The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-31
'DESPER,,>5OEs
 MAXI ESCAPE Warden'S Wife Loved a
 Murderer. PRISONERS GIVEN SAWS The Woman Disappeared
 With Her Lover. Her Friends Think Her Mental Faculties Have Been Impaired
 Through Illness-Rsward of $5,ooo for the Escapes.
PRISONERS GIVEN SAWS

John Riddle, awaiting execution in the county jail for the murder of Grocer Thomas D. Kahney of Mount Washing ton, ovcrpowered the guards at o'clock this morning and escaped.
 Both prisoners had been provided with saws, with which they cut the bars In their cells and were ready at any mo- ment to make an opening sufficiently large to pass through. The prisoners oc- cupied adjoining cells on the second range. They evidently had been prepar- ing escape for some tipe. and had as- sistance from the outside, as both were armed with revolvers.
 Shortly before o'clock one Of the Riddles called to James McGeary, who had charge of the outside gates ana asked him for some cramp medicine III d. hurry, saying his brother was danger ously sick.
 McGeary hastened to the cell with tne medicine. when John Riddle sprang through the opening in the cell. and, seizing the guard around the waist huri- ed him over the railing to the stone noor beneath, a distance of sixteen feet.
 Edward Riddle joined his brother im- mediately, and both, with drawn revoN- CTS. hurried to the first floor. where they met Guard Reynolds and shot him.
 There were but three men on duty, ana the third was on one of the upper ranges. He was ordered down at the point or re- volyers. and the three guards were put in the dungeon. - M.-
 The keys were taken from Keeper ne- Geary, and the two desperate prisoners ~Il nerR0n witnessed the escape were prisoners Mno could not interfere or give an alarm. The Ts,ddIea went to the wardrobe. where fine guards keep their clothing, and eacn ,,,,t m q new shit. They then unloekeo the outside gates and passed out in'o Ross Street. ...,,
 The escape was not discovered until thA daylight guards came on duty at o'clock. They were informed by prison CTS where the night guards had been put and they were soon released rom tne dungeon and sent to the Homeopathic Hospital. n,. ,u,fe ,s resnonsible for the furnishing or the revolver and saws to the Biddles' wnlcn enabled them to escape.
 Tn her infatuation for this handsome desnerado. Edward Riddle. 1t Is alleged that she has left her husband and her fonr children and 1t is supposed is to meet the escaped convicts at a place agreed upon. ,.u
 The story of the matter is brief. Mrs. Soffel was the only person admitted 70 the iaiI since last Sunday. festeroav afternoon she visited them ourihs ta0 warden's absence.
 Last evening she retired at o'clock She told her husband she was going to visit A sister at McDonald and that she would retire early so that she could get an early start. Warden Soffel was about the iail until after F o'clock. He retired to his room, which Is separate from Mrs. Soffers, shortly before 1 o'clock.
 When he awoke this morning he asked for Mrs. Soffel. and was informed that she was absent. Later. when the details of the escape became known he telephon- ed to Mcdonald and was informed that Mrs. Soffel was not there.
 Warden Soffel immediately made frank confession of his suspicious.
 District Attorney John c. Haymaker had a conference with Warden Sonei al noon and the warden told him of his sus- picions concerning Mrs. Soffel.
 The Warden has made inquiries at the homes of all of his wife's relatives ana he has been unable to find any trace of her. An investigation diclosed the fact that bHe Hdu ldhtll dll ol hNt DcSS SiOhhSo with her. The Warden's overcoat is also missing. It Is said the Riddles took a train at the Fourth Avenue station for the Panhandle Railroad. which Is within a block and left for the West. Warden Soffel is broken-hearted. He Is com pletely unnerved and with difficulty could repress his tears.
 The county commissioners met this afternoon and offered reward of 5000 for the recapture of the murderers.
 Wardens Peter K. Soffel. in discussing the escape of the Biddles today in the office of the jail. said:
 ''I believe my wife furnished the weap- ons to the Riddles and assisted them to escape. This is an awful thing, but am only telling the whole truth. My wife was not in bed when I was awak- ened this morning. and I have not seen her since. She is gone-God only knows where. I said would lay everything bare. and I am doing it. This is the worst blow of all, but believe 1t is true I did not suspect her. and hence was off my guard. But she Is gone and the sus- picion of assisting in the delivery by furnishing weapons rests upon her"
 He broke down and wept when speaking of his wife's actions.
 The friends of Mrs Soffel believe that she could not have been in her right mind when she aided In the escape of the Riddles. For some years she has been an invalid and about one year ago she was sent to a sanitarium. She came back very much improved. but the long and painful illness Is believed to have weakened her mind.
 For several months preceding the Kah- ney murder, daring burglaries were of almost nightly occurrence. The police V1OWarIaaG nr9Vpnf them and nervous citizens retired at night in fear and trembling. On the morning of April 18th last, Mrs. Kahney was awakened by burglars and called to her husband. & cripple, who was sleeping in an adjoin- ing room.
 As he entered the door of his wife's room. he was shot dead. The burglars then fled. A few hours later Detective Patrick Fitzgerald and two officers sur prlsed the Riddle brothers at their home on Fulton Street. but before they were