Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-01

The story of the fight is told by one
of the detectives as follows:
1.-THE Biddles were sitting on the right
side of the cutter. Mrs. Soffel was on
the left side. Hold up your hands and
surrender cried Detective McGOvern.
Ed BidGle jumped up from his seat and
raising a shotgun, fired it at McGOvern.
He aimed badly and the shot scattered
on the road alongside of McGovern.
Detectives McGovern and Roach dis
charged their Winchesters at Ed Bid
die. Beth shots took effect. Jack Bid
die raised from his seat and discharged
his revolver at the three officers. De-
tective Swinehart steadied himself and
fired his 45-Colts revolver at Jack. The
ball took effect in Jacks arm. Then
the detectives opened fire on the Bid
dies in rapid succession. The shots
knocked them out of the sleigh. Ed
fell sprawling on the snow and Jack fell
on top of him. Their firearms fell
alongside of them. The Biddles' horse
then became frightened and ran away
across field.
II was at this time that Mrs. Soffel
was seen to collapse in the sleigh. The
detectives approached the wounded
the wounded men and Detective Swine
hart was rushing in on them, when De-
toctive McGovern called to him to stay
back. that the Biddles We're only feign-
| ing. Detective Roach saw Ed Biddle
reach in his coat pocket as if for a
| gun and the detective shot him again.
| Then Detective McGovern ran up with
in five feet of the boys and emptied his
Winchester into them. The Biddles
then yielded.
After the Biddles yielded, Detectives
Roach and McGovern handcuffed the
| Biddles. hands and feet, and they were
taken to Butler
| Mrs. Soffel. who had fallen from the
sleigh when the horse ran away. was
picked up and placed in the detectives
large sleigh with her companions and
, taken to the hospital at Butler.
At the Jail. tonight. Ed Biddle called
FOR priest and made the following
, statement:
Il have been accused of great many
! serious crimes. | admit that l could
have committed many. the opportuni-
ties having presented themselves. I
want to say now that / did not kill De-
tective Fitzgerald. nor did I shoot
Thomas Eahney. 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 us and I
was bound to back her up. l did not
shoot her. She shot herself. oh, ia
| ther bless me and tell me that my sins
are forgiven.
| although | have been pictured to
you as a desperate man, / still have
| some heart and gratitude for the wo-
man who helped us to escape. She
merely did it out of good sympathy for
us. ! persuaded her to do it. told her
l was guiltless of the crime for which
1 was about to be executed and she was
impressed and yielded to my sugges-
ton. I planned it ALL"
Looking up he saw several reporters
: AMI recognized them as the men who
haG reported all his nefarious crimes
for which he was tried.
! You blackSuards. you are the cause
of the bitter feeling that has been en-
gendered against us. You created the
public sentiment against us. Are you
sorry? You are not? You are. too
heartless."
At this point Biddle showed signs of
collapse and made a feeble effort to
signal the lest Father Walsh admin
istered the solemn last rites of the dy-
ing and Biddle rolled over on his face
and sighed He was asked if he want
ed any word taken to his brother and
he shook his head mo"
: The tracking of the fugitives in their
iichf by the dato.4i.-ar ,-,s ..o,.., COM