The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-31
Jailer'S Wife Assists Two
Doomed Men to Escape.
SHE LEFT WITH THEM
Story of Daring Jail Delivery
of the BiddleS.

ton, overpowered the guards at O'Clock
this morning and escaped. Both prison
ers had been provided with saws with
which to cut the bars in their cells and
were ready at any moment TO make an
opening sufficiently large TO pass through.
The prisoners occupied adjoining cells on
the second range. They had evidently
been preparing for escape for some time
and had assistance from the outside as
both were armed with revolvers.
Shortly before 4 o'clock one of the Bid
dies called to James 9fcGeary who had
charge of the outside gates and asked for
some cramp medicine in a hurry, saying
his brother was dangerously sick. Nc
Geary FASTENED TO the cell with the medi-
cine when John Blddle sprang through
the opening in the cen and seizing the
guard around the waist, hurled him over
the railing TO the stone floor beneath. a
distance of sixteen feet. Edward Biddle
joined his brother Immediately and both
with drawn revolvers, 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 We're taken from Keeper Nc
Geary and the two desperate prisoners
had a clear field. The only persons who
witnessed the escape were prisoners who
could not Interfere or give an alarm The
Biddles went TO the wardrobe where the
guards keep their clothing and each put
on new suit. They then unlocked the
outside gates and passed out into Ross
street. The escape was not discovered
until the daylight guards came on duty
at o'clock. They were informed by
prisoners where the night guards had
been put and they were soon released
from the dungeon and sent to the homeo-
pathic hospital
MURDER OF KAHNEY
For several months preceding the Kah-
ney murder, daring burgiaries we're of al
most nightly occurrence. The police
seemed powerless to prevent them and
nervous citizens retired at night in fear
and trembling. On the morning Of April
y last, Mrs. Kahney was awakened by
burglars and called to her husband. a
cripple, who was sleeping in an adjoining
room with one of the children. As he en-
tered the door of his wife's room he was
shot dead. The burglars then fed. A
few hours later Detective Patrick Fitz-
gerald and two officers surprised the Bid
die brothers at their home on Fulton
street. but before they were captured
Fitzgerald was killed and Edward Biddle /
who shot him was dangerously wounded. /
Water Dorman, another Of the gang and I
two women, Jesse Bodine and Jennie See
bers. were convicted Of Kahney's murder I
and sentenced TO be hanged. John on the 1
18th of this month and Edward on the I
10th but three days before the date set /
for John execution they were respited /
until February p and q by Governor
Stone. so that their cases could go before
the pardon board at its coming meeting
Dorman is still in jail awaiting sentence.
The women were released.
JAlLER's WIFE ESCAPED, TOO
The escape Of the Biddles has been ex-
planned. Warden Peter s. Sofel has
its publication. II is the ale
CATION that his wife is responsible for the
furnishing of the revolvers and saw to
the Biddles which enabled them TO es-
cape.
IN her infatuation for the handsome
Edward Biddle. It IS alleged
that she has left her husband and her
four children and It is supposed to meet
the escaped convicts at place agreed
upon. The story of the matteg is brief.
Mrs Soffel was the only person admitted
~ -.rf e-5~, r~c
afternoon she visited them during the
absence. Last evening she re-
tired 1T O'Clock. She told her husband
that she was going 70 visit a sister at
Mcdonald and that she would retire early
so that she could get an early start.
Warden SofTel was about the fail until
about L o'clock He retired TO his room
which IL separate from Mrs. soffeTs
shortly before / O'Clock. When he awoke
this morning he asked for Mrs. sonei
and was Informed that she was absent.
Later when the details OF the escape be-
came known he telephoned to Mcdonald
and was Informed that Mrs. soffel was
not there. Warden soffel Immediately
made 2 frank confession Of his suspic-
ions
The r1se Of the Biddles was clever one
and was carried out with great success.
They sawed ont the bars q their cells.
JOHN cutting out three 81 his. Edward.
being the larger man found It Necessary
10 CIT ort four. Nothing suspicious was
noticed IN the actions - the two prison
Prs. nor wal anything wrong discovered
when The dav guards went or duty yes-
.erdav afternoon The murdeTfrs evil
Ientiy sawed the bars during ths night.
using what appears 20 have been coap 20
seaden the noise and 20 reduce friction
The escape is IS unparalleled ~ IS their
record fer crime throughout this vicinity
rhc police an over TIRE city are searching
'o- the fagitires while u j. not Thought
hey have gone far The shrs7dness - ;ae
.-ro criminals IS such that the police
have . hard problem 20 solve lr their re-
,apture
TIE two guards injured VII uTobabiy
recover The buil-t wound sustained ~
Reynolds IS ret regarded az dangeToas-
Ths physicians have been uuatie 20 as
,ercaln as set TIE f1il exferf q &c
zearys vouras Ills bead r badly eo7-
.used. hut there are 70 signs that re-
.kun V-es fractured ~ his slsteen fa7t
'au
&omARs Lovs FOR CONVICT
r,is.ssct Atforaes John g iiaFmakar.
.es q conference vllh yVar5ar sore3 -
.oon ard re warden rail hsm * hia sls-
,.eEons coaeernIag 2f-s- so1ei. The ~ar- {
ien has made ircz-ries ~ ne bones = {
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