Loading...
The Wingham Advance, 1902-02-06, Page 7• Mrs. Soffel Shot Breast. BIIJDLES CAPTUIIED; BOTII OF TIIEM SHOT. B[TH DIDOLES The s1 of un i t Sack Biddle had was sto en ! _ from the hotel at which the party had eaten dinner. The ciroutnstanue that the detec- tivres, while pursuing the Riddles were told at (arta hearses along the way that the art the were ohasin 111 p y y h !tad passed some time before., ttind yet mot the fugitives coming towards them is' explained by the fact that tIio Biddies , itad Started Back But Mrs, Soffel Will Likely Recover. • ED. BIDDLE'S LOVE LETTER. • • Plans for Their Escape Revealed— Jack Riddle's Statentent—They Shot 'Theinsolves—Mrs. Soflel's Father Know of Her luftauation. Bustler, Pa., Jan. 31.—The Biddle brothers, who escaped trout the Al- legheny County Jai1 in Pittsburg - Thursday morning, and Mrs. Kate Deltrien agile], wife of Warden Peter Sioffel, were captured this af- ternoon near Prospect, about nine m11es west of here, after a bloody conflict, by Detectives Cluirles Me - Govern, John Roach and Albert H. Swinehart.. Ed. Biddle ie lying in the Butler County Jail in a dying condition. Jack Butler, lass brother, is in the adjoining cell, riddled with buck- shot. Ilis condition is not consider- ed serious. Mrs. Soffel shot herself in the battle. She placed a revolver to her left breast! and drove the bailclear to the back, but her condition is not critical. She is now in the But- ler County General Hospital. The detectives are uninjured. There were about 80 shots ex- changed in the fray. The capture was completed about one and a half miles from Prospect. The Biddle brothers; who were un- der senteuce of death for the mur- der. of Thomas D. Kabney, escaped from the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburg yesterday morning, af- ter sawing their way through the bars of their cell, throwing one guard over the railing to the stone floor, 16 feet below, and shooting 'down another. lairs. Soffel, the wife of the warden, had furnished them the saws and the revolvers, and tate men escaped, through the warden'shouse, which adjoins the jail. Mrs, Soffel left with tiro Biddles. Tete tires remained hidden in Al- legheny, and left in the evening, walking on the plank road towards lutler. Late at night they Stere noise and Sleigh from a farmer living near Perrys- ville. The fact that a sleigh had beet stolen was telephoned to Pittsburg, and the officers were thus put on their track. To -day word was telephoned to Pittsburg that a sleigh containing two men and a woman, the latter half frozen, nad passed along the meld toward " Prospect. __Detectives John Roach, Albert Swinehart, and Charles McGovern were ordered out from Pittsburg to BButlor. Here -they got a telepiwne message saying that th'e party of fugitives had been at -Cooperstown, 12 mites from Butler. The detectives tcro.it to two -horse sleigTi driven by Jauies Snyder, and started out on the road. Toward the exewoastie Pike, and at a farm !house they learned that the sleigh con- taining the men and . woman had passed. They got the same informa- tion at a grist mill further on. At Mount Chestnut they learned that the sleigh had gone through. Hare they received a telephone message •tdhat the party had taken dinner at a biomet and were hitching up to de- part. Tike detectives hurried on, and were joened by a sleigh containing, a number of Butler citizens, among them the Chief of Police of Butler. Half- way between bipunt Chestnut and Prospect the detectives saw their quarry oat e. little rise in the road, coming toward them. Mo(rovern sad Roach got their Win- chestera ready, anti Swinehart drew his revolr:er. McGovern recognized the I3lddlee when, the sleighs were 100 yards apart, and at the same mo- ment this fugitives saw that they were cornered., natid • Prepared for Battle. Indus detectives sprung from their' oleiglu and called on the Biddies to surrender. Ed. Biddle rose in ]hie neat, and taking careful and delib- erato aim with his shotgun fired t,1t McGovern, but the load scattered da harmlessly on the road. McGovern and Roach fired at the men, who eat together, while Mrs. Sofrel ,sat on onto side. Jack Biddle sprang to an *arightt poeition and fired three Plots at the detectives, but Swine !tart ;steadying himself, and aiming, fired a bullet from his revolver that disabled Jack's arm. McGovern rush- ed forward and literally shot the two, men out of the sleigh'. Ed. Bid - die stumbled out on the road, and Sack, who had boon trying to pro - tent the woman, by interposing his body between her awl the rain of bullets, fell_ on top of his brother. Their weapons fell alongeido of them. Sheets herself. Mrs. Soften then planed a revolver at her own heart, discharged it, and collapsed7.n the sleigh. The horse ran away, but was caught by the men in the other sleigh of pursuers, who !tad come up at the last moment in time to fire n. volley) at the diddles that went wild. The detectives approached the Wounded men cautiously. Iloaoti save Ed. Biddle reach into !tie coat pocket. where revolver tirer w as afterwards( found, and shot him again, Tiren De- tective McGovern ran nqD within five feet, and fired jiffs Winchester at the brothers. 