Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-04-27
THREE MEN EXECUTED
The Chicago Car Barn Bandits
Pay the Penalty.
Neidermeier Had TO BE Carried to tho
Callows, While Marx and Van
Dine Showed No Emotion
on the ScaRoId.

Chicago. April 23-Atheist to the
last. but completely unnerved. Peter
Neidermeier. the leader of the car barn
bandits, was hanged Friday from
chair, contrasting with his companions
In crime, Gustav Marx and Harvey
Van Dine, who, standing erect. kissed
an image of Christ and died without
tremor. The three executions were
separate, 20 minutes apart. the same
scaffold being used for all. Only once
before in the large number of execu-
tions that have taken place at the jail
in this city has It been necessary to
carry condemned man to the gallows
rs Neidermeier was Friday The crime
for which the three bandits paid the
penalty was one of eight murders
which the three men are known TO
have committeeman OF Francis W.
Stewart. clerk in the car barns OF
the Clicago city railway. Neidermeier
had boosted continually of his courage
but as the last moments approached
he collapsed.
DIR. F. w. Mcnamara. the jail physi-
clan. had visited Neidermeier previ-
NHoiN anu Stt4Na Nlldl -stlleIIlGltI - DIlNE-
zeal condition was satisfactory. The
bandit leader himself told Chief Dep
uty Peters, who appeared with the
death warrant, that the last walk
would be without aid. Deputy Peters
then read the document, and Neidcr-
meier started from his cell He had
gone only two steps when he sank. and
1t was found it would be necessary to
lift him TO the scaffold. Immediately
Neidermeier's feet were strapped to-
gether. He was handcuffed, placed on
a hospital truck and wheeled to the
end of a tier of cells. Then three dep
uties carried him down a flight OF
stairs. Entirely contrary to general
expectation Neidermeier made no eff
fort at resistance. Saying nothing and
appearing almost in a daZe, he was
seated upon chair placed over tho
trap of tho scaffold.
No minister or priest accompanied
Niedermeier. he having finally said,
when offered a last opportunity before
leaving his cell he would die as he
had lived. an atheist. On the scaffolI
Jailer Whitman disregarded the GUS
tom OF asking whether the condemned
man wished TO say anything. The
shroud and hood were quickly adjust.
ed, the bandit instinctively moving his
head that the rope might more easily
be arranged, took a last glance at the
spectators. He appeared as if in a
stupor. a moment later, at 1926
o'clock, the trap fell, the chair bein,
quickly removed from behind as tho
body shot downward. The shroud be-
came partly disarranged and fearful
muscular struggles of the dying man
continued for 10 minutes in view OF
the witnesses of the execution.
The convulsive movements Of Mic
dermeier's body while he was suspend.
ed at the ropes end led the physicians
at first to believe that he had horri.
bly, strangled to death. After an Off
cial examination. however. It was said
his neck had been broken.
Shortly before the hanging Neider-
meier's mother had asked TO be admit
ted to the Jail, but her request was re-
fused
The only requests that the other
bandits. Marx and Van Dine. made
were that they be allowed To bid an
other goodbye, which was granted.
They counselled each other to be
brave. and joined in hoping that they
would meet again" The men had
been bitter enemies until a few davs
before the execution. Van Dine being
incensed at his companion for having
made the confession which led to their
capture.
When the body of Nedermeier ha I
stopped quivering and had been re-
moved. Marx walked slowly to tho
scaffold with several priests. after
having confessed, repented and receiv.
ed the last sacraments, as did Van
Dine, both men having been converted
to the Roman Catholic faith following
the death sentence.
Marx, like Van Dine. was neatly at
tired in black and in the coat Iapel OF
each was white rose Neidermeier
unlike his comrades. wore a rose Of
dark red. Marx showed no emotion
while on the scaffold. and I'm a steady
voice repeated litany after the
priests He fervently kissed the cru.
cifx and at 11:17 o'clock was hanged.
Ills neck was broken.
The execution Of Harvey Van Dine
was varied by curious incident.
While he stood on the drop praying
and waiting for his arms to be PIN
Toned and his legs secured. the moose
fell from tho cross piece Of the gallows
and dangled before the eyes Of the ban
dit about to die Designating the
moose the bandit continued praying
steadily TO the end. Death in his case.
as in that OF Marx. was almost instan.
taneous and not being due TO strangu
lation, but TO the fall
Autograph Letter 10 the Car.
London, April 23.-It is understood
that Sir Charles HardinRe. the new