The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-23
THREE DIE UNDER
BEAMOF GALLOWS
Neidemeyer is Hanged
From a Chair.
He SITS, DAZED, LOST
Horrible Struggles Follow the Spring
ing of the Trap. Marx and Van
Dine Kiss an Image Of Christ
and Die Without a
TrenOr.
(By the Associated Press.)

CnlcaSO, april ZA.-AlnelSt 10 Lne last,
but seemingly unnerved completely, Pc
ter Neidermeyer, the leader of the car
barn bandits, was hanged today from a
chair, contrasted with his companions in
Dine, who, standing erect, kissed an
image of Christ and died without a trem-
or. The three executions were separate,
twenty minutes apart, the same scaffold
being used for ALL Only once before in
the large number of executions that have
taken place at the jail in this city has it
been necessary to carry a condemned man
to the gallows as Neidermeyer was today
The crime for which the three bandits
paid the penalty was one Of the eight
murders which the three men are known
to have ccmmittted-that of Francis w.
Stewart, a clerk in the car barns of the
Chicago City railway. Neidermeyer had
boasted continually of his courage, but as
the last moments approached he collapsed
and was unable to take three consecutive
steps on a march to the gallows.
Ne!dermeyer had gone only two steps
from his cell when he sank, and It was
found was quite faint and it would be
necessary to lift him to the scaffold. I'm
inChldtGiy 4NelueImeyeT : IeeL were strap.
ped tooether He was handcuffed placed
upon hospital truck and wheeled to the
end OF tier OF cells. Then three depu-
ties carried him down a flight of stairs.
Entirely contrary to general expectation
Neidemeyer made no effort at resistance
Saying nothing, and appearing almost N
daze, he was seated upon a chair, placed
over the trap of the scaffold No minis
ter or priest accompanied Neidermeyer,
he having finally said when offered
last opportunity before leaving his cell,
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
moved his head that the rope might more
easily, be arranged and took last glance
at the spectators. He appeared as if in
stupor. A moment tier. at OBS o'clock
the trap fell, the chair being quickly re
moved from behind as the body shct
downward. The shroud became partly
disarranged and fearful muscular strug
teen minutes in full view OF witnesses of
the execution.
The conVulslve movements of the Neid-
meyers body while he was suspended at
the ropes and led the physicians at first
to believe that he had horribly strangled
to death. After an Official examination
however, it was said his neck had been
broken. Shortly before the hanging
Neidemcyer's mother had asked to be ad-
mtted to the jail, but her request was
refused, The only requests that the other
bandits, Marx and Van inc mad were
that they be allowed to bid one another
good bye, which was granted. They
counselled each other to be brave and
joined hoping they would meet again"
The men had been bitter enemies until
few days before the execution.
Marx walked slowly to the scaffold with
several priests, after having confessed
as did Van Dine, both men having been
converted TO the Roman atholic faith,
following the death sentence. Marx, like
Van Dine, was neatly attired in black
and in the coat lapel of each was Il white
rose. Neidemeyer unlike his comrades
wore a rose Of dark red. Mark showed no
emotion at the scaffold and in a stern
voice repeated litany after the priests
He fervently kissed the crucifix and at
11:17 o'clock was hanged. His neck was
broken
The execution of Harvey VanDine was
varied by a curious incident While he
stood on the drop praying and waiting for
his arms to be pinoned and his legs sc.
cured, the moose fell from the cross piece
OF the gallows and dangled before his
eyes. Disregarding the moose the bandit
continued praying steadily to the end
Death in his case as in that of Marx was
Immediately evident as not being due to
strangulation, but to the fall
Mrs VanDne, the mother Of the last Of
the bandits, was at Buda, Ills, pleading
with Governor Yates almost up to the
time OF the execution. She sought to de.
lay the execution in the case of her son
on the ground that hewasan epileptic.
The Governor however said he saw no
reason why he should interfere With the
sentence of the court.