Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-06-11
JOHN B|DDLE ON TRIAL
CHARGED WITH MURDER.
WALTER DORMAN PLEADED Gull.
TY AND WILL TURN STATES
EVIDENCE.
THEIR WIVES ARE ALSO HELD.
MRS. RAHNEY, WIDOW OF THE
MURDERED MAN. GIVES
HER EVIDENCE.

PITTSBURG. June 10.-The trial OF
John and Edward Biddle and Walter
Dorman, alias r. ID. Wilcox for the
murders of Grocer Thomas l. Kahney
and Detective Patrick Fitzgerald. was
opened to-day.
The Biddles entered plea Of not
guilty, but Dorman created a surprise
by pleading guilty. The terrible double
tragedy for which the defendants are
held responsible occurred on April 18th
last
For weeks preceding the city was ter
rorized by series OF burglaries and
robberies. Kahney was shot down in
his home while standing unarmed In
his night clothes, and Fitzgerald was
killed few hours later while attempt
ing to arrest the defendants.
The wives of Edward Biddle and
Walter Dorman were arrested at me
same time, and will be tried on charges
of receiving stolen goods.
The defendants will be tried separate
ly, an dthe case of John Biddle was
called first
1t is believed that Dorman will turn
States evidence.
DR. j. Guy McCandless. who made
the postmortem examination of the
body OF Kahney, testified that the bull
let entered between the third and
fourth rib in front and came out
little further down. The bullet passed
through both the left lung and the
heart.
On examination the witness
testified that the shooters must have
been larger or had higher position
than Kahney. and that the bullet trav-
eled downward at the rate of one inch
in eighteen. He said that Kahney WIS
about five feet ten inches high.
AS John Biddle Is a smaller man than
Kahney was, it would seem that the
defense will try to clear him of The
first degree charge. claiming tha, he
could not have fired the fatal shot he
cause the course OF the bullet WIS
downward
The widow of the murdered man was
called and told graphically the story
of the night of the murdc. How, hav-
ing strange intuition OF coming evil,
she had gone through the house to see
that all was secure AMI finally fel!
asleep on the bed with her boy who
was restless and nervous. How she was
awakened by feeling hand and cloth
over her face.
She tried to rise and was roughly
thrust back by the strong man. who
was endeavoring to drug her into In
sensibility. She detected the pungent
and burning odor, and realizing her
situation, struggled desperately, but was
thrust back again by another of the
robbers, who came to his companions
aid
Her thoughts few to the helpless BOY
by her side. and at the thought OF his
peril she tore herself loose and sprang
to her feet, one of the men still el'ag-
ing to her. with his back TO the daoT
by which her husband was en- .3ring
The shot rang out and the murderer
and his companion fed. The noise OF
more than one pair of feet on the oil
cloth told her there were two in addl-
ton to the one who held her.
She told how she opened the wiGiow
and screamed for help. Her husband
gasped Wait until get my revolver"
staggered into the ether room and
stumbled back again TO fall dying at
her feet.
On cross-examina.ion she said THAI
though she did not see the face Of the
man who held her. something brussed
iner face and she thought the man nad
beard.
Earl Kahney. the young son told Of
what he rememberei OF the murde-. He
said he saw two men. at the foot OF the
bed while the third man was holding
his mother.