The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-02
BIDDLE BROS. DEAD;
LOVE Letter found
Both Men Declare innocence
of Crime.
WOMAN is STILL ALIVE
Stood Operation Well, but Has
Pneumonia Symptoms.
WHOLE PL AN REVEALED
WHOLE PLAN REVEALED
Letter From Ed. Blddle Gives All Details.
Date Had Been Changed In order
that the Woman Whom He
at First Only Pretended
to Love Could Be
Taken Along.
{Ey Associated Press.l

BUTLER, PA, Feb. 1.-At the Close OF
q. day OF intense excitement and many
conflicting stories concerning the chances
for life of the wounded Biddlc brothers
and Mrs. Kate SeffeI, the unexpected has.
happened. John Biddle, who until late
this afternoon was thought to be the
more likely brother to escape death. died
at 7:35 P. NJ. Edward Biddle died to-
night at II o'clock. Mrs Soffel developed.
symptoms of pneumonia this afternoon;
sfter having come successfully through
al! operation this morning for the e&-
ira ction of the bullet.
The death of Jack Biddle was caused
by the bullet wounds in his abdomen and
bladder. Early in the day the physicians
thought peritouitis was the principal
cause of fear in this case. but tonight
internal hemorrhases set in and the man
bled To death IN Il short while.
BECAME REPENTANT
AS long as he was able, Jack was eS-
treneiy talkative, and was at tines
boastful. But as soon as the shadow OF
death began to fall upon him, and he rec.
/ ognized it. he became repeutant. Il
know said he, that my time here is.
short and you can say for me that / anu.
a Christian and will die q sincere be-:
lever in God. and hope I have strengths
enough to say so at the last. I know Z
have taken part in many wrong deeds;
but have never killed any man and was;
never implicated with any one who did.
| wish | could see Mrs. kahney. would
tell her the truth about the killing OF
her husband. This life has been pretty
tough to me, aud the end cannot como
too quick, and I don't care how
Edward Biddle wasS Unconscious ths.
greater part OF the day. Internal -femor-
rhages of the lungs kept him almost corr
tinuallv choked. A sister of the Biddies
arrived in town this evening and was adj
teJ to ha i:tiI hut rd S,,na y
BILE TO recognize her.
EXCITEMENT ENABATED
After Il consultation at the hospital in
the case of Mrs. Sofrel this evening Dis
trlct Attorney Haynaker decided to allow
the woman TO remain here, as her con-
dition is such that the trip to Pitts5urS
tonight might be attended with fatal re-
suits. Mrs. Sofrel is suffering considera-
bly, from her wound, and the attending
physicians fear that her removal now
would cause gangrene to set in
Attorney Haymaker said there would
be no distribution made of the prize mon
ey until the claims of the Butler peo-
pie had been heard, and the latter will
take steps to notify the commissioners OF
Allegheny county of their claims.
The excitement was unabated to-day
and a dense CROWD OF people hung abou.
the jail doors all day trying to get in to
of the crowd were women, many OF whom
expressed the deepest concern and SYM
pathy for Ed. Biddle and declared their
belief in his innocence This helis2
seemed to deepeu when it became known
that Ed. Biddle made q death-bed cou-
fession to Rev. Father Walsh. OF this
place, last night declaring his innocence
of the crime of shooting Groceryman
kahney and Detective Fitzgerald.
LOVE LETTER FOUND.
4 lost love letter from Ed. Biddle tn
his prison sweetheart, Mrs. Kate Soffet.
found in the snow near the bloody sceua
of their capture, reveals the long care
ful plot for their escape from the Alte-
Sheny county Jail. The letter clearly
shows the hazardous undertakings OF ths
infatua ted woman to secure the escape
OF the BiddleS. Since December 2d, 1901,
they had been making preparations tc
escape. The discovered epistle tells how
Mrs. Soffel carried the saws to the cells
of the Biddle. It clearly shows the Won
derful influence Ed. Biddle had over
yMrs. Soffel.
Mrs. Soffel fell in love with Ed. Bidd!e
In November. The burglar soon realized
his rover over her. 1t was not long un-
til he started to write love letters to her.
His affection WAS reciprocated Mrs.
Soffel fell 1uadly in love with Ed. Biddls
and about the early part of December he.
consented to lend him her aid. Betwesn
December 14tb and 10 they had COM
pLated all arrangements to escape from
the Jail. Then they learned Of the Gov
ernor's respite. After this Ed. Biddle all
most persuaded Mrs. Soffel TO fly with
rinl and his brother. The contents of
the latter show it was originally agreed
that Mrs. Soffel was to leave the city for
Canada. on the eve of the Eiddles' escape.
WE'RE SEARCHED CLOSE.
The letter in part follows:
when I first started writing to you
did not love YOU Now I have learned
to love you better than my very life-Z
What T want to say is this: We were
searched pretty close to-day and these
fellows would swear on a stack OF blp.es
ten feet high that we could not nave
had the stuff on us since SATURDAY. so
that you nearly clear yourself OF an
suspicion without the fellow. where you
bought the saws. could come TO the sur
face They never could convict you. put
some people might suspect YOU That
would cut no figure. They never eonlo
prove it. to save their lives.
.Lt would be. of course. darling. safer
for Won to stay at home until could come
and get yo,i OF course. 1t woald be risk
Ing NV freedom and life again To do so,
but would risk more than that for You.
,f nossihle. You must not think don
love YOU. II you have any reason, as
know YOU have, you must not fall TO SEQ
that I have risked all that you haze given
me right back for you. to screen and pros
feet YOU Yes Darling. IL didn't iova
YOU as dear as life, would have left
this place last Friday night.
..It would be much easier for US TO sas
away If you stayed at home. on account
of the warden. you know. In case YOU