'rim Diddles yielded, and the deteettvny, handeufttng them and sbaekling their legs, brought them to Butler. Mrs. Softel was made as comfortable aq poeeibin in the sleigh, to retrace their way. They were recognized by the detectives 100 yards away, but their horse was Jaded, while the detectives' horses were fresh. It was impossible to escape by fleeing, and the brothers decided to mako a last stand. The shooting did not begin until the two sleighs were 2Q feet apart. The detectives say that John Bid- dle, who sat 'nex;t to Mrs. Soffel, tried to protect her with las body. Of course tile officers did they best not to hit the woman, but there was. little time to take atm, dna shooting soon became general. Had the Biddies recognized the detectives sooner, John Biddle said to -night, they woulu have put Mrs. Soffel out, of. the cut- ter, as they were fully determined not to be taken alive, and expected to shoot to a finish, when confronted with probable capture. It wae re- ported to -night that Afro. Soffel had shot at the detectives, in fact that elft; "stood up like a man," but the of- ficers say that report is not true. It was only when the Biddies fell out. of the cutter that elle theca a revol- ver, and then it was into her own breast, although more than ono .of the bullets fired by the officers are in her body. When the wounded Biddle boys were brought into the jail it was( thought Ed. was dying,. Ile Asltetl for a Priest, and Father Wels11 was summoned. Before talking privately, to the priest, Ed. spoke to th5 tleeeetives. "I have been :recused of a great many crimes," he said. "I admit that 1 could bee a committed e ny, when the- opportunities presented them- selves( 1 want to say no* that I did not kill Detective Fitzgerald, nor did 1 shgpt Thomas paling, nor was my brother implictif'ed'in the af- fair. lire. Softo1 aided. us in getting out of the county jall. Siad it not been for her we would have made our escape from our pursuers to -day. She gave up everything for us, and 1 was bound to back herr I did not shoot her." ' • • Ole., father," he exclaimed to the priest, "bless me and tell me that my sins are forgiven. Although I have been pictured 'to you as a des- perate man," Biddle continued, "1 stilt have some heart and gratitude for the wolnan who helped us escape. She merely did it out of good feel - Ing for ua. I -persuaded her to do it. • I told'her I was guiltless of the crime foe which I was about .to be executed, and she was impressed and yielded to the suggestion. I planned it all." Looking up, he saw several report- ers and recognized some of them as the men Who had reported the trial for murder. " You Islacicguards," He Said, 'you are the cause of •the bitter feel- ing that has ben engendered against us. You created the public sentiment against us. Are you sorry? You are not ? You are too heartless." At tale point Ed. Biddle showed signs of collapse, and made a feeble effort to signal to Fattier Walsh. Then he rolled over on his face and sighed. Asked if he wanted any word taken to Ms brother, he shook his head and feet; r said "No:" Mrs. Saffcl confessed that she had aided the Blddles to escape. She eald sire had given them the revolvers and .yaws with which they cut their way out of their cells, because she was persuaded that they were innocent of the murder for Which they were to be hanged. DETECTIVE ROACH'S STORY. To -night Detective Roach told more in detail of what followed when the Biddle boys fell out of their cutter. As the Diddles ,fell out of the sleigh, the horse clashed at Me - Govern. He shot at the animal. It turned into the field, and' Detective Swinehart shot it. Mrs. Soffel was haughtg out of tite back of the .el: agleam' Roach call sd out that Mrs. Soffel was shot. The horse ran in a circle In the field, and Mrs :offer full out near the road. The horse was caught by I) putt' Sheriff Rain- ey Hoon, Mrs Soffol was carried to the road and placed In the Butler County posse's sleigh. She was bleeding profusely. Hoon said that he was sorry for her. Site thanked him, and said she did not shoot her- self, but •that one of the first shots of the detectives' volley bit her. Tho detectives and the Butler