The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-23
CRIMES OF THE TRIO;
BATTLE IN INDIANA

CHICAGO, April 22.-The crimes charged
against Van Dine, Neidermeyer and Marx
were numerous. Following are the names
of persons they were known TO have muir
dered
BAUDER. Otto. in saloon of Ernest Spires,
July IS, 1903.
LAGROSS. Benjamin c., in his saloon,
Aug. IL.
JOHNSON, Adolph. in saloon of Benjamin
c. Lagross. Aug. 1.
JOHNSON, ]. B.. motorman. in robbery of
Chicago City Railway car barns, Aug. 80.
STEWART. Frank. clerk. in robbery of
Chicago City Railway barns, Aug. 80.
QUINN, John. detective. while trying to
arrest Marx, Nov. p.
DRISCOLL, ]. D., detective, wounded by
Neidermeyer in fight at "dugout" Nov. q.
died Dec. L.
SOVIA. John, brakeman. when bandits
stole train in Indiana, Nov. q.
The specific offense for which Van Dine,
Neidermeyer and Marx were tried and
sentenced was the murder of Frank Stew
art, a clerk in the Chicago City Railway
car barns during a robbery there on the
morning of Aug. so. 1903. James b. John
son, a motorman, was also killed, and two
persons were wounded. The bandits es-
pal was not concerned in this crime,
but after the conviction of his companions
was tried separately for one of the muir
ders in which he was the principal con-
victed and sentenced to life Imprisonment.
The bandits were captured after a con-
fession by Marx, who had been arrested in
saloon on Thursday evening, Nov &c
Less than week after the confession of
Marx word was received that three men
answering the descriptions of the car barn
lar. al Ii.
Seven policemen were Immediately sent to
the town. arriving there Friday morning.
They were met by Henry +. Riechers who
had reported the clew, and who had secret.
~ traced the trio to a "dugout" in the
sand dunes, where they were living. With
Riechers as guide the police, armed with
rifles and revolvers, and led by Detective
John H. Sheehan, waited till daybreak and
then started for the snow-covered cave
near the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad tracks
at Wilson's. a short distance from Clark.
Surrounding the abode, the officers pre-
pared for the fight which they expected
would follow, while Sheehan approa ched
and opened the door of the "dugout." One
of the bandits who was Immediately rec
ognized as Roeski, appeared and was or
dered to surrender Instead he darted back
into the cave. No sooner had he done so
than firing began and volley after volley
aimed at the officers came from the mag
aZine guns of the bandits. Concealing
themselves behind trees and bushes as best
they could, the police steadily returned the
for short time.
Suddenly two of the outlaws jumped
from the cave and escaped across the
frozen prairie, keeping up a fusillade as
they ran. Detective Driscoll advanced to
the "dugout and was firing at the fleeing
desperadoes when Interchangeable police
thought there had been but two in the
hollow-emerged, fatally shot him in the
back and joined his companions, while the
other policemen were still engaging the
outlaws, A moment later Detective Zim-
mer fell. seriously wounded, but neither
side yielded. Some minutes later, how
ever, the police, being obliged to care for
the two wounded detectives and finding
their fire falling short, decided to give up
the fight temporarily, and send TO Chicago
for reinforcements. The bandits continued
their flight
A special train with fifty policemen armed
with rifles was rushed to the scene, and
the hunt renewed. Although escape was
now impossible, the men showed no signs
of submission They had not halted since
firing their last volley, and arrived at Toll
liston exhausted, but still determined TO
avoid capture.
On side track at Tolleston on which the
section men were working. stood an engine
and train of cars. Then followed the exc
cution of quickly formed plan to seize the
train and escape. The three outlaws jumped
into the engine and confronted Fireman Cof-
ley, the engineer being away at the time.
At first Coffey did not notice that they
were armed. Brakeman John Sovia did
however, and crawled over the tender, evil
take the revolver from Neidermeyer while
the other two bandits pointed their re-
volvers at Coffey. The scuffle was short
and Sovia pitched head foremost out of the
cab with bullet in his brain. dying almost
Instantly. With their guns still pointed al
Coffey's head, the trio ordered him hastily
to take the train out of the siding and il
started on a wild run TO Liverpool.
In the woods. short distance away. were
a number of armed farmers, vino, having
heard of the escapade and escape of the
slarr -+. etn1 ts.sA n
posse reached Tolleston at noon. just as
the train passed. They rushed across the
prairie TO a point where the road curves
and where there a locked switch. com
polling Fireman Coffey TO stop.
The posse opened fire as the train
stopped, and the trio fled to cornfield ex-
changing shots they ran. Charges from
the guns of the farmers. under the leader
ship of Charles Hamilton. struck Neider-
meyer and Van Dine. but die not seriously
wound either. The bandits. who had now
made their last stand. were not deferred
ana fired frequent voleys at their pur-
suers. knowing that they were surround
ed and that further resistance would be
useless. the criminals some minutes later
decided to surrender. Neidermeyer the
leader of the gang. who, Marx had said
never would be taken alive. being the first
TO do so. a few minutes afterward Var
Dine abandoned the fight.
While Van Dine and Neidermeyer were
giving themselves up Roeski fed TO the
woods beyond Liverpool. The posse found
him later In a railroad station at Aetna
waiting for a train TO Chicago. He made
no resistance was disarmed and brought Il
the city with the two other bandits
Detective Driscoll. who was shot ny
Neidermeyer, died four days later.
While i'm Jail Neidermeyer smilingly boast
ed of having killed twenty-three men
Marx asserted that he had murdered five
Investigation proved the statements 10 bs
untrue Ii developed that these comics
sions'' had been made to obtain notoriety
or for as small consideration as a chew
of tobacco. OF the eight known victims OF
the bandits four are thought 10 have beer
killed by Neidermeyer alone. None OF the