The age-herald., 1902-01-31
Infatuated With Desperate She
 Helps Him to Escape
LEAVES HOME ID JOIN HIM
Edward and John Riddle, Who Were Sentenced to Be Executed, With Drawn RevoIvers overpower
 Guards and Escape.

Pittsburg, January 3O-Edward and John Riddle, two criminals awaiting exe- cution in the county jail for murder, through the assistance of the jailers wife overpowered the guards after desperate fight today and escaped.
 The escape was due to the infatuation of Warden SoffePs wife for Edward Bid- dle, the handsome desperado, and it is believed she joined him as soon as he was safely out of jail. Warden Soffel Is broken hearted and when telling of his wife's inhdelity broke down and wept.
 Both prisoners had been provided with saws, with which they cut the bars in their cells and were ready at any moment to make an opening sufficiently large to pass through. The prisoners occupied ad- | Joining cells on the second range. They 1 evidently had been preparing escape for | some time. and had assistance from the outside, as both were armed with revolv- l CTS.
 l Shortly before o'clock one of the Bid charge of the outside gates, and asked for some cramp medicine in hurry, say ing his brother was dangerously sick. l McGeary hastened to the cell with the medicine when John Riddle sprans through the opening in the cell and seized the guard around the waist, hurled him over the railing to the stone floor be- heath, distance of sixteen feet. Had Drawn RevoIvers.
 Edward Riddle joined his brother i'm. mediately, and both. with drawn revol. h11rr fod fn fret they met Guard Reynolds and shot him.
 There were but three m en on duty and the third was on one of the upper 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 Mc- Geary, and the two desperate prisoners had clear field. The only persons who witnessed the escape were prisoners who could not interfere or give an alarm. The Riddles went to the wardrobe. where the guards keep their clothing, 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 prisoners where the night guards had been put. and they were soon released from the dungeon and sent to the Homeopathic hospital.
 History of the Crime.
 For several months preceding the Kah- ney murder daring burglaries were of almost nightly occurrence. The police seemed powerless to prevent them, and nervous citizens retiredS at night in fear and trembling. On the morning of April "A last Mrs. Kahney was awakened by burglars and called to her husband. a cripple who was sleeping in an adjoin- ing room.
 As he entered the door of his wife's room he was shot dead. The burglars then fled. few hours later Detective Patrick Fitzgerald and two officers sur prised the Bid5ie brothers at their home on Fulton street, but refore they were captured Fitzgerald was killed and E;d- ward Riddle. who shot him, was danger ousIy wounded Walter Dorman, another of the gang. turned states evidence and the two Riddles were convicted of Kah- neys murder and sentenced to be hanged. John was 10 oc hanged on the 14th of this month and Edward on the 18th, but three days before the date set for Johns execution they were respited until Feb ruary 25 and 27 by Governor Stone. SO that their cases could go before the pardon board at it's coming meeting.
 infatuated With Desperate.
 Soon after the escape Warden Peter K. 0OIIei dutnorlzeu the puDiicduon or tHd statement that his wife is responsible for the furnishing of the revolver and saws to the Riddles, which enabled them to es- cape.
 In her infatuation for this handsome desperado. Edward Riddle. it is alleged that she has left her husband and her four children and 1t is supposed is to meet the escaped prisoners at place agreed upon.
 Warden Peter K. Soffel in discussing ths escape in the office of the jail. said:
 "I believe my wife furnished the weap- ons to the Riddles and assisted them to escape. This is an awful thing. but l am only telling the whole truth. My wife was not in bed when was awakened this morning and 1 haven't seen her since. She is gone-God only knows where said I would lay everything bare and am doing it. This Is the worst blow o1 all. but I believe 1t is true. l did not suspect her and hence was off my guard But she Is gone and the suspicion of as sistance in the delivery by furnishing weapons rests upon her..
 fic broke down and wept when speaking