West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1902-02-01

sleigh he had not determined: his
left lung was full of blood, his breath
ing was greatly impaired and he
doubted if he could live long.
He said John Biddle had six gun.
snot wounds in his abdomen and five
IN his right arm. Stray pieces Of
shot also hit him in the face. but non .
OF themselves necessarily fatal.
Blood Poisoning Might Set In.
The chief danger in his case was
from blood poisoning, which was no:
unlikely, as he and. his brother were
no doubt long exposed to the cold.
and their resistance to wounds of this
nature was correspondingiy dimin-
ished.
The trio had stolen a horse AMI
sleigh out the Perrysyille road from
Allegheny City. News was sent tn
Pittsburg from different points Of
two men and a woman in sleigh
being seen out the Butler plank road.
Pittsburg officers arrived here.
Detectives McGoyern, Roach and
Swinehart. with J. A Snyder, who
met the Pittsburg officers at the sta
ton here, drove about Butler for a
half hour, seeking the direction In
which the fugitives had gone.
From information they gathered,
they soon learned that a black horse
with a white face and two men and
alweman had left Butler and started
south. n
After they had gone several miles
they discovered the southern route
had been abandoned by the Biddles.
who had swung OF to the west, heal.
ing for Mt. Chestnut.
They, too, started for Mt. Chest.
nut, following close upon the Biddles
on the New Castle pike.
All along the way the detectives
made inquiries.
A woman told the officers two men
and woman had driven past her
house about 1880.
Further on, at grist mill, Snyder
was told that a sleigh with a horse
badly hitched had passed the place
few hours before.
The pursuing officers then drove or
to Mt. Chestnut, where they learned
the sleigh ahead had been seen.
Fresh Team of Horses Secured.
At Mt. Chestnut fresh team oil
horses was secured and the officer:
bought big caps which could bs
drawn down over their faces.
AS soon as possible they took u
the trail again and Grove on to Pros
pect, about five miles beyond.
There they were told party oil
three, two men and a woman, hal
been seen in a sleigh, but a bay
horse was being driven.
This report later proved false, but
rather non-plussed the officers for q
few minutes.
They were told that the occupants
Of the sleigh said they were going +
see a sick relative at Slippery Rock
Telephone messages were sent tt
Slippery Rock and all the towns with
in 10 miles of Prospect, but NOTHING
had been seen Of the Biddles.
While at Prospect a telephone mes
sage informed the Pittsburg detec
tiveS that two men and a woman, an
swering the description of the Bid
dies and Mrs. Soffel, had just eater
dinner in a farm house on the out
skirts of Mt. Chestnut and had JUS
left, going in the direction of Pros
pect
That was about APO o'clock.
Leaving Prospect just as Deputy
Sheriff Hoon and his posse arrived
Detectives McGovern, Roach and
Swinehart started back for Mt. Chest
nut.
1t was then apparent that the two
parties would meet somewhere alon2
the road.
The plan Of action had been fuily
decided upon beforehand, and the or
fcers and their driver knew Just
what parts each was to play in the
tragedy that was about to take place
Each officer examined his gun.
The cartridges were closely inspect
ed and every detail was prepared be
forehand to forestall any possible
miscarriage of their plans.
Prepared For Desperate Work.
= Detectives Roach and McGoyern
were armed with Winchester lore.
peating rifles and two revolyers each,
and Detective Swinehart was armed
with brace Of big 44-calibre reyoly.
ers.
Driver Snyder was also heavily
armed. and each man was alert to the
great danger Of his position.
The Butler posse followed q short
distance behind, driving slowly from
Prospect
Knowing that they were soon -
meet the desperate Biddles and a bat.
tie to the death would likely result.
the Officers prepared for the event OF
their lives.
When aDout half way between Mt.
chestnut and Prospect, coming VI
over a slight rise in the road. the
detectives saw first the stolen black