Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-02-03
DlUDLb BkUlhthN DIE.
Warden SOfel's Wife Is Threatened
With Pneumonia.
ANTEMORTEM STATEMENT.
Letter From Edward to Mrs. SOnel
IL DIscOvered-lt Tells OF Their
northumberland Flee
ing tn Canada.

Butler. Pa, Feb. 3.-.JOhn and Ed |
ward Bidde. the m,lrderers who. with
the aid of Warden SoffeFs wife, es-
capped from the county Jail at Pitts
burg. are now dead. Mrs. Soffel. who
fed with the criminals and was shot
during the recapture Of the party. has
developed symptoms of pneumonia.
but physicians state that she still has
q chance for her l.fe.
The RiddleS died within four hours
of each other. John passing over tn"
great divide first after another series
Of violent hemolrhages. Edward
breathed his last after eight or ten
hours of ullcOnsciOusness. lie rallied
a few moments before his death ana
murnured few words, which. how
ever. were unintellgibie. The uneX-
pected happened in that John Biddle,
who was thought to be the least hurt
OF the trio, died first.
Intense excitement prevails here. and
the streets are filled with people ironl
far and near, talking about the latest
| developments. The ! cal Jail Is or
course the object in which most inter
' est is conferred.
/ An ho,ar or two before his death
! John Eddie talked with X. q. Robin
I son. an Allegheny county detective.
! He snid that he and his brother had
begun to saw the bars of the rooms he
fore Christmas and had c mpleted the
work before Governor Stone resplted
them on Jan. II. He said they intend
ed leaving the Jail Sunday night, Jan
II, or the early morning OF Monday
following, just as they did last Thurs
day morning. When they were mott
fled of the respite. they decided to take
their time and run the risk of discov.
cry, of which he said they had no fear
Knew the Prison Routine.
Biddle said they knew it was Gus
tomary for the night clerk. james Nc
Carey. to carry medicine to the prs-
Oners If any were taken sick at night
and that it was his habit TO leave the
door of the prison department open.
They knew also that he carried the
|
leading to the main entrance. and if
they happened to catch him without
them they did not doubt they could
find the keys in the outer office. From
there, he said they were to unlock the
door to the waiting l. ON. proceed To
the door leading into the wardel's
residence aud to he let in there ly Mrs.
! 4 a,t,.s law la,
warden's front door. 49, 2
The whole plan as devised al that
time, he says. was carried out just rs
they anticipated. and he says he had
no fears that the warden's wife would
fail them.
, When asked if he believed the story.
Detective Robinson said he did and
that he had gone to see Il man lately II
prisoner in the Pittshurg Jail who
knew the circumstances and who cor
roborated it. He said he would report
the confession of Biddle to the prison
board.
Shortly before his heart stopped
beating John became talkative and
very boasttul. but as he felt himself
sinking into the shadow Of death he
spoke sluwly in Il repentant strain.
IL know said he that my time
here is short. and you can say for me
that | am Il Christian and will die Il
sincere believer in G,d. hope | shall
have strength enough to say SO ut the
last. know | have taken part in
many wrongloings. but | have never
killed any man and was never impli
Gated with amy one who did. wish
could see Mrs. kahney. | would tell
her the truth about the killing Of llei
husband. This life has been pretty
tough to me. and the end cannot come
too quick. don't care how"
During The investigation by the pris-
on board Mr.. Dietrich, father of Mrs
Soffel. VITO was Il Jail guard admitted
die to his daughter. but excused him
self by saying Biddle told him the pa
pers contained poetry written 10y him
self Further examination of Detricl
was postponed.
District Attorney John Hnymnkei
and County Detective Robinson are
now in Pittsburg
. Mrs. soFeI Overcome with Renor~e
! The district attorney said when they
went into the room at the II spita
where Mrs Sonel is lying she threw
up her hands and said. "Oh, for heav
ems sake." She seemed to he overcome
with remorse ut the sight of two met
whom she knew SO well and instinc
lively knew why they had come She
asked them if they Intended to take
her "hnme" ut once, and they told heI
they would come back for her in Il few
days.
The two officers converSed with Mrs
SOffel for half an hour and asked hel
many questions. which she refused tt
answer She in turn asked Mr.. Hay
maker what sentence could be imposed
on her for her part In the Biddlcs es
cane She was told the extreme Dellal