Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-19
TO CHEAT GALLONS.
Peter Neidermeier Attempts
Suicide in His Cell.
One Of the Notorious Chicago "Ca'
Barn" Bandits.
In Letter Man Expresses Repentance
for His Career.

Chicago. April 1S.-Peter Niedermeier.
the leader of the car barn bandits, con-
demned TO die on the gallows, Friday.
ut Chicago, made two desperate at
tempts at suicide, Monday morning. His
condition as result is so precarious
that it is feared he will not survive.
Should he still be alive, next Friday he
will be carried to the gallows and exc
cuted. Neidermeier planned has at
tempted suicide carefully. First, he
masticated and swallowed the heads of
a number of sulphur matches. While
the phosphorus was burning his stom-
ach he sawed at the radial artery of
his left wrist with sharp pointed lead
pencil. Striking 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, lac
Grated the flesh and muscles and tore
open the veins. leaving a large jagged
wound through which the blood gushed
in streams, dyeing his bed clothing and
running down over the cell floor in
pools. His second attempt came after
the wound had been dressed and closed
by the county physician. Neidermeier
was lying apparently unconscious in
the hospital under q guards care. He
unconsciously uttered groan and
made a cOnvulsive movement which at
tracted the attention Of the physicians,
nurses and the guard and on throwing
back the coVerlids, the attendants saw
with horror that Neidermeier had torn
away the bandages and reopened the
wound. Neidermeier opened his eyes
nd
Let me die. doctor. Go away and let
me die. You were almost too late the
first time. Now why do You try to
save my lifeo"
Neidermeler lost large quantity of
blood and was almost pulseless for a
time. The most danger. however, is
that the poisonous phosphorus has
burned him serevely that his life can
not be saved for the gallOws. Neider-
meier says he got his idea of swallow
ing phosphorus when Il 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
fitch and beg. He has even given up
smoking to some extent so he could
hoard them. In getting at the veins
and arteries in his arm he first sawed
three long gashes. Then he pushed the
sharp end of the pencil into one so it
would pass under the veins. Then he
twisted the pencil around until the
Veins burst. In doing this the pencil
was broken into several pieces. Neider-
meier's first attempt at suicide was
nearly successful.
Chicago, April 1S.-Peter Neidermeier
one OF the car barn" bandits, attempt
ed to commit suicide in his cell, early
Monday, and not until he was uncOn-
sciOus from the effects of loss of blood
was his condition noticed. He was TAX
en- at once to the Jail hospital and at
ter much work he was revived. His
condition. Is serious, but the physicians
think he will recover. Neidermeier ate
the heads off a lot of matches and then
opened an artery in his left arm. This
was done by means of lead pence
with which he tore Il jagged wound in
his wrist. A guard found him huddled
on his cot with a blanket drawn over
his head. A moan had attracted the
guards attention. When Jailer Whit
man arrived the murderer was uncon-
were soaked with blood which was
flowing from a ragged hole in his wrist.
Other guards wer summoned and he
WAS taken to the Jail hospital. The ar
terry in his wrist was fastened. Then
it was learned that he had attempted
to poison himself. Who gave him the
matches is not known.
A letter written by Neidermeier prior
to the attempt at suicide was found
concealed in his cot. In the letter the
writer incidentally expressed repent
ance for his career. and he regrets
leaving the few who have loved him.
but chiefly the letter is q morbid glori-
fication of the writer's courage and 10y
atty to his kind. in contrast with Nei-
dermeier's associate, Gustave Marx.
The letter says:
There are four reasons why should
take my own life:
First. because the public boasts that
cannot commit suicide while I am
SO closely guarded.
Second, that l cannot cheat the scat
fold.
Third, that they cannot say they ex-
ecute me and made me pay for the
crime.
Fourth. to have another mystery for
the ignorant to solve.
The letter concludes as follows:
1T seems very pleasant to have this
an atheist and do not believe in any
religion.
tSigned) Peter Neidermeier"