The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1904-04-19
PETER NEiCERMEiER, CHICAGO
CAR BARN BANDIT, TWICE
ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.
LIES IN A PRECARIOUS CONDITION
ATE MATCH HEADS, CUT SEVERAL
ARTERIES AND LATER RE-
OPENS WOUNDS.

Chicago, April 19-Peter Neider
meier, the leader of the car barn ban
dts. condemned to die on the gallows
Friday, made two desperate attempts
at suicide during the day. His condi
tion as result is SO precarious tha
it is feared he will not survive. Should
he still be alive next Friday he will bt
carried to the gallows and executed.
Neidermeier planned his attempted
suicide carefully. First he masticated
and swallowed the heads OF seventy
five or a hundred sulphur matches
While the phosphorus was burning his
stomach he sawed at the radial artery
of his left wrist with sharp pointed
lead pencil. Striking a bone in the
wrist he gave up trying TO sever the
artery and turned his weapon on the
large veins on the outer side OF his
left forearm and with jabs and a see
saw motion he lacerated the flesh and
muscles of the arm and tore open the
veins, leaving large, jagged wound
exposed, through which the blood
gushed in streams, dyeing his bed
clothing and running down over the
cell floor in pools. His second attempt
came after the wound
Had Been Dressed and Closed
by the county physician. Neidermeier
was lying apparently unconscious III
the hospital under a guards care. His
right arm and hand were hidden by
the bed clothing and with hardly a
discernible motion he slipped the
bandage off his left arm and with his
sharp finger nails tore away the thread
in the wounds and, inserting his fore
finger in the ragged hole, ne worked
again at the veins and sought to reach
an artery. He unconsciously uttered
a groan and made congulsiye move
ment, which attracted the attention OF
the physicians, nurses and the guard,
and, on throwing back the coyerlfds,
the attendants saw with horror that
Neidermeier had torn away the BAN
dages and reopened the wound. Mel
dermeier opened his eyes and with a
leering, wan smile exclaimed:
let ME die, Doc. Go away and let
me die. You were almost too late the
first time Now, why do you try TO
save my lsfe?"
Nedermeier lost large quantity OF
blood and was almost pulseless for a
time. The most danger, however, is
that the poisonous phosphorus has
burned him so severely that his life
cannot be saved for it's final snufiing
out on the gallows.
Neidermeier says he got his idea OF
swallowing phosphorus when pris-
oner in the Jail
Committed Suicide in That Manner
while Neidermeier was awaiting trial.
For the last two weeks Neidermeier
has been saving the matches he was
able to fitch and beg. He even gave
up smoking to some extent so he could
secure them.
A letter written by Neidermeier
prior to the attempt at suicide was
found concealed in his cot. In the let
ter the writer incidentally expresses
repentance al his career and he re-
grets leaving the few who have loved
him. but chiefly the letter is morbid
eloriication of the writer's courage
and his loyalty to his kind in contrast
with Neidermeier's associate, Gustav
Marx The letter says
There are four reasons why
should take my own life.
"First-Because OF the public boast
that | cannot commit suicide while
am here closely guarded.
Secondhand that | cannot cheat
the scaffold.
"Third-That they cannot say they
executed me and made me pay for a
crime.
"Fourth--To have another mystery
for the ignorant police to solve"