Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-02-04
1HE BDDLES ARE DYING.
Escaped Murderers Shot by Officers
Near Butler, Pa, Cannot
Get Well.
MRS. soffEL IN CRITICAL CONDITION.

The Desperate Trio Declare That
, They shot Themselves. and the
y Nature of Their Wounds Bear
Them Out-Story of the Exciting
Capture of Fugitives.
Butler, Pa, Feb. 3.-The condition
Saturday morning of the fugitives
from Justice, Edward and John Blddle
and Mrs Kate Soffel, who were wound
ed in the battle with the Pittsburg
and Butler police Friday evening, has
not changed since midnight. except in
the case of ED" Biddle, who has
grown noticeably weaker. and it is be-
lieved that his death is now only
matter of few hours. His tempera-
ture is 1902; pulse. IA; respiration ~,
and there is evidence of almost con-
tinual internal hemorrhages. Unless
peronitis sets in, Jack will be taken
to the hospital, where an operation
will be performed in the hope of saw
ing his life. The doctors have just
secured evidence that his bladder was
reached by a bullet, but his general
condition seems to be good.
Mrs, soffel Will Recover.
Mrs. Soffel is resting easy. Her only
wound was made by a bullet which
penetrated the left breast within an
inch of the nipple. 1t was from 80
caliber revolver and coursed around
the rib to the left side, lodging in the
shoulder blade. About three o'clock
in the morning DIR. G. K. McAdoo OPP
Grated on her, removing the bullet, and
she is in such condition that her re-
covery is believed to be matter of
very short time. Mrs. Soffel tells two
different stories of the shooting, one
to the effect that she shot herself dur
ing the fight, and the other that she
was shot by Edward Biddle. The bull
let did not go through her outer gar
ment, which indicates that the shot
was fired by herself or Biddle by put
ting the hand under the coat.
Had Agreed to Commit Suicide.
From the statement made Saturday
morning by Jack" Biddle in his cell,
it is evident that the escaped convicts
and their accomplice had arranged to
commit suicide in case capture became
imminent. In addition, Jack" also
told how they escaped. Their manner
of getting out of Jail, according to
his statement, was as has already beer
published. McGeary, he says, fell ovel
the range when he jerled loose from
the hold the prisoner had on him. HI
saws Mrs. Soffel helped them to escape
but would not say she supplied the
saws. The saving of the bars of the
cell, he says, was completed before
January IA, and that several times
previous to the day on which the es
cape was made their plans failee
through some little detail. Jack" re
iterated that he never killed any one
and that he never put a bullet into any
one except Keeper Reynolds. He sal
the first crime he ever committed wa
assisting to rob a liquor store at Car
nepie, but admitted that he had par
ticipated in number of robberies aft
err that. After they had left the iai
they went to house near railroad
in Pittsburg.
After Leaving the Jail
They remained there all Thursday
The people in the house, Jack" said
when they read of the escape from
the iail, recognized them, and woul
only let them remain after the Blddle
pave them "bunch of money"
They remained at the house unit
Thursday night, leaving it as soon as
grew dark. Jack" says he wanted t
stay there, and that ED" also was will
ing to stay. but that "the woman wa
nervous and afraid they would b
caught"
stuck by the Woman.
az wouldn't let them GO alone" Jae
s.,a land as soon as it grew dark "
wont down the street and took Perry
vile avenue car. We rode to the end
the line and from there walked until v
reached the farm where we stole the hors
Tit had not been for the woman we won
not have been caught, for we could eas1
have gotten another horse, and by tn
time been more than 100 miles away. II
a lead-pipe cinch that we would have e
caped. but we could not let that POI
woman go by herself. She did all 81
could with us-betrayed her husband. d.
serted her family, all to help us out, ar
we would have been a great deal wor:
thar we are thought to be if we hs
thrown her down.
..When we saw the officers coming t
ward US on the road yesterday evening, '
knew It was all up We did not fire sh
al the officers, but agreed to kill on
selves. shot myself in the mouth
shot himself over the heart. and tn
woman shot herself in the breast.
knew we had no chance to get away. a
we knew We would swing If taken bat
and that is why Es wanted to kill OF
selves"
Evidence Of self-Inhicted Wount
Drs. Greer and Bricker, who ha
been attending the two Biddles, ma
report Saturday morning that a
parently confirms Jack" Biddle
story that the fugitives had tried
kill themselves. They had come to tt
conclusion after complete examir
tion and a partial probing of t
wounds of both of the men. ED" b
ale. who is generally supposed to
the worst injured, has several powd
marks on his left breast, which wor
go to show that he attempted to k
himself In Jacks" mouth are thr
bullet wounds. which would be pril
facic evidence that he wanted to
the world of himself. One of the b
lets, which evidently came from a
vOlver, carried away portion of
tonsil, which the doctors say co,
only have happened by the holding
q revolver in his own mouth.
The Story of the Capture.