Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-02-08
Both the BiddIes Wounded in
a Battle With De-
tectives.
SHOOTS HERSELF
Vito o tiie Warden, Who Fled With
the Prioonere, Attempts Suicide
Are Ovcrtaken Near Town
Of Prospect, Pa.

hospital with a s~elf-innicted bullet
wound In the breast, is the sequel OF
the sensational escape OF the Biddles
from the Allegheny county Jail. aided
by Mrs. Soffel. the wife OF the jail
warden, on Thursday morning. The
story OF the close of the Biddle tragedy,
which came yesterday afternoon, is a
thrilling one.
The scene was q ~snow-covered road
two miles east OF Prospect, Butler
county, near Mount Chestnut, and the
exact place was at McClure's barn,
where two double team sleighs filed
with eight officers. three OF them Pitts
burg detectives-John Roach, Albert
Swinehart and Charles McGovern-met
the two Bodies in a one-horse sleigh,
stolen at ~PerryHville. and at once
opened fire on the trio.
The Biddles returned the fire after
jumping out OF the sleigh. Mrs. Soffefs
wound was through the breast. Ed
ward Biddle was shot in the left arm,
In the breast and In one leg. John Bid
die was riddled with buckshot In the
breast and head.
The Pittsburg officers were met at
Butler yesterday afternoon by Deputy
Sheriffs Rainey and Hoon and Officers
Frank Holiday and Aaron Thompson,
the latter under command OF Chief Of
Police Robert Ray OF Butler.
The officers were certain hat they
were on the right trail. 1t was only a
question Of time when they would
catch up to the escaping condemned
murderers and their guilty companion.
The Biddles and Mrs. Soffcl ate dinner
at j. j. stephens. at Mount Chestnut,
five miles east OF Butler. They had
made a detour OF the town OF Butler,
and after going seyeral miles east
turned north n then west. The Pitts
burg officers, only Il few miles in the
rear, took the wrong road for about
eight miles, but when they found their
mistake they made up for lost time by
telegraphing ahead for fresh horses.
They reached Mount Chestnut not less
h half an hour after the Biddles
and Mrs. Soffel. Al this point William
Watson, storekeeper, had fresh horses
awaiting them, and the chase for life
began anew.
OVertakc GIddIec.
The two sleighs, with eight officers
aboard, started westward, and net the
Biddles and Mrs. SoffCl at McClure's
barn, two miles from Mt. Chestnut.
The Biddles having learned that they
were almost overtaken, and taking
what they considered the only chance
they had, drove eastward and met their
doom.
The officers were armed with Win
chester rifles and revolvers Of large
caliber. They shot To kill. and their
aim was perfect. The Biddles tried to
Kill to the last OF their string. but not
n Of the eight officers had a wound
as a result OF the battle.
When the detectives came to within
about sixty yards OF the fugitives they
opened fire. The Biddles promptly an
swered with shotgun and revolvers.
Mrs. Soffel. too. stood up I'm the sleigh
with a revolver In each hand and
blazed away at her pursuers. When
Ed Biddle fell, and she saw she was
about to be captured, she fired "A bull
let into her breast. An examination by
physicians shows that she will recover
as the bullet was DETECTED by her cor
set, and the wound is comparatively
slight.
Ed Blddle received n bullet in the
breast, which penetrated his right lung,
and probably will end his life before
morning. John Biddle may recover, his
wounds. though numerous, failing to
reach a vital spot.
The escape of the officers is miracu-
lous. The Biddles have demonstrated
on several occasions tiat they are good
and why they should have
failed yesterday to bring down their
men is "A mystery.
After the Biddles fell to ;.a snow
CoNtItu BIOullu the OlllCtTS DlCke1 uD
the apparently lifeless bodies OF Mrs.
Soffel and the Biddles and came back
to Butler, bringing the stolen sleigh,
patched-up harness n worn out horse
that the trio had tried so strenuously
to get away with toward Canada and
liberty.
Detectives Story Of Fight.
The story OF the fight, as told by one
Of the detectives, is as follows:
The Biddles were sitting on the right
side of the cutter, Mrs. Soffel on the
eft. Hold up your hands and sur
render!" cried Detective McGovern. Ed
Biddle jumped up from his seat, and
raising a shotgun fired at McGovern.
He aimed badly n the shot scattered
IN the road alongside Of McGovern.
Detectives McGovern and Roach dis
'harged their Winchesters at Ed Bid
lie. Both shots hit. Jack Biddle
aised from his seat and discharged his
evolver at the three officers. De-
ective S%winehart steadied himsel and
ired his 45-caliber Colt revolver at
Iack. The ball took effect I'm Jacks
Irm. Then the detectives opened fire
n the men In rapid succession. The
knocked them out of the sleigh.
fell sprawling on the snow and Jack
ell or top OF him. Their firearms fell
.longside OF them. The Biddles' horse
hen became frightened and ran away
cross a field. 1t was at this time
hat Mrs. Soffel was seen to collapse I'm
he sleigh. The detectives approached
wounded men. and Detective
iwinehart was rushing in on them
vhen Detective McGovern called to
i'm to- stay where he was-that the
'iddles were only feigning. Detective
roach saw Ed Biddle reach in his Goa:
ocket, as though for a gun and the
shot him again. Then De-
ective McGovern ran up within five
eet of the men and emptied his Win
into them. The Biddles then
ielded. :
After the B.ddles yielded. Detectives
ioach and McGovern bound them hand
foot and they were taken tn
Mrs. Soffel, who had fallen from the (
leigh when the horse ran away, was
licked up and placed In the detectives
irge sleigh with her companions and
AIKEN to the hospital at Butler.
Ed. BIddie's Statement. !
At the Jail last night Ed Biddle called {
Of a priest, and made the following
tatement:
II did not Kill Detective Fitzgerald, |
or did l shoot Thomas Kahney, nor I