Evening journal., 1902-02-03
BIDDLBN DIR
Oh THEIR WOUNDS
Mrs. SOffeI, Who Escaped
With Them, Recovering
COrOner's Jury Says Eds Death Was
Caused by His Own
Hand

Bulltl5 Id.l Ntus o. fAAtci AhN~AoN -
citement and many conflicting stories
concerning the chances for life Of the
wounded Biddle brothers and Mrs.
Kate Soffel, the unexpected has hap
pened John Biddle died at 7.35 p. m.
Saturday. His brother, Ed, who had
been unconscious practically all day,
survived until IL o'clock, when he, too,
went over the great divide Mrs. Sof-
sel, who developed symptoms Of pneu-
monia, has chance for life. and un-
less some unforeseen complication sets
sn, will recover.
A great deal Of sympathy for the boys
e. expressed on all sides, and not a
few OF the female portion Of the crowd
expressed a desire TO see what manner
OF a man Ed Biddle was that he should
exert such wonderful influence over
men, and particularly women. The
Jail doors were closed, and no one got
in but the doctors, who attended the
autopsy and the coroner's jury, which
organized yesterday morning. Even the
newspaper reporters we're excluded
from the inquest, which was held in
the Jail.
The verdict OF the jury was that Ed
Biddle came 20 his death by a revolver
shot fired from a S2-calibre revolver
by himself, and that John Biddle met
his death from a gunshot wound in
ficted by the officers In the discharge
OF their lawful duty.
Under the instructions OF Coroner
John i. Jones, an autopsy was held on
both the Biddles yesterday morning.
The surgeons in charge were Drs. Me-
Curdy Bricker and J. Clinton Atwell.
The evidence secured by the autopsy
bears out the statements that the Bid
dies intended TO kill themselves rather
than be taken alive, and that Ed sue
ceeded In his attempt, while Jack
failed, though his life was forfeited.
Both bullets found in Ed were of 80
oalibre, and in the opinion of the doc
tors who held the autopsy there Is no
doubt that he killed himself
Since the officers concerned in the
fight and capture of the Biddles have
had time to cool of little there ap-
pears 20 be a disposition to be fair
towards each other in the matter Of
the distribution of the prize money, and
an agreement to divide the $4,000
equally among the four officers here
the driver. J. A. Snyder, and the three
Pittsburg detectives, has been practl-
eally consented TO by all of the men.
A lost love letter from ED Biddle to
his sweetheart, Mrs. Kate Sonel,
found in the snow near the bloody
scene OF their capture reveals the
long and careful plot for their escape
from the Allegheny county Jail. The
letter clearly shows the hazardous un-
dertadngs of the infatuated woman
20 secure the escape of the Biddles.
Since December 2, 1901, they had been
making preparations to escape The
discovered epistle tells how Mrs. Sof-
fel carried the saws to the cells of the
Biddles. IL manifests the extreme
enumeration of Mrs. Soffel for the
murderer and burglar. II clearly shows
the wonderful influence Ed Biddle had
over n Soffel.
Mrs. joifel fell in love with Ed Bid.
VIC IA AN0NAAhhNAs 4 uI UuIkldI hOOu
realized his power over her It was
not long until he started to write love
letters to her. Mrs. Soffel fell madly
in love with Ed Biddle, and about the
early part Of December he proposed
a plan Of escape to her She concented
to lend him her aid. Between De-
cember IA and 16 they had completed
all arrangements to escape from the
Jail. Then they learned OF the gov
ernor's respite. After this Ed Biddle
almost persuaded Mrs SOffel to fly
with him and his brother. The con.
tents Of the letter show It was origi.
nally agreed that Mrs. Soffel was TO
leave the city for Canada on the eve
of the boys escape.
Wearing the garb of nuns of the
Roman Catholic Church. under the
protecting wing of which the con.
demned murderers had found spiritual
rest, the Biddles and Mrs Soifel hoped
TO make their escape. It was Mrs
Sofels plan, and the arrangement
was that as soon as the trio had
reached a 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.