The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-02-07
A WOMAN'S
INFATUATION
Leads to the Escape of'Two
Condemned Murderers.
FURNISHED REVOLVER AND SAWS.
Both Are Again Recaptured After a
Thrilling Fight With Officers, and
Die From Injuries Received.

county jail, for the murder of Groce
Thomas ID. Kahney, of Mt. Washington
overpowei ed the guard about foul
O'Clock Thursday morning and escaped
Bot prisoners had been provided witt
saws, with which they cut the bars il
their sells and we're ready at any mo
ment to make an opening sufficiently
large to pass through The prisoners
occupied adjoining cells on the secone
range Thew had evidently been pre-
pairing for escape for some time, and haC
assistance from Mrs. Soffet. wife of the
warden as both we're armed with re
volvers.
Recaptured.
Pittsburg, Jan. 81 -Ewda,d Biddle
in Jail dying, John Biddle riddled with
buckshot and in a precarious condition,
and Mrs. Peter K. Soffel lying in the
hospital with self-inficted 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 is thrilling. The scene was a
snow covered road two miles east of
Prospect, Butler County, and the exact
place was at McClure's barn, where
two double team sleishs filled with
eight officers, three of them Pittsburg
detectives overlook the Biddles in a
one horse sleigh, stolen at Perryville.
When the detectives and officers came
within sixty yards of the fugitives
they opened fire with Winchesters.
The Biddles promptly answered with
shotguns. Mrs. Soffel. too, stood up in
the sleigh with revolver i'll each hand
and blazed away at her pursuers.
When Ed Biddle fell and she saw she
was about to be captured, she fired a
bullet into her breast. An examina-
t ion by physicians shows that she will
recover, as the bullet was DETECTED by
her corset and the wound is compare
lively slight.
Edward Biddle got bullet in the
breast which penetrated his right lung
and will probably end his life before
morning John Biddle may recover,
his wounds, though numerous, failing
to reach vital spot
Coroner's Verdict.
L d..
Biddles are dead from the injuries they
Friday, and the verdict of
the jury is that Edward Bidde came to
his death by a revolver shot fired from
a 32-ealibre revolver by himself, and
that Jack Biddle met his death from a
yunshot wound inflicted by the officers
in discharge of their lawful duty.
Under instructions of Coroner Jones an
autopsy was held on the Biddles this
The evidence secured by the
autopsy bears out the statement that
;he Biddles intended to kill themselves
'ather than be taken alive, and that
Ed Biddle succeeded in his attempt, |
while Jack failed, though his life was
Forfeited.
This evening the. bodies of the Biddles
we're removed from the Jail to one of
he Railways of the sheriff's dwelling
md the public was given an oppor-
unity of looking at the two notorious
criminals. Late tonight a long line OF
PEOPLE was stationed in front of the
loor, waiting their turn.
Mrs. Soffel is reported to be splitting
,lood tonight at the hospital and her
Ondition is not considered favorable
From the statement made by Jack
,iddle, in his cell, it is evident that
he escaped convicts and their ac-
omplice had arranged to commit
ucide in case capture became i'm
linent. In addition, Jack also told
ow they escaped Their manner of
citing out of jail, according to his
tatement, was as has already been
ublished. McGeary, he says, fell
YER the range when he jerked loose
rom the hold the prisoner had on
i'm. He says Mrs. Soffel helped them
, escape, but would not say she sup
lied the saws. The saving of the
ars of the cells, he says, was com
eted before January IA, and that
'veral times previous to the day on
hich the escape was made, their
rms failed through some little de-
il. Jack again reiterated that he
ever killed anyone, and that he new
put bullet into anyone except
eeper Reynolds. He said the first
line he ever committed was assist
g to rob liquor store at carnegie, s
It admitted that he had participated
number VI roboeries after that. !
After they had left the Jail they
emit TO house near railroad in 4
ttsburg. They remained there all z
Thursday. The people of the n
use, Jack said. when they read of Il
e escape from the Jail, recognized o
EN-, and would only let them re- 9
ain after the Biddles gave them u =
unch Of money" They remained y
the house until Thursday night,
,ving il as soon as II grew dark. N
ok says he wanted TO stay there r,
d that Ed also was willing to stay, *
/ that 1.-THE women was nervous II
d afraid they would be caught" q
7 wouldn't let them rV alone y