Evening star., 1902-02-03
Remains of Biddle Brothers Taken to
Pittsburg.
CROWDS STRUGGLE TO See THEM
Mrs. SoffeI is Getting Better in
Butler Hospital.
PREP RING A DEFENSE

P1TTSBURG, Pa, February 3.-The re-
mains Of Edward and John Biddle, the dead
bandits, arrived at the Pittsburg and West
ern railroad station shortly after o'clock
this morning and were at once taken to the
Pittsburg morgue. In spite of the intense
cold and the comparatively early hour of
their arrival hundreds of persons gathered
in the waiting room by 7:30 o'clock, and by
the time the train arrived the crowd had in
creased to thousand or more.
When the train drew in there was rough
scramble to get to the platform of the
depot, during which several were bruised
by being crushed against the side of the
stairway. The remains were in rough
boxes, in charge of Detectives Roach and
Swinehart. who were accompanied by Dep
uty Sheriff Hoon, Constable Aaron Thomp-
son and ]. Holiday of Butler. The morgue
wagon was waiting and the bodies were
quickly driven to the morgue for identifica-
tion. An immense crowd soon gathered
but large detail of police prevented them
from entering the building The remains
of the murderers will be turned over to
their brother, Harry Biddle, who will see
that they receive proper interment in the
South Side cemetery. The funeral will be
conducted as privately as possible and Rev.
Father Sweeney, the priest who rendered
spiritual advice to the Biddles while they
We're in the Pittsburg Jail, will conduct the
services
Mrs. SOHeIs Condition.
Dispatches from the Butler hospital this
morning report Mrs. Soffel's condition as
unchanged. While it is believed she will
get well, the danger is not passed, and on
account of this uncertainty in her condition
nothing is being done in the way of prep
arations for her removal to Pittsburg. If
she lives, in addition to answering to the
nf ,h1
will be confronted by charges of furnishing
the Biddles with firearms and aiding .ne
felonious assault upon the Jail guards and
the officers who effected the capture in
Butler.
Mrs. Soffel is already taking steps to de-
fend herself. and has written to a promi-
nent Pittsburg attorney to engage his serv-
ices. Her father is said to be quite well to
do, and as her parents are relenting she
hopes to receive aid from them.
The prison board is satisfied Mrs. Soffel
mad assistance within the prison walls, and
before the Biddle incident is finally closed
it is probable there will be an almost en-
tirely new force of attaches at the Jail.
The county authorities do not believe Ed
Biddle's dying statement duplicating Jennie
Seebers in the Kahney murder, and it is not
likely any action will be taken by them.
Biddles' Plan to Escape.
Wearing the garb Of nuns Of the Roman
Catholic Church, under the protecting wing
VI WHICH the COHueLllleO nuTUeTerS QaQ
found spiritual rest, the Biddles and Mrs.
Soffel hoped to make their escape. 1t was
Mrs. Soffel's plan, and the arrangement
was that as soon as the trio had reached
place Of temporary safety they were to
don the black robes and wells as travelling
Sisters of Mercy. They had planned to make
for some remote mining place In Canada,
where they were to live together.
Mrs. Soffeps dead lover had told her that
he intended to give up his former nefari-
Gus trade and work in the mines with Jack
This plan was made known to DR.. McCurdy
Bricker at the Butler hospital by Mrs.
Soffel, and was confirmed by Jack Biddle
on Saturday.
1t was not Jacks intention to always re-
main with his brother and his sweetheart.
While Dr. Bricker was attending the dis
pirited woman at the hospital she con-
hded to him this plan of escape.
Jack Biddle told DR.. Bricker before he
died that they were at a loss for some plan
to disguise themselves when they broke
Jail. This problem was unsolvable to them
for days. At last Mrs. Soffel hit upon this
means for her lover and his brother 1t
was proposed to the condemned men only
two weeks ago. That was the only link In
their chain of flight that had not been
forged by the men. Ed. Biddle told Mrs.
Sonel he had many friends in Toledo Ohio
and in Michigan. When once among them
they would secure some assurance of their
future freedom. With Mrs. Soffel Ed Bid
die planned their future as husband and
wife.
The thought that though the result was
death, she had assisted her lover to escape
the scanold, seemed to soothe Mrs Soffel's
mind and wounds today. She remarked to
the attendants in the hospital that she had
to meet her fate.