The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1904-04-27
CORVALLIS, OREGON. APRIL 27. 1904.
my own thought. not from Inger-
soil or any one else.
stI m;nh Eannld ha1iaua L..

my own thought. not from Inger-
soil or any one else.
81 wish I could believe in your
religion he continued. eff could
hypnotic myself into the belief
that I was going somewhere to be
happy forever, don't you think
I'd be glad to die? The world is
all wrong. There are no attractions
in it for men like me. We grow up
in the slums, half starved and al
ways miserable. We work day af-
ter day like slaves, to die
miserably. Chicago Is full of
boys like, me so is every other city,
growing up without advice or help.
I've been pretty bad, I admit, but
I'm going to pay all the penalty I
shall ever pay this morning. If the
churches did something for the poor
lonesome boys they would do more
good than they can by converting
men about to be hanged.
"But you do some good" he said,
after pause. "You've cheered two
men in other cells into the belief
that they are going to heaven; that's
consoling to them. If you hadn't
!got Van Dine into that belief it
would have taken dozen men
to strap him for the moose, because
he is powerful and can fight"
At 10 o'clock the jailor notified
the men to get ready and announc-
ed that the hangings would be sep
arate.
A delay was caused by Neider-
meier's refusal to permit the guards
to escort him to the scafold. He
was carried through the long corri.
dor. A thousand prisoners signal.
ed the hour of execution by shout.
ing "Hats offP' Another shout
warned those in the execution cham.
Der of the approach of the condemn
| ed. Neidermeier was pale and
trembling as he approached the
lscafold. Even on the scaffold he
kept up his stubborn resistance to
religious counsel.
Jailor Whitman asked him, as
he was carried to the landing stairs
'Neidermeier, won't you let me ask
the priest to pray for you?"
e"No, there's no use," was the re,
f ply.
Weakened by his efforts to com.
NIT suicide, he could barely sit a.
lone in the chair in which he waE
carried under the dreaded loop. But
at the last moment he held his heac
erect to enable the jailor to adjust
J the moose, and then it fell Imply
forward on his breast.
The doomed man was quickly
pushed into an upright position tt
the drop, Jailor Whitman strapped
, his arms and legs, adjust
ed the white domino and moose
stepped back, and the drop fell a
11:36. For fully six minutes thu
body writhed and twisted. Th,
doctors gathered about to feel tn
pulse of the dying man.
"The man is conscious" said one
HE realizes his condition. II,
may be too numb to feel physica
t pain, but his mind is not too cloud
> ed to know the solemn import of tn,
/ event that is taking place."
After Neidermeier's body was re
moved the jallor closed the fata
, trap, tried the rope for the second
J victim and then returned to tht
chapel to escort Marx.
Marx was praying and arose ane
, tried to speak. He turned to Var
Dine and. kneeling with him, ex
, tended his hand. The men stood
| silent for a moment, then embraced
Good bye, Gus" exclaimed Var
Dine. keep a brave heart, ole
| man. Remem Der what the prizes
says. We shall be together agair
in few minutes. %
Marx whispered in an inaudibl,
tone and the journey to the scaffolo
was begun, while another shou
came from the many tiers of cell
t facing the jail rotunda, as the pris
]. oners heard the slow tramp. Mar,
. walked calmly and submitted to be
: ing strapped quietly. Two priest
e uttered prayers and the drop fell a
$ 11:17 o'clock. His convulsions last
t ed two minutes, and death came il
;, six minutes. Marx before stepping
: on the scafold requested none tt
}. speak to him, concentrating hi
? mind entirely on religion. He va
in the midst of prayer when b
: fell. His body was cut down a
: 11:34, and the yellow grass rope re
q moved from his broken neck. A
/, gain it was tied and tested for th
third vi tim.
e Vandine was fonnd in praye
r when the executioners visited th
: chapel. Two priests took position
: by his side and. with his eyes ben
e on crucihx which he held in hi
y hand, the death march began.
Arriving at the scafold, Val
a Dine, with head erect, permitte'
j, |