= Bellefonte, Pa., February 7, 1902 A VISION OF THE CENTURY. The Toiler dreams ; with restless, burdened heart Still hopes and dreams—his rugged face and brow Turned to the century that trembling waits. Trembling yet purposeful, restive and strong | She waits ; how large and strenuous her part If step by step she walks with labor now And with her virgin hand unbars the gates Behind which poverty has lain so long. So dreams the Toiler ; wooes her as his bride— She shrinking yet, but queenly : will she yield To this grim pleader from the people sprung? (Or, true to race and ancient heritage, Wed the soft-handed suitor at her side ?) He waits her answer : toiling in the field He waits—or where, the tired nerves wrung By factories’ din, worn youth is turned to age. And lifting weary eyes from day to day He dreams that even now the word is said : Grim labor walks with love for evermore ; Dark brows are crowned that were in dust bowed low : . While they who have gone far along the way “With the old century, see the starving fed, And for the prisoned ones an open door That leads into the sunlight’s happy glow. Thus tensely listening, his face grown pale With visions whiter than the prophets saw. Amid the din he hears a wondrous ery, “At last! oh, Lord!" that drowns “Oh, Lord ! how long? Ah, blissful dreamer ! if before the veil Has fallen—-labor and love and law Shall lead a multitude that, passing by, One-hearted lifts to Heaven a mighty song. — Harper's Weekly. HER POLYGAMOUS IDEAL. They sat facing each other in the dining room of the St. Denis. Pain, entreaty, pathos, auger, consternation and doubt were compositely depicted on his features. Hers shone with calm resolution, fearless- pess and defiance. Between them, on the table, nothing remained but the coffee. The room itself was almost deserted, for the hour was late and nearly all of the guests had departed. {Can there be a higher, nobler career for any woman than that of wife and moth- er?” he demanded. ‘There are careers and careers. Just now I cannot see my way clear to adopt the matrimonial one. I will not marry now. Perhaps never! I do not know. All that I do know is this--the thought is repugnant. My mind is bent upon other things. I have ambitions.” Then she raised her eyes, and, looking him squarely in the face, said half quizzically and yet with earnestness, *‘If you were five men in one instead of one man in ten thousand, I might marry you and try it.” “Good heavens!’ he exclaimed, but without raising his voice. ‘You are en- tirely beyond me tonight. I cannot un- derstand you. It is that you doubt my love ?”’ “‘No,’’ she replied calmly, while with delicate precision she balanced a sugar cube on the handle of her spoon. ‘Ido not doubt your love, but I do doubt the adaptability of the love of any man through all the circumstances and conditions of married life. You are nearer my ideal, or rather my idea of what a man should be, than I ever hoped to realize until I knew you, but if I should consent to take you down from the pedestal where my fancy bas placed you I feel that it would be your undoing and mine. Let us remain as we are—I, to pursue my career; you, to climb to the top of your profession. You see,” and she raised her eyes again and smiled brightly upon him, ‘‘you are not five men. You are only one man.” He was silent, gazing through the win- dow and wondering vaguely why the street lamp across the way flared so badly in the open air. : “Shall I explain to you what I mean by five men instead of one man?’ she ques- tioned. “As you please,” he replied moodily. “Jf I were five, one of us would poison the other four. However, let me hear this original polygamous doctrine of yours.” “Polygamous ! Gracious !”” she ex- claimed. “‘I had not thought of it in that light. However, to be thoroughly satis- fied from waking to sleeping nothing short of five men could fulfill my ideal of matri- monial bliss. You must remember my childhood. I lived among five aunts. As a rule, I spent from six months to a year with each and then recommenced the cir- cuit. By combining the good qualities, or what I at least conceived to be the good qualities, of the five men of those families into one man and eliminating the bad ones, the perfect husband would be created. But it is impossible of achievement. He would have to be ‘in five different places at once almost every hour in the day; hence, there is only one solution—five husbands!” She sipped her coffee complacently and, raising her clear eyes again to his, said coolly, *‘Do you love me ?”’ He started perceptibly. The blood rush- . ed to his ‘face in a quick flush, then fled again, leaving it paler and more haggard than before. She fixed her eyes upon his, smiling brightly, and she held his gaze until the anger died out of it. Then she proceeded calmly : _ **As asingle man you have ambition. If you should marry me and should love ‘me as I want to be loved. there would be no room for ambition or for any other at- tribute than the one you give to me—love. Yet I would have: you ambitious. If I ‘were to become your wife and you under- took to fill to repleteness my ambitious dreams for you, love would wither and die, unclothed, unfed, forgotten. How would “you provide that necessary and mighty dollar should we'be man and wife if pro- fessional ambition stood between you and earthly gain—if love detained you from your daily business tasks—if social obli- gations rendered you heavy eyed and sol- emn brained at the heginning of each fiscal day ? Do you know that every woman has ‘a fad, and have you not discovered mine ?’’ ‘No. What is it?’’ he asked coldly. ‘‘How many hours daily, think you, I spend awheel ? Could you accompany me on one century run ? How reconcile love, am- bition, the social world, money getting and athletic sports and still find time among the duties of a husband tobe what you would honestly define a man? Have younot yet discovered why I made that polygamous remark 2” For a moment after she had finished speaking he made no comment. Presently he rose and took his hat and cane. ‘Shall we go?’ lie said. ‘No,’ she replied calmly, not moving. “‘Sit down again. I want Vetore we ‘part to convince you of the unwisdom of any thought of marriage between us, at least for years to come.’’ “I am convinced,’”’ he replied, reseating himself. ‘“What, already ?’’ “Quite convinced.”’ ‘“What do you think of my theory ?”’ “I think it quite worthy of a purpose- less woman who has no room in her heart for any other love than self. It is a theory of a thoroughly heartless, selfish woman whose career is already attained, and I tremble when I think that you might have said yes. Shall we go now?” “At once—if you please—at once." * * * * 3% * Somehow they did not meet again. He scowled upon the world, and applied every energy of his life to his professional work. She tossed her head in anger and chagrin and sought for extra force and pith with which to impregnate her literary work. The ambitious hopes which he had entertained prospered and were at last fulfilled, for he attained the height if not the zenith of his profession. The career for which she had prayed fell upon her like a mantle when least expected and most unsought. In a way both were famous; each was prosper- ous. They had traveled as the letter Y is formed, parting in anger where the arms lead off in either direction, each too proud to inquire concerning the other. Neither married. They met, apparently by accident. in the dim library of a mutual friend. Exactly how the friend had managed the meeting she never confessed. From the distance came the murmur of voices, the ripple of laughter. The mutual friend was giving a literary evening. He and she were expect- ed to appear as lion and lioness for the oc- casion. But the hostess closed the door on them, and they stood face to face in the rose colored light. The hostess was noted for her clever arrangement of general ef- fects. It was the first time they had seen each other since that last dinner at the St. Denis. She bad made her career and had discovered that it could not confer all the happiness which her feminine nature re- quired. He had gratified ambition, attained wealth, was socially popular and had be- come a patron of athletics. But when the door closed behind their hostess he knew that his love for this woman had alone made his quartet of successes possible. He told her so in calm, straightfcrward words “Ambition, wealth, social pleasures and even sports,’ he said, ‘‘I have pursued on- ly because I knew that somewhere in the world you lived, and I found aselfish pleas- ure in pleasing you, even though it were without your knowledge.” And she, smiling through tears of hap- piness. replied : “I have lived long enough to know that the one man who truly loves possesses more real worth than any composite being might. If you love me, it is all I ask, for by love and through love all things are possible.”’ Presently the hostess returned and, peer- ing into the room, said : ‘Well 2”? “We are to be married to-morrow,’’ he replied, ‘‘quietly, here in your parlors.” And the hostess again said : Well 2” BIDDLE BROTHERS. The Notorious Pittsburg Murderers Escaped from the Allegheny ~ Jail on Thursday Morning Through Aid of Mrs. Soffel—The Warden's Wife Captured Near Prospect on Friday After- noon and Died Saturday Night In the Butler Jail. PITTSBURG, Jan. 30.