The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1902-02-08
BORN THE DIIDLE BOYS OH
THEIR WOUNDS PROVE FATAL.
Mrs. soReI Has n Chance OF Her Life
Jack, a. Long as Able, Was Very
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Relief
in God--StOry of Their Love At
fairs and Escape From Prison.

NACs hAo%hStS anu MIS. nate SOuSl, tuS
unexpected has happened. John Bid
ile, who was considered the more
likely Of the brothers to escape pres
ent death. succumbed first and died
at 1885 p. m. His brother Ed. who has
been unconscious all day and who was
considered in a dying condition last
night survived until II o'clock, when
he, too. went over the great divide.
Both men died without any apparent
suffering at the close.
Mrs. Soffel developed symptoms OF
pneumonia after passing through an
operation for the extraction of the
bullet. She has chance for her life,
and unless some unforeseen compiled
ion sets in she will recover.
The death Of Jack Biddle was caus
I'd by the bullet wounds in his abdo.
men and body. Early in the day
physicians thought peritonitis was the
principal danger in his case. but in.
-ernal hemorrhage set in and proved
fatal in short while,
AS long as he was able. Jack was
extremely laxative and was at times
5Oastful. But as soon as the shadow
0f death began to fall on him and he
recognized it he became repentant
1 know" said he, that my time is
short, and you can say for me that
I'M Christian and will die a sincere
believer in God. and hope | win have
strength enough to say so at the last
know | have taken part in man.
wrong deeds, but | have never killed
my man, and was never implicated
gith any enc who did. | wish coulC
see Mrs. kahney. would tell her the
ruth about the killing OF her husband
This life has been pretty tough to me
and the end can not come too quick
md l don't care how"
A sister of the Biddles arrived il
town and was admitted to the Jail. but
Sd was unable TO recognize her.
After a consultation at the hospita
n the case Of Mrs. Soffel District Al
.orney Haymaker decided to allow IN,
| woman to remain here, as her condi
| ion is such that the trip to Pittsburs
| might be attended with fatal results
Mrs. Sofel is suffering much from he.
wound, and the attending physician.
/ tear that her removal now woulC
/ sause gaEgrene to set in.
/ Excitement continued undated ant
A dense crowd Of people hung abou
the Jail doors all day trying 10 get il
% see the two criminals. The NOS
/ persistent OF the crowd We're women
many of whom expressed the deepes
concern and sympathy for Ed Biddle
and declared their belief in his limo
| cence. This belief seemed to deeper
| when it became known that Ed Bid
/ lie made a deathbed confession tC
| Rev. Father Walsh of this place las
night, declaring his innocence Of the
crime Of shooting Groceryman. Kah
ley and Detective Fitzgerald.
A lost letter from Ed Biddle to hi.
prison sweetheart, Mrs Kate Soffel
found in the snow near the bloody
scene Of their capture, reveals the
long, careful plot for their escap,
from the Allegheny county jail. tn.
letter clearly shows the hazardous IN
iertakings Of the infatuated woman
10 secure the escape of the Biddles
Since December ?. 1901, they had beer
making preparations to escape. The
epistle tells how Mrs. Sofel carried
the saws to the cells Of the Biddles
1t manifests the extreme infatuatior
Of Mrs. Soffel for the murderer ant
burglar. 1t clearly shows the wonder
.tul influence Ed Biddle had over Mrs
SoHel.
Mrs. Soffel fell in love with Ed Bid
die in November. The burglar soor
realized his power over her. It was
not long until he started to write love
letters to her. His affection was re
ciprocated. Mrs. Soffel fell madly Ii
love with Ed Biddle and about tn,
early part Of December he proposed {
plan Of escape to her.
She consented to lend him her aid
Between December IA and Is they hat
completed all arrangements to escape
from the jail. Then they learned o!
the governors respite. After this EC
Biddle almost persuaded Mrs. So7el tt
fly with him and his brother. The
contents Of the letter show it was or
iginally agreed that Mrs. Soffel was
to leave the city for Canada on thu
eve Of the boys escape.
The letter in part follows:
fsTVa rrarn
day and these fellows would swear OF
a stack Of Bibles 10 feet high that We
could not have the stuff on us since
Saturday. See that you clear your
self Of all suspicion, without the fellow
where you bought the saws woulc
come to the surface They never
could convict you, but some peoplo
might suspect you. That would cut
no figure. they never could prove it t.
save their lives.
1t would be much easier for US t.
get away il you stayed at home, on ac
count Of the warden, you know. II
case you should not want to 20, go tC
the postoffice at Homestead aboul
March IS and call for mail under the
name Of Mrs. Charles Mcdonald. You
will get a letter
Watch the papers close and II you
see they have trace any part Of the
way, leave Toronto on the quiet and
GO to Montreal. Leave letter in To
ronto for me and as soon as you get
settled in Montreal write me a lette.
to the postoffice there, all in signs.
where you are. Montreal is about 25O
miles further north. Keep low until
reach you"
gunre,,. 60, -,