posse started back with the Bid- dles and Mrs Soffel, They had no means of attending to the wounds, and the three prisoners suffered a great cleat on the cold drive of 12 utiles to Butler from the scene of battle. Murderer Ed Middle was choking with blood from the wound In itis lung when this despatoh was sent, and was sinking fast. He will pro- bably die before morning. The bu't't In his left breast penetrated his lung. An examination by physleinns shows that Mrs, Soffe] will recov- ee, an l.!lo bullet was deflected by Iter corset, and the wound is com- paratively slight, The woman le middle -Aged, • and etas four daugh- ters, two of thein almost women. John Biddle may recover, his Wounds, thong!, numerous, failing to read! a Vital spot. WO3lAN'S MIS BUSKINS. Says leo Would leilte to Have Charge of the Three. Pittsburg, Jan. al.—Peter I' . Sot - fel, warden of tho Allegheny County Jail, resigned his position to -day, ant1 the resiguatio:n was accepted by the Prison hoard. Soffel was told to- night that his wife had been cap- tured. "I am gltuh of it," ho said, and 114kpc elle will be punished for lier crime in aiding the murderers 10 escape," Before resigning, Soffel :mid: "In no way 1 would like to stay here if. the whole three aro captured live. I wound Ilko to ace thorn ought back hero and plated wader I 0 and was brought fat tit the hospital here. a None of the detectives Wats hurt,br my 04re. My care, I say, Olt, but f I wish thot could lppaW . i to11 you the roveugo that 1 Would take would be awstst ! Wol, it is a11 over. ,11y ,Jaffe Is Ruined. "Perhaps I have n0 t dose right, , britt I tried to do my duty to the bet of my ability. The world will find fault with nae now, but 1 can- not help it, If this had not ilappoaa» ed, and if the Bidcilee lead been hanged on Feb. 25 and 27, the world would hbve lauded mo for permitting my Wife to visit them ln, their last mts- erablo hours, a414 try to cheer them. and prepare their ;Made for the ohaango that was coming to them. hut, of course, now everything la. different, and I am censured. "I have no plans yet for the fu- ture. I may take again to nay chos- en work (prison work), but that will be later. At present I must devote JOHN BIDDLE. my time to recuperation and in as- sieting in familiarizing my succes- sor, whoever tie may be, with the workings of the jail." Where the BIddies and Mrs. Soffel spent the day yesterday has not yet been learned. At 9 o'clock last night siva mon and a wonnan stopped at the door of Keating roadhouse, on the Perrysville Avenue road, four miles from, Pittsburg. The Woman Stayed OutsIde, and the two men went into the bar- room. They ordered several glasses of beer, and pada for them, keeping their eyes on the few men in the bar - mem and holding one hand on their orvercoat pocket. Once they whispered to each other, but the barkeeper could not hear what they said. Alter sitting near the stove for half an hour, they joined the woman out- side, and all three trudged wearily up the road. The barkeeper had heard nothing of the escape of the brothers from the jail, bat when he saw their phonographs in the papers to -day he instantly recognized them as pictures of the men whose visit is described. i The !fiddles Canadians. The Biddies were born . in St. Tho- mas, Ont., about thirty years ago. Their father, George Biddle, re- moved subsequently to Amherstburg, where he kept a saloon locally known as "Bell" fon some years, and it was in this atmosphere the boys were brought up. The father died, and the boys were taken in charge by Ben McQuade, their uncle. Ho used to beat the boys solely for the plea- sure he derived from it, but finally, one day, he bietvi his brains out. After tate boys left Amhrerstburg they drifted around the country, fin- ally landing in Pittsburg. H"<1 !seen 111 Long. Pittsburg, Jan. 31. --Says Warden Soffel to -night: "Think of my. chil- dren. Their future will be blighted. I would rather have died than conte to this. To thinly that my wife, the last person whom I would suspect, should act so." Mr. Sorrel has two. girls, 15 and 13 years. old, and two boys, 10 and 7 years old. • The friends 0,1 Mrs: Soffel believe she could not have been in herr right mind. For several years she has been an invalid, and about one year ago she was sant to a sanitarium. She came back much improved, but the long and painful illness is believed to have weakened her mind. Butler, Pa., Feb. 1.