Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-31
DARING ESCAPE
Of Two Convicted Murderers
from Pittsburg, Pa, Jail.
One Guard Shot, Others 0verpowered
and Locked in Dungeon.
Men Are Brothers and Were to BE
Hanged, Next Month.

PittSburg. Pa. Jan. 30.-Edward and
John Biddle, awaiting execution in the
county Jail for the murder of grocer
Thomas d. Kahney of Mt. Washington,
overpowered the guards at 4 O'clock
this morning and escaped. Both pris-
Oners had been provided with saws
with which to cut the bars in their
cells and We're ready at any moment to
make an opening sufficiently large to
pass through. The prisoners occupied
adjoining cells on the second range
They had evidently been preparing for
escape for some time and had assis-
lance from the outside as both were
armed with revolvers.
Shortly before 4 o'clock one of the
Biddles called to Jas. McGreary. who
had charge of the outside gates, and
asked for some cramp medicine in a
hurry saying his brother was danger
ously sick.
McGreary FASTENED to the cell with
the medicine when John Biddle sprang
through the opening In the cell and
Selling the guard around the waist
hurled him over the railing to the
stone floor beneath, a distance of I6
feet. Edward Biddle joined his brother
Immediately and with drawn revolvers
hurried to the first floor where they
met Guard Reynolds and shot him.
There were but three men on duty
and the third was on one of the upper
ranges. He was ordered down at the
point of the revolver and the three
guards were put in the dungeon. The
keys were taken from Keeper Nc
Greary and the two desperate prison.
ers had n clear field. The only persons
who witnessed the escape were prison.
ers who could not escape or give the
alarm.
The Biddles went to the wardrobe
where the guards keep their clothing
ana each put on new suit. Then they
unlocked the outside gates and passed
out into the streets.
The escape was not discovered until
the daylight guards came on duty at 6
o'clock. They were informed by pris-
oners where the night guards had been
put and they were soon released from
the dungeon and sent to the Homeo-
pathic hospital.
For several months preceding the
Kahney murder. daring burgiaries were
OF almost nightly occurrence. The
police seemed powerless to prevent
them and nervous citizens retired at
night in fear and trembling.
On the morning of April IL, last, Mrs.
kahney was awakened by burglars and
called to her husband, n cripple. who
was sleeping in an adjoining room with
one of the children. AS he entered the
door of his wife's room he was shot
dead. The burglars then fed
A few hours later Detective Patrick
Fitzgerald and two officers surprised
the Biddle brothers at their home on
Futon street, but before they were cap
tured Fitzgerald was killed and Ed
ward Biddle who shot him was dan
gerously wounded. Walter Dorman
another of the gang, and two women.
Jessie Bondine and Jennie Debers, were
arrested.
Dorman turned states evidence and
the two Biddles We're convicted by
kahney's murder and sentenced to be
hanged. John on the 14th, and Edward
on the 18th of this month, but three
days before the date set for Johns exc
cution they were respited until Feb. 25
and %. By Gov. Stone so that their
cases could so before the pardon board
at its coming meeting.
Dorman is still in Jail awaiting SEN
tence. The women were released