Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1904-10-13
SALARY NOT ENOUGH.
Convict, Who Has Died, Had LIBERIA
Heart, but Money Did Not Come
East Eno,lnh


Heart, but Money Did Not Come
Fast Enough.
A strange career was that of Fred
SCHNEIDER, former deputy United
States marshal for North Dakota. who
died in the Sioux Falls penitentiary a
few days ago as the result Of an oper
alton. The crime for which the for.
mer nan-hunter was imprisoned was
OF an original and unique character
AT the time of his death he was
serving q term of five years for falsl-
flying his accounts with the govern.
nient and had served two years. He
was . member of the Elks lodge, and
members OF the Elks lodge of Sioux
Falls took charge of his remains and
accompanied them to his former home
in North Dakota for interment.
SCHNEIDER, who was about As years
or age at the time OF his death, before
his downfall was special deputy mar
shall, with headquarters at Rolla, n.
D., near the Canadian border. His ex-
pense account In connection with the
arrest Of men who never were brought
to trial caused suspicion on the part
of the officials Of the department Of
justice at Washington, and an inspec.
tor was sent to North Dakota to in
vestigate the matter. It was discov-
cred, after some little time. that
SCHNEIDER was ait the head of a com
bination which had been systematic
ally robbing the government Of con-
siderable sums of money. While
SCHNEIDER as special deputy marshal
was on a regular salary, he was not
satisfied with this and concocted a
scheme whereby he could defraud the
government and enrich himself.
His reports swould show the arrest
and confinement In Jail of certain pris-
oners who existed only in his own i'm
agination, but for whose arrest he
would draw extra pay in per diem and
mileage in escorting them from dis
tant points in his district to the Jail
in the town where he made his head
quarters.
The inspector found that the Rolla
jail, where. fifty-seven prisoners, ac.
cording to the report of SCHNEIDER,
should have been confined, was empty.
This led to the discovery that fictitious
names were used by the special dep
uty marshal in furtherance of his
scheme to defraud the government.
SCHNEIDER had been. in poor health
for nearly year and an application
Tor his pardon was pending at the time
of his death. Had he lived it is be-
lieved that, owing to the state of his
health, he would have been given his
freedom about the beginning Of the
coming year.
SCHNEIDER was one of the most gen
erous of men, and many stories are
told of his liberality. AT the com
mencement of the Spanish-American
war he organized a company of volun-
teers, which consisted of Indians and
halfbreeds. He transported the mem
bers of the company to Bismarck. the
state capital, and rendered their serv.
ices to the government as part of the
rough rider regiments.
The men were not accepted and the
government refused to pay any of the
expense connected with their organiza-
ton and mobilization at Bismarck.
Therefore SCHNEIDER was compelled to
foot all OF the bills out of his own
pocket, but he did it cheerfuIly. and
took the rundown as d matter Of
course, as if it were an everyday oc-
currence with him.
Another story which illustrates his
Iiberality is told in connection with
the blockading of train load Of i'm
migrants near the town where he was
stationed. It was the middle Of the
winter and the immigrants were with
out food. Many Of them had no money
with which to purchase the necessa-
ries Of life. SCHNEIDER hired a huge
sled and some strong horses, then
went to a store and purchased all the
provisions on hand, after which he
hauled them to the train and distrib.
uted the food among the furnishing i'm.
migrants. When this had been done
he proceeded to farm house situated |
near where the train was stalled in
the snow and purchased a beef COW.
which he had killed and dressed. This
also was distributed among the snow
bound immigrants. SCHNEIDER paid for
everything out Of his own pockets, and |
even helped to kill and dress the beef |
animal he had purchased.