The age-herald., 1902-02-02
Long Love Letter from Des- perado Found in Possess
 sion of the Woman
DISCLOS!S THE WHOLE
 PLAN FOR THE ESCAPE
As Jack Riddle Was Dying He Said He Had Done Wrong, But He Had Never Killed or Tried
 to Kill Anyone.

Butler. Pa. February 1.--At the close of day. of intense excitement and many for life of the wounded Riddle brothers and Mrs. Kate Soffel. the unexpected has happened, Jack Riddle, who until late this afternoon was the more likely of the brothers to es@ape present death, succumbed at 7:35 D. m. The condition of Ed Riddle tonight is exceedingly precar- ious and his death at any moment would cause no surprise Mrs. Soffel developed symptoms of pneumonia this afternoon after having come safely through an operation this morning for the extraction of the bullet. She is the only one of the trio who has any chance of living. The death of Jack Riddle was caused by the der Early in the day the physicians thought peritonitis was the principal danger in his case, but tonight internal hemorrhage set in and the man bled to death in a short while.
 As long as he was able Jack was ex- tremely talkative and was at times boast ful. But as soon as the shadow of death began to fall upon him and he recog- nized it., he became repentent.
 'I know" said he that my time here is short. and you can say for me that I am Christian and will die q sincere believer in God and hope l have strength enough to say so at the last l know 1 have taken part in many wrong deeds. but have never kill 2 any man and was never implicated with any one who did 1 wish l could see Mrs. Kahney. l would tell her the truth about the kill ing of her husband. This life has been pretty tough for me and the end cannot come too quick"
 Ed. Riddle Unconscious.
 Ed Riddle has been unconscious the greater part of the day, and it is evil dent that his lease of life is short. 1n- ternal hemmorhage of the lungs keeps him almost continuously choked. sister of the Riddles arrived in town this even- ing and was admitted to the jail, but Ed was unable to recognize her.
 The principal subject of conversation on the streets today has been whether the Butler County authorities would permit the removal of the Riddles to Allegheny County in the event of either or both surviving their injuries. The question was raised that since the Riddles were under arrest here for felonous shooting, they could not be removed. District Attorney e on that point this afternoon by stating that 1t was the intention to turn the men over to the Allegheny authorities as soon as they were in condition to be moved with safety. and the same action would be taken with reference to Mrs. Soffel.
 After consultation at the hospital in the case of Mrs. Soffel this afternoon, District Attorney Haymaker of Pttsburg decided to allow the woman to remain here as her condition Is such that the trip to Pittsburg tonight might be fol- lowed by fatal results. Mrs. Soffel is suf- fering considerably, and the attending physicians fear that her removal now would cause gangrene to set in. Attorney Haymaker said there would be no diff ficulty made of the prize money as the claims of the Butler County people had been heard and will take steps to notify the commissioner of Allegheny County of their claims.
 The interest was unabated today and a dense crowd of people hung about the jail doors all day trying to get in to see the two criminals.
 Found Love Letter.
 One of the sensational developments of the day which the authorities have tried to keep secret was the finding on the person of Mrs. Soffel when searched at the hospital long letter from Ed Riddle, setting forth in detail the plan for the escape of the brothers from jail and nam- ing their destination afterwards.
 A lost love letter from Ed Riddle to his prison sweetheart Mrs. Kate Soffel. found in the snow near the bloody scene of their capture. reveals the long, care full plot for their escape from the Ale gheny County jail. The letter clearly shows the hazardous undertakings of the infatuated woman to secure the escape of the Riddles. Since December 20 1901, they had been making preparations to escape. The discovered epistle tells him Mrs. Soffel carried the saws to the cells of the Riddles It clearly shows the wonderful influence Ed Riddle had over Mrs Sof- fel.
 Mrs, Soffel fell In love with Ed Bid dle in November.
 
 over her and it was not long untll ne started to write love letters to her. Ills affection was reciprocated Mrs. Sofrel fell madly in love with him and about the early part of December he proposed a plan of escape to her. She completed all arrangements to escape from the jail Then they learned of the Governors re- spite. After this, Ed Riddle almost per suaded Mrs. Soffe to fly with him and his brother The contents or the letter show it was originally agreed that Mrs Soffel was to leave the city Tor Canada on the evening of the boys escape
 The Letter to Mrs. soffel.
 The letter in part follows;
 My Precious Little Darling:
 q guess I never will be able to Kiss you goodbye Oh God! Pet. don't think the blow is all on you. l love you dear est baby, more than every before. Each minute today has been like and hour to me. You are dearer to me than my very life.
 we were searched pretty close today and these fellows would swear on d stock of Bibles ten feet high that we