Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-02-06
70 MURDERERS escape
1 FROM PITTSBURG'S JAIL
oward Biddle and His Brother
N John Fought Their Way
81 Out Thursday.
NO GUARDS SEVERELY INJURED
oth Prisoners Were Armed
With RevolverS.
nc Guard Was Hurled Over a Railing,
Another Was Shot and the Third Was
pverpowered.

lie ,rt.1|Yferpu"ereus
Pittsburg Pa, Jan. 30. Edward and
IIa 3ohn Biddle, awaiting execution for the
Mnrder of Grocer Thomas d. Kahney
llW Mount Washington, overpowered the
A'p oHlnty Jail guards at 4 o'clock this
ring warming and escaped
Both prisoners had been provided
and yIth saws, with which they cut the
ard WIS in their cells, and were ready at
en- nj moment to make an opening suf-
on ctently large to pass through The
WIN keoners occupied adjoining cells, on
en-; fe second range. They had evidently
0h esn preparing for escape for some
!. ne, and had assistance from the out
mal .as both were armed with revolvers.
liyei k9rtly before 4 O'Clock one of the
ellrd adles called to James McGeary, who
more charge of the outside gates, and
hkS' M for some cramp medicine in
the fy, saying his brother was danger
2 m ~ sick. McGeary hastcned to the
itt"l with the medicine, when John
sons IDLE sprang through the opening in
tt cell, seized the guard around the
enry Wst and hurled him over the railing
Sear- 5he stone floor beneath, distance Of
Miss feet Edward Biddle joined his
we'll cher Immediately, and both, with
MISS wn revolvers, hurried to the first
'iAG' #r, where they met Guard Reynolds
resi- 81 shot him. There were but three
lter- III on duty, and the third man was on
and of the upper ranges, He was
ered down at the point of the re-
vers, and the three guards were put
the dungeon. The keys were taken
forld m Keeper McGeary, and the two
operate prisoners had clear field
He only persons who witnessed the
in 4Hpe were prisoners who could not
astic Mterfere or give an alarm. The Biddles
naDv Ill to the wardrobe, where the guards
ns Of &fep their clothing, and each nut on
heat lew suit. They then unlocked the
iaiy fslde gates, and passed out into Ross
isa1 &eet The escape was not discovered
irss lii the daylight guards went on duty,
t%N D O'Clock. They were informed by
,oy nj lsoners where the night guards had
kid A tsen put, and they were soon released
st &4Qm the dungeon and sent to the
Sts {omnopathc Hospital.
cp or several months preceding the
Il ahney murder daring burglaries we're
md f almost nightly occurrence. The
is1 Xalice seemed powerless' to prevent
90 r. 1Hem and nervous citizens retired at
MA # nlxht in fear and trembling On the
4 1norning of April 18th last Mrs, Kahney
NJ d was awakened by burglars, and called
B n 70 her husband, cripple, who was
uthI steeping in an adjoining room with one
,,ts of the children. As he entered the
ccf door of his wife's room, he was shot
NJ dead. The burglars then fled. A few
al hours later Detective Patrick Fitz-
,t,r gerald and two officers surprised the
md Biddle brothers at their home, on Full
ntiyP ton street, but before they were cap
ra tured Fitzgerald was killed and Ed
ward Biddle, who shot him. was dan
=, gerously wounded. Walter Dorlnan,
1cs another of the gang, and two women,
"a Jessie Bodine and Jennie Seebers, were
80 also arrested. Dorman turned State $
u evidence, and the two Biddles were
:, convicted of Kahney's murder and sen
o5 fenced to be hanged, John on January
v 14th and Edward on January 18th, but
=, three days before the time for Johns
'' execution they were respted until Feb
In. ruary 25th and 9th, respectively, by
u, Gov. Stone, so that their cases could
J. 60 before the Board of Pardons at its
!. coming meeting. Dorman is still in
NJ Jail, awaiting sentence. The women
Ia " were released.
ID Pittsburg, Pa. Jan. 60 The escape
a Of Edward and John Biddle. murderers,
Cd from the county Jail, this morning. has
" been explained. Warden Peter X.
". Soffel has authorized the publication
M ny Of the explanation. 1t is the allegation
~. ! that his wife is responsible for the
furnishing of the revolvers and saws to
d the Biddles, which enabled them to
NH'"bc. LII ltG 1OT I1e
lE handsome desperate, Edward Bddle,
I, il is alleged, she has left her husband
J W and her four children, and, il is sup
TF posed, is to meet the escaped convicts
@ at q place agreed upon.
nR The story of the matter is brief
" Mrs. Soffel was the only person ad-
h mitted to the jail since last Sunday.
lcs Yesterday afternoon she visited the
2af'' Biddles during tho warden absence.
Last evening she retired at 9 O'Clock
She told her husband that she was
t going to visit a sister at Mcdonald,
l:,, uH and that she would retire early SO that
!, STE could get an early start. Warden
Nv, Spffel was about the Jail until after II
ar- O'Clock. He retired to his room, which
y" is separate from Mrs Soffel's shortly
,.S before ! O'Clock. When he awoke this
M IN morning he asked for Mrs. Soffel, and
~ ~ was informed that she was absent
~ nS Later when the details of the escape
~ ~ became known, he telephoned to Nc
',;iI Donald, and was informed that Mrs
81" Soffel was not there.
W. Warden Sotfel Immediately made a
H. H. frank confession of his suspicious.
,nt WOMAN PLEADED FOR PARDON.
sa6S Harrisburg Pa, Jan. 30-A my
&, sterious woman recently called upon
,r, Gov. Stone and pleaded with him to
tad PARDON the Biddle brothers, who es-
moe capped this morning from the Pittsburg
,e h jaik The woman was about % years
were old, was dressed in the height Of
Mt the fashion, and made a special request of
foll the governor not to disclose her name.
brook The Executive declined to pardon the
/. head brothers, but afterward granted them
q respite, that their case might be
heard by the Board of Pardons next
IN. "Wednesday on an application for a
ian ocpmm Ltation of sentence to life i'm
brary sprisonment,
amin When the governor learned that il
IS JEFF was reported that Mrs. Soffel, wife OF
er Stb the Prison warden, may have been the
me 70. woman who visited him, he gave out a
t thatstatehent denying that his visitor was
pages. Mrs. Soffel. His statement follows:
/ thiAj s'The lady who called upon me was
Janu pot Mrs. Soffel, and had no possible
,ohghEonnection with her. She is a lady OF
'I, fotespec in Pittshurg, who came
VT Of sympathy from reading