Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-18
GAR BARN BANDIT
TRIES SUICIDE
Niedermeier, Sentenced to Hang
Makes Desperate Attempt
to Cheat the Gallows
SWALLOWS HEADS OF MATCHES
Had Begged and Saved Over Hundred
in Two Weeks-severs Veins ia
Wrist With Lead Pencil and Tears
Out Stitches Made by Doctors-Near
to Death.

Chicago, April 1S-Peter Nieder-
meier. leader of the car barn bandits.
condemned to die on the gallows Fri-
day, made two desperate attempts az
suicide today. His condition Is so pre-
carious that it is feared he will not
survive. Niedemeir first masticated
and swallowed the heads Of about 100
sulphur matches. Then he sawed at
the radial artery of his left wrist with
a sharp pointed lead pencil. Striking
bone in the wrist he gave up trying
weapon to the large veins in the fore
arm, which he tore open. leaving a
large. Jagged wound thru which the
blood gushed in streams. He was re-.
moved to the hospital, where the
wound was sewed up by physicians.
While lying apparently unconscious.
and with guards standing by. Nieder-
meir made a second attempt at self
destruction. With both arms under tn
bed clothing Neidermeir steaIthily II.
moved the bandages from his wolinA
and with the sharp finger nails OF his
right hand tore away the stitches
which the surgeon had taken in his left
arm. when the blood began to squirt
from the lacerated veins.
He unconsciously uttered q groan
and made a convulsive movement,
which attracted the attention Of tho
physicians. and on throwing back the
coverlets the attendants saw with hof-
ror what Niedermier had done. Nie-
ssermeir opened his eyes ard with
leering, wan smile pleaded with the
doctors to let him die.
He had lost quantity Of blood ana
was almost pulseless for a time. The
most danger is that the phosphorus
has burned him so severely that life
can not be saved for its final snufiing.
out on the gallows.
In letter written by Niedermier,
presses repentance for his career ana
regrets leaving the few who have loved
him, but glories in his courage ana
loyalty to his kind. The reasons as
signed for the attempt at suicide were
to show the public he could cheat tho
gallows, notwithstanding close guard
was placed over him.
Niedermeir says he got his idea of
swallowing phosphorus when a prisons
er in jail committed suicide in that
manner while Niedermeir had been
awaiting trial. For the last two weeks
Niedermeier has been saving the
matches he was able to flch and beS.
He even gave up smoking to some ex-
tent, so he could hoard them. In ger
ting at the veins and arteries In his
arm he first sawed three long gasheo
and then he pushed the sharp end OF 4
pencil into one so it would pass un-
der the veins. Then he twisted the pens
ell around and around until the veins
were twisted and burst. In doing this
the pencil was broken into several
pieces. Niedermier's first attempt was
nearly successful.
During the day Niedermeyer co1,-
sented to listen to Father O'Brien Of
the Holy Name cathedral, who has
steadily sought to convert the bandit.
Niedermeier suffered intense pain and
Father O'Brien prayed for him. For
the first time Niedermeier repeated the
prayers after the priest who recently
baptised in Jail Niedermeyer's asso.
ciates, Van Dine and Marx.