Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-02-08
BIDDLE BOYS CAREER.
Soma Incidents in the Lives of the
Criminals who Recently
Met Death.

Criminals who Recently
Met Death.
To Rev. Mr.. Donehoo Pittsburg cler
gyman, who has ever taken kindly in
tcreSt i'll and tried to lend helping hand
to the criminal classes in that city, it is
believed Edward Biddle revealed more
of his past life and more of his inner,
most thoughts than to any other person.
BlddIe sought the acquaintance in Al
legheny county Jail, and talked frankly
ana openly To the clergyman on all occa
SONS, but made no pretense of seeking
the minister's spiritual advice or minis
tratlonS. The prisoners first recollec-
ton, and it was SO vague as to seem like
dream. the clergyman was told. was
of being held up i'll someone's arms and
having them point to motionless form
and say: That is your mother, and She
is dead" At that time he was about
) years old. and the incident was the
only tender and innocent recollection of
all his checkered life. From that time,
he said, all he knew was one dreary,
black, hopeless stretch of abuse, ill-treat-
ment and starvation. Hunger led to
theft and the rest came easily.
Biddle frankly told the clergyman he
had no sincere desire to attempt to re-
form-he considered it too late. The
prisoner was proud OF his educational at
tainmenrs, and especially of the fact that
he was indebted to no one for them. He
had learned the letters of the alphabet
between his robberies and had afterward
learned TO construct sentences and write,
all without Il word OF assistance from
anyone. His principal concern while in
Jail seemed to be his brother He did not
seem to care about himself and would
say: i am thief, and expect to be
hung. But there's JOHN in there; he is
no thief; he will do whatever | tell him,
but he is no thief"
To the clergyman Biddle told the
story of how he came to be in company
with Jessie B0dyne. He said he went
into restaurant in Milwaukee one day
to get dinner, and a modest-lookinS
young woman came to take his order.
Blddle was Well-dressed, and during the
meal began conversation with her.
and in less than an hour he had told
her that he was leading Il crooked life
and she had agreed to 90 with him, al
though he told her ne never could marry
her. Biddle declared that the woman
had not led Il bad life up to that time,
but had married early a man who mis-.
treated her until she left him. and was
then earning her living as a waiter in 4
restaurant. This occurred about a year
ago, Biddlc said, and they STAYED in
Milwaukee for a short time and then
had gone to Cincinnati. He said he did
not love the woman ut that time. but
merely felt an interest in her. At Gin
cinnau she was taken sick and he
nurscd her and cared for her until she
recovered.
After she got we'll Bddle told her one
night that he had fallen in love with
her and that if she was willing he would
arrange for them to so to some min
ister's house and be quietly married
She consented aud he went out to look
for minister. While on this errand
he met a pal OF his who told him that
the police of the city had spotted" him
and that he had better get ont Mt once.
He returned to their room. told Jessie
and they packed their clothes and went
to Pittsburg that night. He had met
1ormnn in Cincinnati and they had
agreed to work together in pittsburg.
Jessie Bodyne, il appears, is at st.
Faiths home, Tarrytown, \. Y. A re-
porter made an effort to see Miss Bodyne,
hut the officials of the institution posi-
lively declined to permit access to the
WomenS quarters. stating that Jessie
knew nothing of the escape and there
fore could give no statement concerning
it, They said moreover. that it was
their intention 10 keep the news from
her. 1T is strict rule of the institu.
tion,' the correspondent adds, mot to
permit interviews with inmates. whom
the local officers say are very comfort
able and better left in ignorance of out
side affairs
Commenting on dispatch from Mil
waukce to the effect that ii was believed
that Jennie SieherS had not been in COM
munication with PittSburg for long
time. PittSburg Leader reporter says:
( Jennie SieberS quarreled with the Bid
dies before their arrest. She aided in
/ their conviction by giving testimony in
eorOboration of that of Walter Dorman.
/ her lover and did all She could to aid
the officers Of the law to send the Bid
dies 10 the gallows. She is not with the
Bldd.eS and Is probably the most alarmed
person in the United States over the fact
that they escaped"
A.
Ed Biddle Wa. go 10 his grave with
| Il portrait of his Oh sweetheart. Jessie
| Rodyne, and lock of her hair near his
heart. Whom Butler officers searched
his bloOd-Stained clothes they found in
his coat pocket a crumpled hit of paper
stained with blood. In it were wrapped
Il newspaper portrait of Jessie Bodyne
and Il lock of hair Enthusiastically hers.
Ii is black and curly. The sentimental
side of the mans nature was forcibly re-
| called when the SearchcrS found in the
vest pOSket Il single violet. carefully
wrapper in oil paper. with no marks