The St. Louis Republic., 1902-02-09

, ems residence. After arousing the Warden
he went To the cell department Of the pris-
| on. From the three men in the dungeon
| Marshall ana Miller heard n cry for relief
and hastensd to their assistance By this
| time the policemen had arrived. and Ward
| en- SofTel headed the armed posse OF officers
| and prison attaches in their search of the
| cell department. The two holes in the Bid
dies! cells were seen upon entering the de-
partment.
Discovery of the Escape.
/, At first they supposed the BGG!es were
IN the cell Department. as the door leading
to il WAS locked. Further discoveries led
the prison officials to think that the hall
used by the Biddles to effect an escape
after freeing themselves from the cell de-
which would undoubtedly have been used
by the prisoners had they known what
KEYS TO use-were locked
when they left the iail-the key to the iron
door Of the grating; Just inside the big Ross
street doors of the prison; The key TO the
Charles G. REYNOLDS. the night guard.
who was shot. sad he was standing in the
rotunda when he saw the Biddies crap
away TO he OF any assistance. Edward
came towards REYNOLDS as he was rushing
to NcGarey's aid. and the guard. srap-
p!ing with one of the brothers threw Ed
ward to the floor. trying all the time 10
wrsst the convicts gun from him ReE-
ncids saws John. came up behind then ana
Edward then got away from REYNOLDS.
Eeynulds said he next saw John firing at
assistance. The bullet. missed their mark.
and Reynolds was taken to the dungeon
by Edward, while John. AT the point of a
revolver backed Koss!ow downstairs and
they locked them in separate cells. later
bringing in McGarey and putting him in the
Cell with Reynolds.
before December a. the day on which the
Biddles We're sentenced 10 be hanged. Letters
written by Edward Biddle to Mrs. Sofai
show that he intended to make a break for
lit erty on December 70. hut was persuaded
from this Intention by the iai'er's s wife. The
saws with which the men cut the bars and
tha guards were passed to them by Mrs.
soTei the Sunday before their escape.
Occupied Adjoining Cells.
The prisoners occupied adjoining cells on
the second range They sawed out the bars
of their cells. John cutting out three in
his. Edward. being the larger man, found
It necessary to cut out four.
Nothing suspicious was noticed IN the
actions of the two prisoners. nor was any
thing. wrong discovered when the day
guards went off duty. The murderers sawed
the bars during the night. using soap TO
deaden the noise and to reduce friction:
Nearly twenty-four hours elapsed after
the alarm had been sent broadcast before
definite word Of the escaping prisoners was
obtained. The first clew came from Coop
erstown. where Frank Holiday, an en-
ploye of the Standard Oh Company. saw
a single cutter in which were seated two
men and woman The latter was scanli!y
clad for country driving. and attracted at,
tention by wearing fascinator instead OF
q cap or hood.
Holiday thought the two men answered
the descriptions OF the Biddle brothers. He
Immediately telephoned TO Pittsburg. and
pursuit was begun from Cooperstown. Four
hours passed before the trail was again
picked up. They were followed from one
place to another but by doubling on their
tracks they succeeded in keeping well
ahead Of all pursuit until late afternoon
7; ,l,1. i.
does had made detour about Butler, and
after travelling a few miles eastward turned
on their tracks. and. entering the New
Castle pike. drove as rapidly as their jaded
horse could draw them toward Prospect.
1t was about l o'clock when they left But
ler. At that time they had covered more
For nearly twentyfour hours they had
been without food.
Fugitlves Within Range.
By o'clock in the afternoon the Sheliffs
quarry. From the brows of occasional hills
over which the turnpike leads, the cutter
and its occupants were visible to the pur-
.uers.
Finally at crossing in the road the Off
GERS. whose horses were fresh, came within
range Of the fugitvea Then followed tho
unequal, but terribly desperate. battle. in
which the Biddles received the wounds that
shortly afterward ended their lives.
Edward Biddle. who was driving. immedt-
ateIy turned his horse evidently determined
not to be shot in the back and to make u
stout resistance before being killed or cap
tured.
The pursuing Sherifis and detectives were
in two dOuble-tcam sleehs They ut once
halted and sprang out into the road, maxi
ing ready to fire soon as their victims
were close enough to present fair targets.
A moment later Edward Biddle halted his
horses. and dropping the reins, sprang into
the snow on the right side of the read,
while his brother dropped down on the left
side.
so benumbed were they that neither could
stand upright. Edward almost dropped the
shotgun. but quickly recovered It and
opened fire on the officers. He was 80 cold
the gun to his shoulder and pull the trigger
The bullets few wild.
John Riddle, on the other side Of the cut
ter. was struggling with his revolver firing
rapidly as his henumbed fingers would
permit
Mrs. Soffel. perhaps the most remarkable
fighter Of the three. stood upright in the
cutter. grasping a revolver in each hand.
She varied her screams of defiance at the
pursuing officers by shouts Of encourage
ment tn the men who were fighting by her
side fer their lives and hers.
Edward Biddle, determined to fight to the
last, raised his gun and fired Its contents
full at Detective McGovern. The shots scat
tered along the road, wide of their intended
mark.
Detectives McGovern and Roach then
fired their revolvers at Edward. Both bull
lets took effect. Undismayed by the fate Of
his brother. John Biddle reached across the !
cutter behind which he had sought par