—The condition this morning of the fugitives from justice, Edward. and John Biddle and Mrs. Kate Soffel, who were wounded in the battle with the Pittsburg and Butler police last evening, has not changed since midnight, except In the caso of Ed. Biddle, who has grown noticeably weaker, and it is believed that his death le now only a matter EDWARD BIDDLE. Of a fehv' hours. Els temperature is 102, pule° 11:6, respiration 22, and there is evidence of almost continued internal hemorrhages. Unless peritonitis sets In "Jack" will be taken to the hospital, where an operatGtn will bo performed in the hope of saving his life. The doctors have nscertnined that ltls bladder Ives reached by a bullet, but itis gen- eral condition seems to be good. Mrs, StoireI wtti Recover. Stirs, Sotfel is reeling easy. Her only wound was made by a bullet which penetrated the loft breast within an inch of the nipple. It was from a 32 -calibre revolver, and %.nursed around the fifth rib on the left side, lodging under the shedder blade. About ;t o'clock rthts morning an operati'tn Wats .. performer! :and the bullet removed. Her recovery le be- other, i - 11orcd to he 0,. matter of a very short time. Airs, Sgffel tells two different stip:- les of rile shooting, one to the effc It that she shot 17.ereelf during* the light, and the other to the effect that '. she was shot by Edward Bid- dle. The bullet did not go through her outer garment, which Indicates that the shot was Mired by herself or Biddle by patting their: hand un- der the peat, !# btruggte for the Prisoner. A legal battle Is expected 'whoa the Pittsburg authorities arrive t4- day, and at the jail, It is said the only way the Pittsburg offloore will be able to secure the Biddle; will be by a writ of ltaboao corpus. The Butler authorities are determined to light against their being taken away. .,.greed to Commit Sutelde. From statement terns t a nt made this morning, by Jack Bdddhe, in his cell, It is evident. that the escaped con- victs and their accomplice had ar- ranged r- ran e dto commit suicide in caro ca tame became imminent. In addition Jack also told how they escaped. Their manner of getting out of jail, according to his statement, was as boon already published. McCleary, he says, fell over the balcony when lie jerked •loose from the hold the pri- soner had on him. lie says Mrs, Soffel !helped them to esoape, but would not say she supplied the saws. The sawing of the bars of the cells, he says, was completed before Jan, 1L4, and that several times previous to the ,lay on which tate escape was made their plans' failed through some little detail. story of ruck. Travels. After they had left the jail Thurs- day rgornlug they went to a house near a railroad in PItteburg. They remained there all of Thursday. The people in the house, Jack said, when they read of the escape from the jail, recognized them, and would only let them remain after the Bid - Wee gave them a "bunch" of money. They remained at the ]louse until Thursday night, leaving it as soon as it grow dark. Jack says he want- ed to stay there, and that "Ed" was also willing to stay, but that "the woman was nervous and afraid they would be caught." "I wouldn't let 'om gd alone," said Jack, "and as soon as lit grew dark we went down the street and took a Percival ear. We rode to' the'end of the line, and from there walked until we'reaehed the farm where we stole the horse. If it hada noa been for the woman we would not have been caught, for we could easily have got- ten another horse, and by this titre been more than 100 miles away." stayed by (he Woman. "It is a lead pipe cinch that we would have escaped, but we could not t. o luar . and John, hist wat�+ taken. rt o - t 9 t i ll& own (1011. Suffered (,:rattly, Jaok Biddle'rssuffering was lat- toliale bl,ortly after 0 o'clock 1t At - q �a0 is 41 k he wont tato a d- e liriuln and for the h tat hour of his life he ons lin a sera! -eon icaMe state. Fibs. last words were uttered shortly before 5 o'clock, when he asked Dr. 13yer8 for a drink of water. Tao Bev. Father Walsh, who leas been became evlcleat to the attending physicians that the life of the crim- inal was ebbing away. Opiates had to be administered to quiet him, and it required both physicians and the jail attenda;ats to hold bite on 111.9 cot in the cell, Ui attendance upon the Biddtos% al- most . every hour, was not pr.oeent' when death came. Hie last visit was made o'clock, al k andid o o d he c not re- turn turn until after Johur had died. The holy office of the Roman Catholic (Urea was administered to both Jolhn anti Ed. Biddle. When Dr. J. E. Byers called at the jail .at 12 o'clock yesterday to learn as to the condition of the Biddies, Jack was perfectly conscious, al- though in great pain. Re made the following statement to Dr. Byers, who gave it out tonight ; Jack BBiddte's Statement. "When the three of us left the Jail in Pittsburg last Thursday morn- ing it was agreed, upon between us that 1f we