The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-09


McKeesport and get the saws an directed
and hat she there also bought the revolvers
which she. Edward and John Biddle used
In their final fight from the prison.
Shortly after this letter was written came
the news Of the reprieve under which the
dates OF executions was changed from
Jan. IL and 10 to Feb. rs and 81. There
was also the move to get the cases before
the Board Of Pardons, but In this Edward
Biddle had no faith. He consequently
again began pressing Mrs. Soffel to hasten
the arrangements for the flight.
MRS. soYFEL's AID.
1t was at first arranged hat Mrs. Sone'
should 20 away In advance Of the Biddlcs
! on tho night fixed for the escape, proceed
straight to Toronto. 60 from there TO Mon
treal and await the arrival Of Edward.
Yet over this plan there seems TO have been
a curious vacillation and Edward himself
urged Mrs. Sonel to wait and go with them
wi en- they broke out, although he must
nave known that encountered with her
the chances OF escape would be greatly
diminished.
statements in the Butler Hospital hat abe
did not intend 10 go away with the Biddles.
until they came bursting into the room In The
wsrden's residence where she was breath
lessly awaiting the result OF the attempt
TO break out. Then, she says, W
insisted ON her going then and there, and
she yielded to him as she had come to do In
all things hat he commanded her to do.
1t was on Thursday morning at a quarter
to 4 o'clock hat the Biddles broke out.
On the night before as well as on Tuesday
night and Wednesday night preceding
Mrs. Soffel visited the prisoners at their
cells and sat for hours in a chair close
outside the cell doors, the place she habit
ually occupied in talking to the prisoners.
1t Is believed that IL was on the occasion
OF these last three visits that the prisoners
sawed through the bars Of their cell doors.
Mrs. Sonel's skirts as she sat close by the
door completely concealed their move
ments If n guard happened TO pass,
something that rarely, IL ever, occurred
during Mrs. Sofrel's visits to the prisoners.
The woman n~onchalantly chewed gum
whilo the Biddles worked away with their
saws. nominally for her own delectation
but in reality to furnish the prisoners with
the gum to solder up the severing lines
In the iron bars made by the saws.
When she came as usual on Wednesday
night she brought some startling infor-
nation. She had learned that day that
next morning the cells would be thoroughly
overhauled and the iron bars OF the doors
examined This meant certain discovery
OF the sawed bars and through that prob
ably the unearthing OF all the plot to es-
cape. Whatever was 70 be done must be
done that night or never.
ARMED THE MURDERERs
' The desperate Biddles needed no urgi ne.
For weeks Edward had been fretting and
tuning and alternately cajollng and
brow-beating the woman who was de-
liberately wrecking her own life and
bringing everlasting shame and misery
upon those who should have been dear
to her, and all for this complaining, half
bullying murderer who asserted his power
over her as i~mperiously as though she had
been his slave.
She had fastened matters as ra pidly as
she could, and now at last not only was
everything ready. but action swift, i'm
mediate. was peremptorily necessary. She
gave Edward the key to the warden's resi-
dence door. He INC John already had
their loaded pistols and a supply Of cart
ridges which she had struggled in to them
some days before.
1t has been said. on what authorit, Is
not known, that Mrs. Sorel exacted a prom
ise from the Biddles that they would not
use the pist OILS on her husband or her father,
In case either or both Of them got In the
way. II she did exact such a promise she
could not nave failed 20 know that It was
a promise only made to be broken.
II -..as.I IzA., AaNk nh4,s thA
desperate character Of these murderers to
know that In this their last reckless break
for life and liberty they would not stop
to discriminate between persons, II any
body got In their way. She knew as well
as she knew anything that when she put
the loaded pistols into those scoundrels'
hands she put them there to shoot down
her aged father and her husband, the father
OF her children, II they attempted TO stay
the fight by so much as a ONE
Mrs. Sohel Is not a handsome woman.
nor ever physically IN attractive one TO
look at, yet IL there Ia anything in her plain
face that tends TO counterbalance the plain
mess II is n distinct expression OF womanly
kindness and gentleness. There is not so
much as a hint Of a harsh or cruel line In all
her features.
She is old enough, too, for the mask to
take on some suggestion, however faint.
OF the character that lies behind 1t. A
good woman and a motherly woman is
what anybody would say seeing her for
the first time and before the terrible ordeal
which she has just gone through.
And yet so distorted and warped out Of
all semblance TO her natural self was she
by the influence Of this desperate. who
had 80 completely mastered her that she
was rot shocked even at the thought OF
the murder Of those who in all nature should
be nearest to her affections, II IL right
here that the mystery Of this strange affair
becomes almost uncanny In its hopeless
battling Of all attempts at penetration.
THE woMAS's CONDUCT.
It Ia a mystery that smacks OF some
demoniac spell rather than Of the natural
operation Of any known laws Of human
feeling and human action. OF all the
terrible scenes in all this dark tragedy
there is none that so makes the heart turn
sick as the picture Of that wife and mother
leaving those desperate outlaws unleashed