The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-02-03
WOMAN WAS WORST OF ALL
Preacher Commenting the Fate of the Bddes SAYS Mrs.
SoffeI Was More to Blame Than the Men
Condemns the Officers
Condemns the Officers

n UTLER, Pa Feb. 2.-The terrible
n fate of the Biddles is the sole
topic of conversation here today.
and curious throng of people has
been defying the storm remaining
about the Jail entrance in vain attempts
to view the bodies of the dead muir
derers.
A great deal of sympathy for the
boys is expressed, and not a few of
the female portion of the crowd ex-
pressed a desire to see what manner of
a man Ed Biddle was. that he should
exert such a wonderful influence over
men. and particularly women. The jail
doors were closed all day. and no one
but the doctors who attended the au-
/ tOpsy and the coroner's jury got in.
Even the reporters were excluded from
the inquest, which was held in the
Jail
The verdict of the jury is that Ed
Biddle came to his death by revolver
shot fired from a revolver by himself.
and that Jack Biddle met his death
from a gunshot wound inflicted by the
officers in discharge of their lawful
duty.
Struck the Dying Man.
The testimony taken at the inquest
was voluminOus and some parts OF
| it quite sensational. The testimony
given by Deputy Sheriff Rainey Hoon
reflected severely on McGovern, one OF
the Pittsburg detectives.
Describing the approach of the posse
after the cOnvicts had been shot and
had fallen from the sleigh, Deputy
HoOn said:
J 'McGOvern and I walked up tc
them. They were both lying on theii
faces. l walked up first and McGoverr
swore at me for it. He hit Jack or
the back of the head with the butt
1 end of his Winchester when he was
on his face. Then I turned Ed over
on his back. l was the first to touch
either of the men, and McGOvern was
going to shoot them again. He stepped
back and shot Jack again after he was
on the ground. ! turned Ed over and
he said: For Gods sake don't shoot
again-let me die Mr.. Holiday
turned Jack over. and coaxed Mccoy
ern not TO abuse him. to let him die -
The slUgs that entered the arms
and side of Jack Biddle We're from
the shot fired by McGovern. after he
was lying face downward on the snow
at close range"
Yes. sir; I am sure of that. I was
within a few feet
DO you think the striking of Jack
on the head with a gun had anything
to do with the Fastening of his death?"
I could not say. He could still
speak"
Did he strike with considerable
I force?"
He hit him . good hard bif with
{ the butt of the gun.
An autopsy held on the Biddles this
morning bore out the statements that
/ the Biddles intended to kin themselves
IA Their than be taken alive. It dis
/ closed that Jack suffered from nire
wounds. but. excepting the one that
I penetrated the kidney, none of them
would have been fatal Eds terrible
( suffeTings were caused by bullet
wound that struck him in the left
breast.
Shows He Shot Himself.
This wound was made By Edward
himself. The powder marks are visible
on the skin. Death was caused BY
/ hemorrhages, and the man suffered un-
/ told agony TO the last breath Another
wound found on his body was on the
! same side. but il did no damage. Both
bullets found in Ed were 32-caliber
and. in the opinion of the doctors who
neid the autopsy, there is no doub,
/ that he killed himself.
After the autopsy the bodies of the
i Biddles were taken in charge by a
/ local undertaken. Arrangements are
/ being made to take the bodies TO Pitts
burg tomorrow. Since the officers con
] cerned in the fight and capture Of the