found we were to be cap- tured we would kill ourselves.We did as we had planned. I shot my- self and so did Ed, as the two bul- lets in his mouth showed, Mrs. Sof- fel shot herself. She was not shot by either of us.." Yesterday morning Mrs. Soffel's step -mother, Mrs. Dietrich, and her step -brother, Julius, called to see her. These were the only rela- tin-es she has seen since she left her home to go with the Biddies. Mrs. Dietrich remained at the hos- pital only a few minutes. After a brief conference, the stepmother left Mrs. Soffel was weeping. Although she partly realizes her grave mis- take she continually asked all clay for the Biddies. They and her child- ren seemed to be her only thought. Like a Circus Day. Butler has 12,000 regular inhabi- tants, but the population was al e. most doubled yesterday. It was like a circus day in a country town. For hones a crowd numbering sev- eral thousand people remained about the jail, but it was not until the morning early that the large crowds began to Dome, attracted principally by morbid cumiosity and anticipating a clash between the Butler County officials and the Pittsburg detec- tives on account of a dispute as to the $5,000 reward offered. Thontsancis tf MRS. KAT E SOFFEL. let that poor woman go by herself. She did alt she could with us, betray- ed her hueband, deserted her fam- ily, all to help us out, and we would have bean a great deal worse than we aro thought to bo if we had tlirow,n her dow,n. , , Myer Shot at, the Ofltcers. "When we saw the officers com- ing. toward us oni ttre road yesterday evening we knew it was all up. Wo did not lire a sport at the officers, but agreed to Jti11 ourselves. I shot my- self in the math. "Ed."'shot himself over tete heart, and the woma,n,shot herself in the breast. We knew we had, no ohaace to get away, and we oleo knew wo would swtag if taken back, and tltott is wily we wanted to kill ourselves." It haus been discovered that Jack has two bullet holes through his mouth, instead of one, as first thought. Ono of his other wounds is through his abdomen,* and this ono may cause his death. Bullets from two of his other woundte about the stomach were taken out this morning, ' , . Riddled With Bullets. Tho Biddles, when captured, had on the same clothes they wore when they escaped. Jack had, in addi- tion, a light overcoat. Mrs. Sofrel also had on the clothes in which she left her home. Through Ed's coat there cis one bullet hole, but through the dark blue velet vest are two holes made by the bullets that are lodged near his heart. Jack's coat and volt are literally riddled. There are four holes In the side of the coast and one in the right sleeve. The latter appear to have been made by shall bullets Jack's pistol was a cheap 32 -calibre affair. Three of the six chambers of the gun hold empty cartridges. Deny Murders. • Both of the Biddles Were talka- tive this morning, but both disclaim. e4 over having killed any ono. Butler,Pa., Feb. 2.--J'ohin Fuddle died at 7.415, and This brother Ed, at 11 o'clock last night. The two brothers were practically shot to pieces in the fight Itriday between them and the Pittsburg detectives. Mrs. Sotfel, the wife of the jail Warden of thio Alteghoay County Jail, in Pittsburg, and the Woman who, in- fatuated with Edward Biddle, gave the brothers the saws and revolvers with which they effeeted their es- cape, is In a very dangerous condi- tion, though it is believed slie will recover. Ysteerday afternoon, the Biddle bro- thers asked to be allowed to see wit other, and Solum waw' carried to Ed's. cell, The two brothers first put their arms about each other's necks and kixhcul each Other, while the by- standers cried. The brothers Said good-bye to eatoli of men, women, and children drove into Butler. Shortly after midnight they a,-, an to arrive, and the crowd was augmented from that time on until 6 o'clock, when it was esti- mated that fully 7,000 persons were standing in front of the large oaken doors of the Butler County Jail. The larger part of this crowd was composed of country folks, who had driven here in almost every kind of vehicle conceivable. Sleds, contain- ing whole families, came, and buggies, in which were crowded three and four women, were driven up the main streets of Butler. Thousands of women came in sleighs and farm and road wagons were pressed into dervice. All flocked to the jail. The Piot Revealed. A love letter from Ed Biddle to Ole prison sweetheart, Mrs. Kate Stoffel, found in the snow near the bloody scene of their capture, re - reale the careful plot for their es- cape from the Allegheny County Jail. The letter clearly shows the hazardous attempts of the infatu- ated woman to secure the