Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-02-03
FATE OF THE BIDDLES
Swift Rstribution stirs the Tongues Of
oSrious ThrOag.
OMEN CRAVE VIEW OF The ssDlEs
Nsrbid Dssir, Finllly Gratifsd BY the
Msrgu. Keepers.
sMIN CRAVE VIEW OF THE BsOlEs
toRONLRs WM SOON GIVES vlNt Z.
Determine, Ed a suicid', JsCf Victim Of
OHiosrT Gun.
Doc1sRs TELL stATHStO TORTUaEs
Describe Nature of wounds and show
what Ca1se FataIities-PriEe
sharers Agree ON Equal
Portions.

BUTLER, Pa. Feb. 2.-The terrible fate
of the Biddes Is the sole topic Of con-
versation here today, and curious throns
of people has been defyIng the storm, hang
ing about the jail entrance in vain at
tempts TO get in to see the bodies OF the
dead murderers. great deal Of sympathy
for the BIddles is expressed on all sides
and many OF the female portion OF the
crowd expressed desire to see what man
ner Of man Ed Biddle was that he should
exert such wonderful influence, not only
over men, but more particularly over
women.
The iail doors we're closed all day and
no one got in but the doctors who attended
the autopsy and the coroner's Jury, which
was organized at o'clock this morning
Even the reporters were excluded from
the inquest, which was held In the jail
Coroner John James arrived at the jail at
o O'Clock and selected the Jury.
The testimony OF all the officers con-
cerned in the capture was taken, except
that OF Robert Ray. Butler policeman, who
is i'll aEed., The testimony OF DR.. Greer
who was one OF the doctors who attended
the Biddles, and that OF sheriff Hoon. was
also taken.
verdict of COroner's Jury.
The verdict OF the jury is that Ed Biddle
came TO his death by a revolves shot fred
from a thirty -tw o-caliber revolver by him
SELF and that Jack Biddle met his death
from a gunshot wound inflicted by the ON
GERS in the discharge Of their lawful duty.
The latter part OF section OF the Jack
BIddle verdict reads as follows:
That said posse returned the fire. and
a battle ensued. In which said John Riddle
received the wound which caused his
We hereby exonerate the ohicers from
ell liability and commend ,,he, them for r,on their
ance of their duty.
The testimony taken at the inquest was
voluminous. making about 1000 words. and
some parts OF II were sensational
Charges detective with Brutality.
The testimony given, by Deputy Sheriff
Rainey Hoon reflected severely on McGov-
ern. one Of ths Pittsbars detectises Dap-
uty Hoon, after describing the hunt for the
fuRitfves and the hnal sighting of them
coming over the hill. said:
I'VE put our two teams In charge of J..
A. Snyder We then got IN line and they
came down the hill, and the frst thing I
Gaw. Biddle pulled revolver. When he
pulled the gum all began to shoot. / could
not tell who fred the first shot. We all
shot. l should judge we were $50 feet from
them"
'Did they fall out Of the sleighr'
Eyes, they both fell out.' II
How many shots had been fred before
they felir'
Il have not much idea. suppose forty
or nifty shots"
pThe BiddIes fell out Of the sled?"
''Yes, sir; both boys fell out, and the
woman fell forward. She stayed In the
sleigh and the horse ran away"
Describe your approaching the Biddle
boys
Shoot Prostrate BODY.
''McGovern and walked up to them.
They were both lying on their faces. l
walked up Arst and McGovern swore at me
for Il. l had a revolver in my hand and
had Il loaded. walked up TO them, and
he walked up and hit Jack on the back OF
the head with the butt end Of his VIM
chester when he was on bis face. Then
turned Ed over on his back. was, the
frst 70 touch either OF the men, and he
was going TO shoot them again. He stepped
bask and shot Jack again after he was on
the ground. turned Ed over and he said:
For Gods sake. don't shoot again--let me
die Mr. Holiday turned Jack over and
he coaxed him not 10 ebuse him and TO lei
him die"
'The slugs that entered the arms and
side OF Jack Biddle we're from the shot
fired by McGoyern after. he was lying, face
downward in the snow, at close ranger
"Yes, sir; i am sure Of that. wai
within few feet"
DO you think the striking Of Jack OF
the head with a gun had anything 20 Dc
with the fastening OF his deathf'
81 could not say. He could stlll speak"
"Did he strike with considerable force?'
He hit him a good hard bin with th'
butt OF the gun"
Under the instructions OF Coroner Jones
an autopsy was held on the Blddies THU
morning. The evidence secured by th,
autopsy bears out the statements that tn,
Biddles intended to kin themselves rathsi
than be taken alive. and that I'D succeeded
In his attempt while Jack failed thougl
his life was forfeited.
statement OF the Autopsy.
Dr. Bricksr gave the following statsmsn
after the autopsy;
Jack Bideie was ths. worse wounded Q
brought to the jaii Friday. night; He. hs,
and EfSS srodna s the % scSy snd @ sd no ds@ss
wound @ was was found IN the FOOT ot' the mouth
but e was slight ana would not hay
nietsd BY himself with the evident inten
tion OF Committing suicide.
In alt Jack was suffering from DIN
wounds, but excepting the one that pens
trated the kidney none OF them WOul
have been fatal. Ed'a terrible sufferlns
were caused by a bullet wound that struc
him on the left breast about an Inch an
a half TO the right Of the nipple an
passed down between the fourth and Mt
ribs to the left Of The heart and throug
the lung. This wound was made by u
himself The powder marks are Visibl
Death was caused by hemorrhages an
the man suffered untold agony to the las
breath. Another wound fnund on his bod
was on the same side, about an inch froE
the left nipple. but the bullet struck d
fourth rib passed under the skin and al
no damage Both bullets found IN Ed weT
sa-caliber and In the opinion oi the doc
tors. who held the autopsy, there ts n
doubt that be Killed himself
After the autopsy the bodies OF II
Biddles we're taken In CHARGE By W.
GcOatinusd on second Pass,)