The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-09-02
Forsook Husband and Children
70 Free Convicted Murder
ers in Husbands Custody.
ESCAPED COnvlCTs RECEIVED
Fatal WOUNDS N FIGHT
Mrs. soffel, the Woman, Shot but Re.
covered and Served Term in Pen
fer Her Part in the Plot-Tried the
Stage.

Stage.
Ptttsburg. Sept. 2.-Katherine Deit-
rich dicd at the West Penn hospital
at 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
Under that name for several years
had been concealed the identity of the
former Mrs. Katherine Dietrich Soffel,
the woman star in the Biddle drama,
in which one tragedy followed anoth-
er in rapid succession. During the
enactment Of the early of the thrill
Ing drama she was the wife of Peter
Soffei, Jr.. then warden of the Allie
gheny county jail, who divorced ner
for the part she played. It is but q
Few years since she was the most
widely talked Of woman in the Unitl
ed States because Of her part in the
daring escape of the Biddle brothers
convicted murderers, from the Alle-
gheny county Jail.
Mrs. Soffel, wife Of the warden, fur
nished the saws, keys and revolvers
which the desperadoes used in effect
Ing their escape and fighting for the
liberty she gave them. Mrs. Soffel
fed with them and was taken into
custody when they were captured af-
ter bloody battle near Butler, in
which the Biddles received death
wounds ~
Katherina Dietrich two weeks ago
was taken i'll at 903 Federal street,
Northside, where she lately made her
home,- and August: 22 was admitted
to the hospital. Diagnosis failed to
disclose any particular disease as the
explanation of her condition, but since
the day Of her admittance she stead
lily sank. Last night It was said at
the hospital that she died OF q cpm-,ii-
cation OF diseases. I.
Body at Her Fathers. -
: Yesterday lfternoon5 the body was
removed to the home Of her father.
c. H. Dietrich, % Southern avenue,
Mount Washington, and continual
stream of, relatives, friends and cur
lous acquainted with the history of
the woman have been going into the
house since.
At the time she became i'll the for
mer Mrs. Sofel was living alone on
the, North Side earning a living by
dress making and keeping her identity
secret. Her four children, Irene,
Clarence, Edwin aud Margaret. have
been living with their father at his
home, 7S Maple terrace, Mount Wash
lngton, from the time their mother
and father we're seDarated by the Bid
die brothers entering their lives. Last
night all was dark at the home and
the girl who answered the door bell
stated that Mr.. Soffel was out Of the
city and that the children were in
bed. She would not say whether they
had learned Of the death Of their
mother.
Kahne Murder Came First.
During the last months Of 1900 the
Mount Washington district was in q
state Of terror by daring burglaries.
Then came the murder Of Charles
kahne. q Mount Washington grocer.
The clews Of the police led to q house
In Fulton street as the place where
the murderers were said to be liv-
Ing. When Detective Fitzgerald and
Inspector Robert Gray entered the
place they were attacked by Ed Bid
die and Detective Fitzgerald was shot
before the arrest was made.
The Biddle brothers and Walter
Dorman were locked UP in the ALLIE
gheny county jail to await trial for
murder, besides the many burglaries
Traced to- them. While awaiting trial
Ed Btddle won the sympathies and
then the affection Of Mrs. Soffel, and
after their conviction for murder fol-
lowing the evidence for the state by
Dormap, the plan to escape was made.
All Preparations for the escape were
completed and all articles necessary
10 carry out the plans were secured
by Mrs. Sofiel. At 4:15, the morn
Ing of January 30, 1902, the Biddle
brothers broke from their cells,
stunned several guards, among them
Mr.. Dietrich, the father of Mrs. Soffel,
by throwing them over the upper
range railing to the first floor of the
fail, proceeded to the Ross street en-
trance and were left out through the
warden's residence by Mrs. Soffel who
accompanied them. ~
Flight and Capture.
When the alarm was given, several
hours after the three had left the jail
the entire police and detective force Of
the city was notified to be on the
lookout for them. They were traced
through Allegheny, then out the But.
Ter road and party Of detectives fol-
lowed their tracks In sleigh. After
q wild chase, In which the Butler
county authorities assisted the Pitts
burg police. the pursuers came In
sight Of the sleigh. In which we're the
Biddle brothers and Mrs. Soffel. The
officers drove around In front Of them
and Detective Charles McGoyern Or
dsred them to surrender. The Bid
6le brothers answered with . volley
fom gun and revolver. ~
a. pitched battle took place in tho
snow covered road and when all was
over Ed and Jack Biddle were lying
ynortally wounded and Mrs. spnel was