escape of the Biddies. Since December, 1901, they had• boon making preparations. The letter tells how Mrs. Sorrel carried the saws to the cells of the Biddies. It shows • the Infatuation of :Mrs. Soffel for the murderers and burglars, and also the wonderful Influence Ed Biddle had over Mrs. Soffel. Mrs. Soffel fell in love with Ed Bid- dle in November. It was not long until ho started to write love let- ters to her. About tate early part of December he proposed a plan of escape to her. Site consented to lend hint her aid, and before Dec. 14tH they had made ail arrange- ment' to escape from the jail. '%nen they learned of the Governor's re- spite. After that fad Biddle per - Waded Mrs. Soffel to fly with !tial and his brother. Tho contents of the letter show it was originally agreed that Mrs. Soffel was to leave the city for Toronto, Canada, on the eve of the boys' escape. the reeve better. Tito letter, in part, is as follows: My precious little darling;,—I guess I never will be able to kiss you good-bye. Oli, God, pot, don't think tlurt the blow is all on you. I leve you, dearest baby, more to -day than over before. Each minute to- day has been like au hour to me. 'You are dearer to me than my very life. I will own up and tell you the truth. When 1 started writing to you I did not love you. Now I have learn- ed to love you better than lay own life. Whit I want to say is tile: We Were searched pretty close to- day, and Hasse fellows would swear rna a stack of Milos ten feet high tint we scold not have this stuff on us since yesterday. It f I would a o o x c u se In s - b darling, of er for you TO stay at'ltoane until 1 could come and get you, 01 course 1 would be risking my freedom and life again to do so, but 1 would risk more than that fory �,it1 Sssi 1 o. It w !d bo u f ou m o 1s o ns eels% r o got away i1 you stayed at hotae, on account of the warden, you know. In case your should not want to go, go to the poet -office at homestead about March ],Lith, and call for mall ander the name of Mrs. Charles W. MoDorald. You. will get a letter telling you how i ata, and how I am to get you. I want you to suit .your- self in this matter, my Owe darling, bat I would rather you would go Oa -morrow, Suet as I have directed. Watolt the papers close, and if you see they have traced us any part Of the way leave Taaranto on the quiet and go to Montreal. Leave letter in Torontoomen e o r fie r me and as eon i S as you get settled In. Montreal write me a letter to tits post -office there, all in signs, where you are. Montreal 2 00 miles furthtor north. Ifeepisabout brew until 1 %sada you. Wits the Woman l.rw,,,y? Although (tire. Staffel's infatuation was so great for Ed. Biddle, she eetadily refused to allow the buys to escape alone. It is shown in the let- ter that the Biddies dbtonded to leave the jail ou the night .oe Deo. 20. On that, occasion Mrs. 1offel became alarmed and requested Ed. to wait a few days before leaving. 1041. then be- came enraged and threatened to leave on Tuesday night. Thinking that Mrs, Suffel's affection was weakening, he threatened to kill al: the guards in the jail. Mrs. Soffel suo- tweded in persuading Ed, not to make the attempt. Ed. Biddle had a perfect node of signals with his sweetheart, DXre, Soffel, and they made sign% to esti% other from his cell and the jail - yard window of the warden's house. tt wae from this window that she gave him the signal of escape. It was arranged by them to leave the jail on Monday or Tuesday. Ont Sun- day the boys were searched. That was In the morning. In the afternoon she gave them the revolvers. Ed;, Biddle was confident of his power over Mrs. Soffel. Father Knew of infatuation. C. H, Dietrich, the father of Mrs. Sofia!, knery all about his daughter's flirtation with Ed. Biddle. Dietrich was a guard in the county jail. IR :isld last night: " I discovered her Infatuation for the Biddies several months ago, and I repeatedly warned her to cease her flirtations from the warden's house. About two weeks ago Ed. Biddle asked me to take some poetry he had written to my daugh- ter, and I agreed, as I thought nothing of it. I brought it Jame, and on Monday or Tuesday, when Kate was here I gave it to. her. I did not look at it, and when my daughter asked me to take some books beak to Biddle 'refined, and told her if she wanted to do anything of that kind, she must get her Husband to do it, I would not. "Tice actions ofmy daughter caused suspicion in the jail, and considerable talk. But I. never thought she would do what she did. I tried to tell my daughter that she was .making a seri- ous mistake, but she never, gave any satisfactory reply to my enquiries. " I always liked the two boys, especially