The San Francisco call., 1904-04-19
SAVACELY TRIES
TO END LIFE
Thug Neidermeier, Leader
of Carbarn Bandits, Makes
Two Attempts at Suicide
WOULD CHEAT GALLOWS
Lead Pencil and Heads of
Matches Used by Desperate
Criminal Awaiting Rope

CHICAGO, April 1s.-Peter Neider-
meier, the leader of the car barn
bandits, condemned to die on the gall
tempts at suicide to-day. His condition
as result is so precarious that 1t Is
feared he will not survive. Should he
still be alive next Friday he will be car
ried to the gallows and executed.
Neidermeier carefully planned his at
tempted suicide. First he masticated
and swallowed the heads Of rs or 100
sulphur matches. While the phosphor-
Gus was burning his stomach he sawed
at the radial artery of his left wrist
with a sharp-pofnted lead pencil. Strik-
ing bone in the wrist, he gave up
trying to sever the artery and turned
his weapon to the large vein on the
outer side of his left forearm, making
wound through which the blood
gushed, dyeing his bedclothing and
running down over the cell floor in
pools.
His second attempt came after the
wound had been dressed and closed by
lying apparently unconscious in the
hospital under a guards care. sHis
right arm and hand were hidden by the
bedclothing, and with hardly discern
ible motion he slipped the bandages off
his left arm and with his sharp finger
nails tore away the threads in the
wound. He unconsciously uttered
groan and made convlusive
saI-
attention of the physicians, nurses
and the guard, and on throw
ing back the coverlids the attend
ant saw with horror that Neidermeier
had torn away the bandages and re-
opened the wound. Neidermeier opened
his eyes and with leering, wan smile
exclaimed: Let me die, Doc. Go away
and let me die. You were almost too
late the first time. Now, why do you
try to save my life?"
Neidermeier lost large quantity of
blood and was almost pulseless for a
time. The most danger, however, is
that the poisonous PHOSPHORUS has
burned him so severely that his life
cannot be saved for it's final snuffing
out on the gallows.
Neidermeier got his idea of swallow
ing phosphorus when a prisoner in the
jail committed suicide in that manner
while Neidermeier was awaiting trial.
For the last two weeks Neidermeier
has been saving the matches he was
able to beg. He gave up smoking to
some extent so he could hoard them.
A letter written by Neidermeier prior
to the attempt at suicide was found
concealed in his cot. In the letter the
writer incidentally expresses repent
ance of his career and regrets leaving
the few who loved him, but chiefly the
letter is a morbid glorification of the
writer's courage and his loyalty to his
kind, in contrast with Niedermeier's
associate, Gustav Marx. The letter
says:
There are four reasons why 1 should
take my own life: First, because of the
public boast that 1 cannot suicide while
1 am so closely guarded. Second, that
I cannot cheat the scaffold. Third,
that they cannot say they executed me
and made me pay for crime. Fourth,
to have another mystery for the ignor-
ant police to solve"
The letter concludes as follows:
1T seems very pleasant to have this
everlasting enjoyment of rest. / am
an atheist and do not believe in any
religion. PETER NIEDERMEIER-"