The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-04-23
GAR BARN BANDITS HANGED
THE THREE EXECUTIONS TWEN-
 TT MINUTES APART.


 but seemingly unnerved completely, Peter Neidermeier. the leader of the car barn bandits, was hanged to-day from chair, contrasting with his com panions in crime, Gustav Marx and Harvey Van Dine, who, standing erect, kissed an image of Christ and died without a tremor The three execu- tions were separate, twenty minutes apart, the same scaffold being used for all. Only once before in the large num- Der of executions at the jail in this city has it been necessary to, carry a con- demned man to the gallows.
 The crime for which the three ban dits paid the penalty was one of eight murders the three men are known to have committed-that of Francis w. Stewart, a clerk in the car barns of the Chicago City railway.
 Neidermeier had boasted continually of his courage, but as the last minutes approached he collapsed and was una ble to make three consecutive steps of march to the gallows.
 Dr. F. w. McNamara, the jail physl- elan, had visited Neidermeier previous ly and said that Neidermeiers physical condition was satisfactory. The bandit leader himself told Chief Deputy Sher- if Peters, who appeared with the death warrant, that the last walk would be without aid. Deputy Peters then read the document and Neidermeier started from his cell. He had gone only two steps when he sank, and 1t was found that it would be necessary to lift him to the scaffold. Immediately Neidermei- CTS feet were strapped together He was handcuffed, placed upon hospital truck and wheeled to the end of a tier of cells. Then three deputies carried him down a flight of stairs Contrary to general expectation, he made no eff fort at resistance. Saying nothing, and appearing almost in a daze was seated upon chair placed over the trap of the scaffold. No minister or priest accom- panied Neidermeier, he having finally said he would die as he had lived-an atheist.
 On the scaffold Jailer Whitman dis regarded the custom of asking whether the condemned man wished to say any thing. The shroud and hood were quick ly adjusted. The bandit, instinctively moving his head that the rope might more easily be arranged, took last glance at the spectators. He appeared as if in a stupor. A moment later. at 1O:S5, the trap fell, the chair being quickly removed from behind as the body shot downward.
 The convulsive movements of Neider- meier's body while he was suspended lasted fifteen minutes, and led the phy- sicians at first to believe that he had been strangIed. An official examina- tion disclosed that his neck had been broken.
 Shortly before the hanging Neider- meier's mother had asked to be admit ted to the jail, but her request was re- fused.
 In the opinion of some witnesses Nei- dermeier was half-crazed when the death warrant was read. He became angry and protested against execution, saying he did not wish to disgrace his family.
 Peters" said the prisoner, "let me look at that warrant"
 After excitedly reading the paper Neidermeier nervously folded it and started to put it in his pocket.
 You can't do that" said the chief deputy. T have to return that to the court
 Neidermeier looked up quickly and. with a ghastly smile, said:
 T want to take this along with me to prove a case of murder. l may want to make 8 complaint to St. Peter He also entered into discussion with the sheriff on murder.
 The only requests that the other ban dits, Marx and Van Dine, made were that they be allowed to bid one another goodbye. This was granted. They counselled each other to be brave, and joined in hoping that they would meet again" The men had been bitter enc mics until a few days before the execu- tion Van Dine being incensed at his companion for having made the confess sion which led to their capture.
 When the body of Neidermeier had been removed Marx walked slowly to the scaffold with several priests after having confessed, repented and receiv- ed the last sacraments, as did Van Dine, both men having been converted to the Roman Catholic faith following the death sentence. Marx, like Van Dine, was neatly attired in black and in the coat lapel of each was a white rose. Neidermeier, unlike his comrades, wore a rose of dark red. Marx showed no emotion while on the scaffold, and in a steady voice repeated the litany after the priests. He fervently kissed the crucifix and at 11:17 was hanged. His neck was broken.
 The execution of Harvey Van Dine was varied by curious incident While he stood on the drop praying and wait ing for his arms to be pinioned and his legs secured the moose fell from the cross piece of the gallows and danged before the eyes of the bandit about to die. Disregarding the moose, the ban dit continued praying steadily to the end.
 Death in his case, as in that of Marx, was immediately evident as being due to the strangulation, but was due to the fall
 Mrs. Van Dine his mother, was at Buda, H., pleading with Governor Yates almost up to the time of the ex- ecuticn. The governor, however, said he saw no reason why he should inter fere with the sentence of the court.