Ed. I did not think they had murdered Kahney. I did not be- lieve that they shot Detective Fitz- gerald. I never said they should hang, and other guards in the prison felt the same way. I did not think the boys had been given a fair trial. I predicted that they would never go to the gallows, because I believed after they got their respite they would be pardoned or would get a long sentence." Mrs. Soffel Has Pneumonia. Mrs. Ballet developed symptoms of pneumonia yesterday afternoon, after having come safely through an op- eration La' the morning for the ex- traction of the bullet. The death of Jack Biddle was caused by the bullet wounds in his abdomen. Early le the day the phy- sicians thought peritonitis was the principal danger in his case, but last night internal hemorrhage set in and the man bled to dent ii in a short who 1e. Jaok'a Last Palk. As long as he was able, Jack Bid- dle was very talkative and was at times boastful. But as soon as the shadow of death began to fail upon him and ho recognized it leo became repentant. "I know," said he, "that my time hero is short, and you can say for me that I am a (Carietia,n, and will die a. sincere believer in God, and hope I will have strength en- ough to say so at the 1aet. I know i have taken part la many wrong- doings, but I have never killed any man and was never implicated witlu any one who did. + I wlslti I could see Dirs. ICahney. I would tell her the truth about the killing of her hus- band. Thee life has beets pretty tough to me, and the end cannot come too quick, and I don't care how." Ed. Biddle had been uacon- soious the greater part of the day. A sister of the Blddles arrived in town this afternoon and wae admit- ted to the jail, but Ed. was unable to recognize her. Verdict at Inquest. Coroner John L. Jones held an in- quest to -day into the deaths of Ed- ward and John Biddle. The verdicts were announced only after a maes of testimony had been admitted a:. the Jury and a lengthy deliberation held. The inquest was held behind closed doors, and newspaper man were not permitted to be present. The finding of the jury was that Ed. Biddle committed euicide and that John's death was duo to a bullet wound in hie right side which pene- trated his kidneys. A11 dispute as to the attempted suicide of the bro- thers was hushed. Evidence clearly 'Mowed that I:d. killed himself, while .l'olin'e awn statement and a wound in his mouth showed where he had attempted to end hie life. Deputy linen's Story. At the Coronor'e inquest to -day Deputy noon, in describing the fight with the Biddlce, said: "We put our two teams in charge of 3. A, Snyder. We the got in lino and they Duma down the hill, and the That thing 1 saw Ed. Biddle pulled a revolver. When he pulled the gun all began to 'hoots. I could not toll who fired the first shot. We all shot. I should judge wo were 130 feet from then!. They both fell out of the sled. "McGovern and I Walked up to theta, They Were both lying on their faces. I walked up first and McGovern. swore at me for i<t, I had a revolver in my hand and had it loaded. I walked up to them and he walked up and hit Jack oatho back of the head with the butt surd of his Winellester, when ire was on his face. Then I turned Ed over on his bank. I Was the first to touch either of the hien and he was going to shoot theta again. He stepped back and shot Jack again, after Ito Wm en the ground. I turned Ed. over and he said: 'For God's sake, don't Shoed Agin—let mtl die!" . 11.dles PI,tee-d nit View. The bodies of the Middle brothers were exhibited to ;2,000 persons to- day, ')heir ,brother, Henry, a re- epeetablo eitisett of Pittsburg, hilt! engaged Alt *undertaker and the both les were 1 1n tv et sited . two PQ gctffllag The sheriff and the tow'n autbarltiee, ads the ellection le coming on, deckled to oflen'd 40 Odie by rofaaint epeetae tors pernllsslon to Vlew the bodies a ndO r .s ev a fseveralq h urs a mob ; went e in and out of the jail hallway, wborp thtscaetkots stood side by side. Frank Holliday was master of ceremonies. He stood between the coffins and monotonously repeated; urgessSmith, the chhat ief officer of the town, took charge of the num, orons .children and saw that they got a good view+ of tlue dead. men. "Step right ahang, please, ladies ygms,oktt saying.and "Please don't blockOne woman stopped too long to suit Holliday and hie ordered her on. The burg ss took bar part, and bur,. gees and master of ceremonies en- gaged in wordywar. Then burgess and Holliday quarrelled about the time for closing the exhibition and "hie burgess insisted that all should have o anunit o� t rt oyp y oBee. Finally, the crowd was satisfied and the doors were looked. UIIEEII