The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-02-06
FOOL WOMAN'S WORK
Jailer's Wife Assists Two Mur-
derers to Make Escape.
SHE GOES ALONG With THEM
B!inGy infatuated With Man Under
Sentence Of Death, Mrs. Sofei
setrays Trusting
Husband.

Edward and John Biddle, awaiting
execution in the Pittsburg, Pa, jail
for the murder of Grocer Thomas D.
Kahney, Of Mount Washington, whose
home they were burglarizing on the
morning of April -, last, overpoW-
cred the guards at o'clock Thursday
ro1Eing and escaped.
Both prisoners had been provided
with saws with which to cut the bars
in their cells and were ready at any
moment to make an opening Stiff
ciently large to pass through.
The prisoners occupied adjoining
cells on the second range.
They had evidently been prepaT-
ing for escape for some time, and had
assistance from the outside, as botE
we're armed with revolvers.
Shortly before o'clock one of the
Riddles called to James McGeary, who
lad charge Of the outside gates. and
asked for some cramp medicine in
hurry, saying his brother was danger
ously sick.
McGeary hastened to the cell with
he medicine, when John Biddlc sprang
through the opening in the cell and,
seizing the guard around the waist,
hurled him over the railing to the
stone floor beneath, distance of six
teen feet
Edward Biddle joined his brother
Immediately 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
and the third was on one Of the upper
ranges. He was ordered down at the
point Of the revolvers, and the three
guards were put in the dungeon.
The keys were taken from Keeper
McGeary and the two desperate pris-
oners had clear field. The only per,
sons who witnessed the escape were
prisoners who could not interfere o:
give an alarm.
The Biddles went to the wardrobe,
where the guards kept their clothing
and each put on a new suit. Iney
then unlocked the outside gates and
passed out into Ross street.
The escape was not discovered un'
til the daylight guards went on duty
at 6 o'clock. They were Informed BY
prisoners where the night guards had
been put, and they were soon releas-
ed from the dungeon and sent to the
homeopathic hospital.
Freed BY Woman's Love.
The escape of the Biddles has been
explained. Warden Peter K. Soffel has
authorized it's publication.
1t is the allegation that lis wife is
responsible for the furnishing OF the
revolvers and saws to the BiCdles,
which enabled them to escape. In her
infatuation for the handsome desper-
ado. Edward Biddle, it is alleged, that
she has left her husband and her four
children, and it is supposed is to meet
the copvicts at place agreed upon.
The warden made inquiries at the
homes of all of his wife's relatives
and was unable to find any trace OF
her.
An Investigation disclosed the TACT
that she had taken all of her best
clothes with Ler. The warden's over
coat is also missing.
# is reported that the Biddles took
q train at the Fourth Avenue station
of the Pan Handle railroad, which IS
within a block of the jail. and lett 1"E'
the west.
The county commissioners metin the
afternoon and offered reward OF 3d.
600 for the recapture of the murdarerS'