Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-23
PAY THE PENALTY.
Execution Of Three Of Chicago
Car Barn Bandits.
Hanging, Friday, Of Nsidermeier,
Marx and Van Dine.
Neidermeier Attempted Suicide in Gel!
Last Week.

Chicago, April 22-Atheist to the last
but seemingly unnerved comnle,elv
Peter Neidermier, the leader of tho cav
barn bandits, was hanged TODAY from a
chair contrasting with his companions
in crime, Gustav Marx and Harvey
Van Dine, who. standing erect. kissed
an image of Christ and died without a
tremor. The three executions We're SEN
arate 20 minutes apart, the same sc,s-
fold being used for all. Only once be-
fore in the large number of executions
at the Jail in this city, has it been
| necessary to carry a condemned man to
the glllOws.
The crime for which the three bandits
Eaid the penalty, was one of eight muir
ders. the three men are known to have
committed. one being that of Francis
w. Stewart, a clerk in the car barns
| Of the Chicago City Railway.
Neidermeier had boosted continually
of his courage. and told Chief Deputy
Sheriff Peters who appeared with The.
| death warrant that the last walk would
| be without aid. Deputy Peters then
read the document and Neiderrneier
started from his cell He had gone only
| two steps when he sank and it wa;
| found it. would be ne cessary to led him
to the scaffold. Immediately Neider-
| meier's feet We're strapped together He
was handcuffed, placed upon a hospital
truck and wheeled to the end of Il tier
of cells. Then the deputies carried him
down a flight OF stairs. Contrary to
general expectations he made no effort
at resistance. Saying nothing, and APP
Fearing almost in IL daZe, he was seat
ed upon chair placed over the trap of
the scaffold. No minister or priest ac-
companied Neidermeier, he having
finally said that 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 was quick
~ adjusted. The tlndit instnctively
moved his head that the rope might
| more easily be arranged and took a
last glance at the spectators. He APP
peared rs if in a stupOr. A moment
later, at 1885 o'clock. the trap fell and
IN official examination. disclosed that
his neck had been broken.
In the opinion of some witnesses
Neidermeier was half crazed when the
uCttSh vel ant w DIS ISdS. Ile
angry and protested against execution,
saying he did not wish to disgrace his
family.
Peters" said the prisoner. let me
look at that warrant"
After eXcitedly reading the paper
Neidermeier nervously folded it and
started to put it in his pocket.
You can't do that" said the chief
deputy. Il have to return that to the
court
Il want to take this along with me
to prove a case of murder l may want
TO make n complaint to st. Peter"
He also entered into a discussion
with the deputy sheriff on murder.
When the body of Neidermeier had
been removed, Marx walked slowly to
the scaffold with the priest after having
confessed, reoented, and received the
last Sacraments, as did Van Dine both
men having been converted to the Ro-
man Catholic faith following the death
sentence.
Marx feverishly kissed the crucifiX
and at 1l.17 o'clock. was hanged. His
neck was broken.
The execution Of Harvey Van Dine
was varied by curious accident. While
he stood on the drop praying and wait
ing for his arms to be pinioned and his
legs secured, the moose fell from the
cross pieces of the gallows and dingled
before the eyes of the bandit about to
to die. Dsregarding the moose the BAN
dit 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. Van Dine, the mother of the last
of the bandits, was at Buda, Ills,
pleading with Governor Yates almost
up to the time of the execution. The
governor. however. said he saw no rea-
son why he should interfere with the
sentence of the court.