FEMAE MISER. Starved to Death in a Hove I With Thousands on Her. - BANK BOOKS, MONEY AND DEEDS New Yolk, Feb. 8. --Alone, oroattehd- ed, wrapped in the rags that were ,der only oiuthing, pinehted and story cd to emaciation, old, Aum Nixon used yesterday in the filthy squalor of cite 1itt10 room in the Bronx that for four years she had called home. • To the t.lorouer whose duties took him to her miserable hovel this deemed tete most abject case of pose. arty and lonely misery lie had ever seen. When he bad ,unwrapped the rage from off 01d Ann's body lie learned that she was affluent. Be - sure he lest her hovel he knew that due had died wealthy. He bad found in an hour's search, cash, gold, silver, records of bank deposits and deeds mor read estate aggregating in value nearly $60,000. In all tae records of miserly hoard- ing, *nether dra.wn from fact or fie - tion, the story, of Ann Nixon finds few parallels. Four years ago the old woman— she was then sixty-one years old— appeared at tate hoarse of John lio- denfeid, at No, 4,17i Park avenue, to Tremont. She was wrinkled and crabbed, taeitamn, and, seemingly, very poor, and lived in a $1, a week room. "I'm not mulch of an eater," said old Ann, "awl one ltgittt meal a day, is all my old boner require," Ileguiariy as the clock she would return at about five o'clock, usually, with an assortment of bundled rage or cast-off clothing that suggested a, day's work at picking among -com- post heaps and general scavenging. These she cast. upon the, floor of her room. Then she went to bed and slept until morning brought the right to another meal. So far as her land- lord and neighbors knew, she never dined nor supped. So she liven --or existed—four years. Each year she grew more shabby and more secretive. Finally her clothing consisted merely of rags and 74hreds, partly of male and partly of female garments, swathed abort her emaci- ated form and held in place by twists and turns of old pieces of curd and ..tring. She had outlived even but- tons and hooks and eyes. She failed to come to breakfast yesterday at her usual hour. Knocks on her door did not arouse her. .Then Joan Rudeuftld forded the door and found her, lying dead cm her bed, of apoplexy. Dr. Montgomery came in a b'ordham Hospital ambulance, but there was no use for hum. From the wasted body the coroner unwound yards o3 rags, cutting the strings to do so. From thee) cover- ings dropped out $100 in bills of $10 and $20. On her person were found also bank books showiug deposits in the Dry Dock Savlgge Bank of $2,462 and in the Bowery Savings Bank of $1,084. Under the barrel was found a bank book showing deposits in the bank for savings am ranting to $941, and another for $1,000 in the • Bleecker Street Savings Bank. • Records dt other smaller deposits indicated a cash capital of about $6,000. Searching further in the bed and among rags in the boxes and barrels, the coroner found $100 In gold coin and $.i0 in silver. Then he discovered deeds for real estate in vara -us parts of Bronx Borough, estimated to be worth $50,000. One VS (these pro- perties Is on the north side of 178th street, near Third avenue. The deeds were carefully tied and knotted about with pieoes o1 string. YEIIY PUBLIC HANGING. Keiper and Rowe Expiate Their Crimes, HAD KILLED A BANK CASHIER, Harrisburg, Pa., 1~'eb. 3.—Weston Keiper and Henry Itowe were hanged to -day to the presence of 1,000 por- b'ons, Kelpor and Rowe for several years worked In and about the mines at Likens, Pit, During tete' morning tri March 13th last they visited the Halifax National Bauk, of Halifax, this county-, and with drawn revol- vers demanded of Cashier Charles W. Ryan the cash In the vault. They quickly gathered into a telescope tatcltel the loose money in the cash drawer, amounting to about $8,000. While one of them was fastening tho lid of the satchel lie laid hie revolver on the cashier's desk. Mr. Ryan seized the weapon, and it a desperate struggle which eieene41 between the desperadoes and the tastier for possession of the revol- ver the cashler Was shot in the breast, dying several hours rater. Rowe, and helper were later captured by a posse of citizens and turned over to the authorities. Prank 13. Sholey, an fi.ceomplice, pleaded ,guilty as an accessory, and was sentenced to ten years in prison. GORDON REACHES WINNIPEG. siert Wanted for II>ottblc Slurder is Positively Identified. Winnipeg, >!'eb, 2.—Waiter Gordon, supposed to have murdered two leen at Whitewater, arrived from the east yesterday afternoon, and Was pool - identified by Walter Scott and Miler Elliott ne the man Wanted. He j it, and will remain ]sere a week, while the Grown prepares its Case; Ho seeme very Unconcerned.