Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-04-23
THE LEADER REMAINS
SULLEN TO THE LAST
Peter Neidermier, Though He Failed
in His Two Attempts to Cheat the
GaIlows Died an Atheist = Story
of the Crimes of the Three Young
Bandits.

mler, GuStaye Marx and Harvey Van
Dine, the notorious car barn bandits
and the confessed murderers of eight
men, were hanged here today.
Niedermeier was the first to die and
his manner of death was unusual. He
was so weak as the result Of his at
tempt at suicide that the Jail guards
were forced to carry him to the scat
fold. He was placed in the chair and
the drop was sprung at 1885.
Died in Twenty Minutes.
Although it was first belived by the
physicians that he was strangling it de-
veloped that his neck was broken.
Twenty minutes after the drop fell he
was pronounced dead and his body
was cut down.
Snatched Warrant From Sheriff.
Previous to the execution, Nieder-
meier maintained the same sullen de-
meanor that had characterized him
since he first became a prisoner.
While the death warrant was being
read he snatched the document from
Sheriff Barrett and stuck it in his
pocket, making sarcastic reference
to his execution.
Pass ed sleepless Night.
The three men passed a sleepless
night and began early today to prepare
for the end.
Niedefmier Dies Unconverted.
Niedermier continued to reject all
spiritual advice, declaring he would
die an ATHEIST, but Marx and Van Dine
spent their last hours in reading, writ
ing and praying, several priests being
with them constantly.
Witness Dying Struggles.
When the drop fell the shroud about
Niedermier's body fell apart and to the
onlookers was revealed for twenty
minutes the horrifying struggles of the
dying man. The death of Marx and
Van Dine were unaccompanied by any
similar spectacle.
Van Dine Hanged Last.
A large crowd assembled about the
Jail previous to the hour for the exc
cution, but only limited number of
persons provided by law, witnessed
the bandits leap into eternity. Sheriff
Barrett decided this morning that the
men should die separately, Nierermier
first, Marx next and then Van Dine.
AS the latter's attorney was endeav-
oring to secure a stay of execution
consent was granted that Van Dine be
the last to hang.
After the death of Niedermier Marx,
accompanied by two priests, was led
to the scaffold repeating the litany af-
ter the clergyman. He made no state
ment. He appeared weak but met
death bravely.
Marx Wears Rose To GaTIoWs
: The trap was sprung at 11:17 and
Marx pronounced dead at 1854. His
neck was broken. Marx was neatly
dressed and wore white rose on the
lapel Of his coat, given him by his lit.
tie sister last evening.
Van Dine Composed.
Harvey Van Dine was the last to go,
the trap being sprung at 11:55 o'clock.
His neck was broken. He was COM
posed preceding his execution and two
Catholic priests accompanied him as he
walked unfalteringly to the scaffold
He was attired neatly in black with a
white waistcoat and wore white rose
pinned to his coat.
Dies With Prayer On Lips.
Van Dine made no statement of any
kind while on the scaffold but the
prayer which he repeated with his
spiritual adviser was quite audible
His lips were moving in prayer when
the trap was sprung.
Short But Bloody Career.
The hanging of the youthful cal
barn bandits followed closely a periot
of crime of less than six months. II
that time eight murders were commit
ted all attendant upon robberies or eff
forts to escape arrest.
It was during an attempt to escape
on stolen train after an extraordin
ary battle in the swamps of northern
Indiana just east of Chicago, that OF
November 27 of last year the capture
of the gang was completed by the ar
rest of Neidermier Van Dine and Emi
ts Roeski. their associate Marx having al
4 ready been placed behind the bar
to await trial
Tried for Stewart Murder.
The specific offense for which Val
q Dine, Neidermier and Marx were trie,
and sentenced was the murder 0
Frank Stewart, clerk in the Chicag'
City Railway car barns, during a rob
berry there on the morning of Angus