The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-04-22


in apparent agony for full six minutes
at the end of hangman's rope, an
atheists dying statement of wish that
he could believe in an eternity and
God, his summing up of misspent
life. his arraignment of the churches,
and his appeal for the lum-reared
boy, with his little chance and small
hope of being good man, all marked
the execution today of three of the
carbarn murderers, Neidermier, Marx
and Van Dine.
One died condemning the world, its
people and its institutions, while the
others met death in prayer and be-
lief in a God and reunion in eter-
nifty.
Neidermier was the first to be hang
ed. The drop fell at 1885. His limp
body wriggled and twisted for fully SIX
minutes before he was pronunced dead.
Marx was the next to mount the
scaffold. He was hanged at H:E
o'clock.
Finally came Van Dine. The trap
was sprung with on it at ll.55.
-Neidermier's statement prior to be-
ing taken to the scaffold and his agony
were the features of the execution.
Delay was caused by Neidermiers re-
fusal to permit the guards to escort
him to the scaffold Finally he was
carried through the long corridor.
A thousand persons signalled the hour
OF execution by shouting:
Hats off.
Another shout warned those in the
oh,n,har Of ho annrOnRh OF
the condemned Neidermier was pale
and trembling as he approached.
Neidermier kept his stubborn resist
anee to religious counesl. Weakened
BY his efforts to commit suicide he
barely could sit alone in the, chair in
which he was carried under the dread
ed loop. But at the last moment he
held his head erect to enable the jailer
TO adjust the moose and then it fell
Imply on his breast.
The doomed man was quickly pushed
into an upright position on the drop
The jailer strapped his arms and legs
and adjusted the white domino and
moose. Then he stepped back and the
drop, fell at 1926.
For six minutes the body writhed
and twisted. The doctors gathered
about it to feel the pulse.
"The man is conscious, said one.
Gle realizes his condition; he may be
too numbed to feel physical pain, but
his mind is not too cloudcd to know
the solemn import Of the events tax
ing place" said another. Thus they
commented until finally the body hung
limp and still and the bandit was pro-
nounced dead
Marx Hanged.
Ncidermier's body was cut down at
1888. Two hundred officials and spec
tators witnessed the executions. After
Neidermier's body was removed the
jailer closed thetrap and tried the rope
for the second victim. Then he re-
turned to the chapel to escort Marx,
to the death chamber.
Marx was praying. He rose, tried
Dine and kneeling with him extended
his hand.
The men stood silent moment and
then embraced each other.
Goodbye, GUS exclaimed Van
Dine. Keep brave heart, old man.
Remember what the priest says, we
shall be together again"
Marx answered in an audible tone
md the journey to the scatfold be-
gan. while another shout came from
the prisoners. Marx walked calmly
and submitted to be strapped quietly
Two priests uttered prayers and the
drop fell at ll:l7.
Van Dine was Praying.
His commissions lasted two minutes
and death came in six.
Marx before stepping on the scaffold
requested none to speak to him as he
was concentrating his mind on rehg-
ION. lie was in the midst of prayer
when the drop fell. His body was cut
down at ll:A.
The yellow grass rope was then re
moved from his neck and again tried
eIfd tested for the third victim Marx
neck was broken.
Van Dine was found in prayer wher
the executioners visited the chapel
Two priests took positions by his side
and with their eyes bent on the cruci
fix, hand in hand, the march began.
Arriving at the scaffold Van Dine
with head erect permitted the adjust
ment of the moose without protest
While he was utterng prayer the
drop fell at ll;55h
The short, muscular body hung with
out movement. Death was almost in
stantancous. His neck was broken.
The Night Before.
The bandits spent the night ant
morning in various ways.
Peter Neidermier, pale and veal
from a double attempt to commit sui
eide. and stubbornly refusing to EN-
brace religion within a few hours o
certain death, ioked and laughed will
his guard while smoking cigarettes thu
greater part of the night. He was $50
lated from Marx and Van Dine, hi
companions in crime, who themselve
had been converted to the Christian
faith, spent the night in peaceful Stun
her. These were incidents that marked
the closing hours of the "Automati
trio"
None Of the bandits showed signs o
weakening. While Ncidermier didn'
60 to sleep until S a. M, Marx retired
at 1870 and Van Dine two hours later
Van Dimes last hours were spen
IN whiting letters to his mother an