Evening journal., 1902-02-01
BIDDLES ARE
TAKEN ALIVE
After Battle MurdererS Are
ROCaptured Near Butler
MRS. SOFFEL SHOOTS HERSELF
Men Fought Desperately, and We're
Captured Only After Oue Was
MOrtallV Wounded
MRS. SOFFEL SHOOTS HERSELF

Butler. Pa. Feb. Edward BiddIe
in Jail dying, John Biddle riddlei with
buckshot and in a precarious condi.
tion and Mrs. Peter II. Sofel lying in
the hospital with a self-inhicted bul.
let wound in the breast is the sequel
of the sensational escape of the Biddle
brothers from the Allegheny county
Jail, aided by Mrs. Soffel, the wife
of the Jail warden, on Thursday morn.
ing. The story OF tho close Of the
Biddle tragedy, which came yester-
Day afternoon, is a thrilling one. The
scene was a 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, met the two Biddlos
in a one-horse sleigh, stolen at Perry.
vile, and at once opened fire on the
trio.
The Pittsburg officers were met at
Butler by Deputy Sheriffs Rainey and
Noon and Omcers Frank Holiday and
Aaron Thompson. The officers we're
certain that they were on the right
trail. It was only question of time
when they would catch up to the es-
Gaping condemned murderers and their
guilty companion.
Officers In Pursuit.
The Biddles and Mrs. SoffeI ate din.
ner at J. J. Stephens at Mount Chest
nut, five miles east of Butler. They
had made a detour Of the town Of
Butler, and after going several miles
east turned north and then west. The
Pittsburg officers, only a few miles in
the rear. took the wrong road for
about eight miles, but when they found
out their mistake they made up for
lost time by telephoning and tele-
graphing ahead for fresh horses They
reached Mount Chestnut not less than
half an hour after the Biddles and
Mrs. Soffel At this point fresh horses
were awaiting them, and the chase for
life began anew.
The two sleighs, with the eight Off
GERS aboard, started westward. and
met the Biddles and Mrs. Sonel at
McClure's barn, two miles from Mount
Prospect. The Biddles having learned
that they were almost overtal1en. and,
taking what they considered the only
chance they had, drove eastward and
met their doom. The Pittsburg and
other officers we're armed with WIN
chester rifles and revolvers of large
calibre. They shot to kill, and their
aim was perfect. The Biddles tried
TO kill to the last OF their string, but
not one of the eight officers has a
wound as the result of the battle.
Mrs. Soffel Shoots Herself.
When the detectives got to within
about 60 yards of the fugitives they
opened fire. The Biddles promptly
answered with shot gun and revolvers.
When Ed Biddle fell and Mrs Soffel
saw she was about to be captured she
fired bullet into her breast An ex-
animation by physicians shows that
she will recover. as the bullet was de-
hected by her corset and the wound
is comparatively slight.
Ed Biddle got bullet in the breast
which penetrated his right lung John
Biddle may recover. his wounds, al
though numerous, falling to reach a
vital spot. The escape OF the officers
is miraculous. The Biddles have
demonstrated on several occasions
that they are good marksmen. and
why they should have failed yester
day to bring down their men is a
mystery.
After the Biddles fell to the snow
covered ground the officers picked up
the apparently lifeless bodies of Mrs.
Soffel and the Biddles and came
back 70 Butler, bringing the stolen
sleigh, patched up harness and worn
out horse that the trio had tried so
strenuously to get away with toward
Canada and liberty.
Ed. Biddle's Statement,
At the Jail lax night Ed Biddle called
for a priest and made the following
statement: 81 have been accused of a
great many serious crimes. admit
that ! could have committed many
the opportunities for them having pre-.
sented themselves. want to say now
that | did not kill Detective Fitzger-
aid. nor did l shoot Thomas Kahney.
nor was my brother implicated in the
latter affair Mrs Soffel aided us in
getting out Of the county jail, and had
it not been for her we would have
made our escape today. She gave up
everything for MS, and l was Bound
70 back her. did not shoot her She
shot herself. Oh father, bless me and
tell me that my sins are forgiven. Al
though / have been pictured to you
as q desperate man. ! still have some
heart and gratitude for the woman
who helped Us to escape. She merely
did it out Of good sympathy for US.
persuaded her to do it. told her