The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-30
BROKE AWAY.
Two Murderers Awaiting Exc
cution at Pittsburg
Make a Most Daring and Sensa-
tionaI Escape.
OVERPOWER GUARDS,
Put Them in Dungeon and Lock
Them Up.
Help Themselves to Citizens
Clothes and Walk Out.
WIFE OF THE WARDEN.
She Furnished the Means of
Escape to the COnVicts.
In Love With One of Them, and
Left at Same Time.
The Warden Makes Public the
Whole Miserable Story.
Help Themselves to Citizens
Clothes and Walk Out.
WIFE OF THE WARDEN.
She Furnished the Means OF
Escape to the COnVicts.
In Love With One of Them, and
Left at Same Time.
The Warden Makes Public the
Whole Miserable Story.

Pittsburg, Pa, Jan. 30.-Edward and
John Biddell, awaiting execution in the
county Jail for the murder of Grocer
Thomas D. Kahney of Mount Washing
ton, overpowered the guards at o'clock
this morning and escaped.
Both prisoners had been provided with
saws with which they cut the bars in
their cells and were ready at any mo-
ment to make an opening sufficiently
large to pass through. The prisoners
occupied adjoining cells on the second
range. They had evidently been pre-
pairing for escape for some time and
had assistance from the outside as both
were armed with revolvers-
Shortly before 4 o'clock one of the
Biddles called to James McGeary, who
had charge of the outside gates, and
asked for some cramp medicine in a
hurry, saying his brother was danger
ousIy sick.
McGeary hastened to the cell with the
medicine when John Biddle sprang
through the opening of the cell and,
seizing the guard around the waist,
hurled him over the railing to the stone
floor beneath distance of 16 feet.
Edward Biddle joined his brother i'm
mediately and both with drawn re-
Volvers, hurried to the first floor, where
they met Guard Reynolds and shot him.
There were but three men on duty
ranges He was ordered down at the
point of revolvers and the three guards
were put in the dungeon.
The keys were taken from Keeper
McGeary and the two desperate prison.
ers had a clear field. The only persons
who witnessed the escape were persons
who could not interfere or give the
alarm The BiddleS went to the ward
robe where the guards keep their cloth
ing, and each put on new suit. They
then unlocked the outside gates and
passed out into Ross street.
The escape was not discovered until
the daylight guards came on duty at
o'clock. They were informed by pris-
oners where the night guards had been
put, and they were soon released from
the dungeon and sent to the homeopathic
hospital.
For several months preceding the
Kahney murder, daring burglaries We're
of almost nightly occurrence. The po-
lice seemed powerless to prevent them,
and nervous citizens retired a night in
fear and tren bling. On the morning of
April II last Mrs. Kahney. was awak-
ened by burglars and called to her
husband, cripple, who was sleeping i'll
an adjoining room with one of the
children. As he entered the door of
his wife's room he was shot dead The
burglars then fed. A few hours later
Detective Patrick Fitzgerald and two
officers surprised the Biddle brothers at
their home on Fulton street but before
they were captured Fitzgerald was
killed, and Edward Biddle, who shot
him, was dangerously wounded.
Walter DOrman, another of the gang,
and two women, Jessie Bondine and
Jennie SeeberS, We're also arrested.
Dorman turned states evidence and the
two BiddleS were convicted of Kahney's
murder and sentenced to be hanged
John on the 14th of this month and Ed
ward on the 18th, but three dayS before
the date set for Johns execution thew
We're respited until February 25 and 27
py Governor stone, so that their cases
could go before the pardon board at its
coming meeting DOrman is still in
Jail awaiting sentence. The women
were released.
The entire detective force is at work
HOW IT HAPPENED
The escape of the Biddles has been
explained. Warden Peter K SoffeI
has authorized its publication 1t is the
allegation that his wife is responsible
for the furnishing of the revolver and
saws to the Biddles, which enabled them
to escape.
In her infatuation for the handsome
desperado, Edward Biddle, it is alleged
that she has left her husband and her
four children and it is supposed is to
meet the escaped convicts at a place
The story of the matter is brief. Mrs.
Sodel was the only person admitted to
the jail since last Sunday. Yesterday
warden's absence.
Last evening she retired at O'Clock.
She told her husband that she was 90
ing TO visit sister at Mcdonald and
that she would retire early so that she
could get an early start. Warden Soft
fet was about the Jail until about -
O'Clock. He retired to his room. which
Is separate from Mrs. SoffePs shortly
before one O'Clock. When he awoke
this morning he asked for Mrs. SoffeI
and was informed she was absent
Later when the details of the escane
became known he telephoned to Nc
Donald and was informed that Mrs.
Soff9 was not there.
Warden SOffet Immediately made n
frank confession of his suspicious.
SAWED OUT BARS
The ruse of the Biddles was a clever
one and was carried out with great
success. They sawed out the bars of
their cells, John cutting out three in his
Edward being the larger man found il
necessary to cut out four
Notnlng suspicious was noticed in the
actions OF the two prisoners. nor was
anything wrong discovered when the
day guards went off duty yesterday af
ternoon- The murderers evidently saw
ed the bars during the night. usine
shat appears to have been soap. to