The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-04
MRS. SOFEEL'S STORY.
Woman Describes Flight With
Her Convict Lover.

PittSburg, Pa, Feb. 4.-The only matter
now of anything like absorbing interest in
connection with the fate of the Biddles is
the fate of Mrs. Soffel and anything she
may say concerning the escape and SubSe-
quent capture of the trio.
Mrs. Soffel is lying in the Butler nos
ment last night to some newspaper men
She sh ' Said: eSei''e u IL D-'eAei - winch
Il had not intended going with the Bid
die boys The night of their escape, but
Eds entreaties won me over -, :.
She told of how she remained in the Ii
brary on Thursday awaiting the signal for
the the RoT a and was 5 her od ee 70
later While sitting in the library she said
she. was almost paralyzed when the two
brothers came crashing through the door.
In their excitement they had lost the key
to this door and had to break, it down.
told i them he to go. they told me they had
We're to get away I would be discovered:
I tried to persuade them to CO. Then L
and yielded. We all dashed out on Roos
street We then passed along the court
Grant street, and, crossing the river we
met in Allegheny at their friends house.
were soon out on the road again. We Sc
cured a sleigh and drove through the
cold. There was no robe in the sleigh and
| suffered terribly. When daylight came
next day brought us to the terrible scene.
We drove through Butler and knew that
Then we soon reached Mount Chestnut
and, getting something to eat, started out
again. ] was feeling ill and was fright
ened- The boys learned that the detec.-
tives We're after us and they consulted
about defending themselves. Ed said to
JACK: 1T is a life for a life; let's shoot
them down The boys drove on. They
were bewildered about the Whereabouts of
the detectives They thought, the Pitts
burg detectives were behind them. When
they saw them appear, Ed told Jack to
get ready. He recognized Detective Roach.
Detective McGovern got out OF the sleigh
and was followed by the other two. saw
McGovern fire, The shots were returned
by, Ed and Jack Then there was a fusil,
lade of bullets. saw Ed and Jack fall
out of the sleigh. I was shot. The horse
took fright and ran away.
Detective McGovern said: Kill all the
ID rascals, and pointed his gun at me.
Detective Swinehart called to him to have
mercy on me, that 1 was only woman,
''The horse turned into the field and
made a circle into the road again. That
was all 1 remember. Detective Swinehart
was hurt and / said was. shot. He raised
me up and held my head on his knees.
thing I knew | was in the sleigh.
I'VE were forced to leave before our ar
engagements were complete. learned on
the cells on that range were to be inspect
ed Thursday. l knew the sawed bars
on Eds and Jacks cell would be discov77
cred. I gained admittance to the Jail and
conveyed this information to the boys:
We then agreed to go that night. I did
make their flight alone. 1 intended to go
to the country for a few days and then
To prevent the demolition of the collins
and the mutilation of the bodies of Ed
ward and John Biddle. which in all proba-
were known generally, Harry Biddle has
arranged a secret plan to dispose of his
brothers remains without letting the pub
lie know where the interment will take
place.