The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-02-01

large sleigh with her companions ant
 taken to the hospital at Butler
 At the jail tonight Ed. Riddle called
 for priest and made the following
 statement: 'I have been accused of {
 great many serious crimes. l admi
 that l could have committed many, tht opportunities for them having present ed themselves. I want to say now that l did not kill Detective Fitzgerald nol did I shoot Thomas Kahney, nor was my brother implicated in the latter af- fair. Mrs. Soffel aided us in getting out of the county jail and had it not been for her we would have made our escape to-day. She gave up everything for us and l was bound to back her up. l d q not shoot her She shot herself Oh father, bless me and tell me that my sins are forgiven.
 Although I have been pictured to you as a desperate man, l still have some heart and gratitude for the Wo- man who helped us to escape. She mere ly did it out of good sympathy for us. l persuaded her to do it. | told her l was guiltless of the crime for which l was about to be executed and she was
  ton. l planned it all"
 Looking up he saw several reporters and recognized them as the men who had reported all his nefarious crimes for which he was tried.
 You blackguards, you are the cause of the bitter feeling that has been en- eendered against us. You created the public sentiment againts us Are you sorry? You are not? You are too heartless.'
 At this point Riddle showed signs of collapse and made a. feeble effort to signal the priest. Father Walsh ad ministered the solemn last rites of the dying and Riddle rolled over on his face and sighed. He was asked if he want ed any word taken to his brother, and l he shook his head, No"
 The tracking of the fugitives in their flight by the detectives was very com plete. Early this morning the Pitts burg police were notified that horse and sleigh had been stolen early Thurs day morning from the barn of a Per rysville farmer. Frequently during the day reports were received at headquar- ters that two men and a woman, the
  Riddles and Mrs. Soffel, had been seen going through different towns along the route.
 From the description furnished it was clear to the police that they were the fugitives and detectives were immedi- ately sent after them. The Butler off cials were at once notified and, by tele- phonng to the surrounding small towns, it was learned that the party had turned away from the direct road into Butler and were going through the wooded country to the north of Butler.
 The Butler officials at once went in the direction in two good sleighs pro- vided with fast horses. They soon found they were on the trail of the fugitives and at o'clock wired the Pittsburg police that they had learned they were only thirty minutes behind the sleigh and that their horse was tired. From this time on it was only a question of a short time until the cap- ture was made.
 The entire party, officers and prison CTS, are expected to arrive in this city some time tonight on a special train.
 Later-Mrs. Soffel made a statement after her capture in which she said she became involved in the affair through her sympathy for Ed. Riddle. She said she now realized her mistake and wish ed she was dead. She said she did not shoot herself. but was the first one shot by the detectives.
 The officers say the woman was arm ed, but do not think she fired any shots
 Dr. J. F.. Byers, who examined the Riddles and Mrs Soffel as soon as the prisoners were taken into the county jail, made the following statement late 1 tonight:
 "The wounds of all three prisoners are exceedingly grave and mya result | fatally before another twenty-four hours.
 The bullett which struck Mrs. Soffel | and which appears to have been self | afflicted, entered her left breast, going through the nipple and passing back | about six inches through her chest. It lodged under the skin of the back, all most opposite the point of It's entrance.
 From my examination of Mrs Sof- fel's wound, I think she may live but her exposure to the cold and the ex- ctement and nervous shock of this af- ternoon may so complicate matters that her breast wound may prove fatal.
 AS to Edward Riddle, I think his wounds are the worst of any of the three He was shot through the breast twice and was also shot in the mouth. His arm is broken.
 Ed. Biddles left lung is full of blood, his breathing Is greatly impair ed, and I doubt if he can live long.
 "The wounds of John Riddle are He has six gunshot wounds in his abdomen and five in the right arm. Stray pieces of shot also hit him in the face, but none of John Biddles wounds are of themselves necessarily fatal The chief danger in his case is from blood poisoning, which is not un- likely
 A DELIGHTFUL LENT.