neck was broken.
In the opinion of some of the wit
nesses Neidermeier was half craze'
when the death warrant was read
He became angry and protested
against his execution, saying he di'
not wish to disgrace his family
peters" said the prisoner, Let m
lool, at that warrant After excited
" reading the paper Neidermeier mel
vously folded Il and started to put
in his pocket You cant do that.
said Peters, Il have to return 1t Z
the court" Neidermeier looked u
quickly and with a ghastly smile sal
Il want to take this along with m
to prove a case of murder, | may wan
TO make a complaint to st. Peter.
He also entered into discussion wit
the deputy sheriff on murder.
The only requests Marx and Va
Dine made were that they be above
10 blu one dUulhti t'1" ~ - f'''N
was granted They counseled eac
other to be brave. and joined in hol
ing they would meet again. the
had been bitter enemies until fe'
days before the execution, Van DIN
being incensed at his companion tt
having made the confession which lie
to their capture.
When the body of Neidermelt
stopped quivering and had been r
moved. Marx walked slowly to III
scanold with several priests, aft(
having confessed. repented and r
received the last sacraments, as di
Van Dine. both men having been COZ
yerted to the Roman Catholic taii
following the death sentence. MAJ
showed no emotion while on the sea
fold and in a steady voice repeatt
The Iitany after the priests. He fe
vently kissed the Crucifix and at H.:
O'Clock was hanged. His neck wi
broken.
The execution Of Van Dine vi
varied by a curious incident Viii
no otood ON the drop Draying al