—Edward and John Biddle, waiting execution in the county jail for the murder of Grocer Thomas D. Kahney, of Mt. Washington, overpowered the guards at 4 o’clock this morning and escaped. Both prisoners had been provid- ed with saws with which they cut the bars in their cells, and were ready at any mo- ment to make an opening sufficiently large to pass through. The prisoners occupied adjoining cells on the second range. They had evidently been preparing for escape for some time, and had assistance from the out- side, as both vere armed with revolvers. Shortly before 4 o’clock one of the Bid- dles called to James McGeary, who had charge of the outside gate. and asked for some cramp medicine in a hurry, saying his brother was dangerously sick. Me- Geary hastened to the cell with the medi- cine, when John Biddle sprang through the opening in the cell and, seizing the guard around the waist, hurled him over the railing to the stone floor below, a dis- tance of sixteen feet. Edward Biddle join ed his brother immediately and both, with drawn revolvers, hurried to the first floor, where they met Guard Reynolds and shot him. There were but three men on duty, and the third was on one of the upper ranges. He was ordered down at the point of a re- volver, and the three gnards were put in the dungeon. The keys were taken from Keeper McGeary, and the two desperate prisoners had a clear field. ‘ The only persons who witnessed the es- scape were prisoners, who could not inter- fere or give an alarm. : © The Biddles went to the wardrobe where the guards keep their clothing and each put on a new suit. They then unlocked the outside gates and passed out into Ross street. The escape was not discovered un- til the daylight guards come on duty at 6 o'clock. They were informed by prisoners where the night guards bad been put, and they were soon released from the dungeon and sent to the Homeopathic hospital. The bullet wound sustained by Reynolds is not regarded as dangerous. -* The physicians have been unable to ascer- tain as yet the full extent of MuGeary’s wounds. His head is badly contused, hut there are no signs that his skull was frac- tured by his 16 foot fall. The escape of the Biddles bas been ex- plained., Warden Peter K. Soffel has an- thorized its publication. It is the allega- tion that his wife is responsible for the fur- nishing of the revolvers and saws to the Biddles which enabled them to escape, In her infatuation for the handsome despera- do—Edward Biddle—it is alleged that she has left her husband and her four children, and, it is supposed, is to meet the escaped convicts at a place agreed upon. The story of the matter is brief : Mrs. Soffel was the only person admitted to the jail since last Sunday. Yesterday after- noon she visited them during the warden’s absence. Last evening when she retired at 9 o’clock, she told her husband that she was going to visit. a sister at McDonald. Later when the details of the escape became ‘known, he telephoned to McDonald, and was informed that Mrs. Soffel was not there. Warden Soffel immediately made a frank confession of his suspicions. District Attorney John C. Haymaker had a conference with Warden Soffel at noon and the warden told him of his suspicions concerning Mrs. Soffel. J The warden has made inquiries at the homes of all his wife's relatives and he has been unable to find any trace of her. An investigation disclosed the fact that she had taken all of her best clothes with her. The | warden’s overcoat is also missing. It is re- | | ported that the Biddles took a train at the | Fourth avenue station of the Panhandle | railroad, which is within a block of the jail, ! and left for the west. Warden Soffel is | broken hearted. He iscompletely unnerv- | ed and: with difficulty could repress his | tears. It has been known forseveral weeks | that Mrs. Soffel was taking an interest in | the Biddles and it is said that she frequent: | ly furnished them with dainties outside | their usual prison fare. rs The county commissioners met this af- | ternoon and offered a reward of $3,000 for | the re-capture of the murderers. A report is current that the Biddles es- ! caped from the city along the Pittsburg and Western railroad. Scores of people at | Etna, Pine Creek and Sharpsburg claim to ! have seen them. Whether they caught a train is not known. The friends of Mrs. Soffel believe that | she could not have been in her right mind when she aided in the escape of the Bid- dles. For some years she has been an in- valid and about one year ago she was sent to a sanitarinm. She came back very much improved, but the long and painful illness is believed to have weakened her mind. Her husband devoted time and money for the relief of the suffering of his wile, but it is said that she bas never fully re- covered her health and at times was melan- choly Warden Peter K. Soffel, in discussing the escape of the Biddles today in the office of the jail: said, I believe my wife furnish- ed the weapons to the Biddles and assisted them to escape. This is an awful thing,but I am only telling the whole truth. My wife was not in bed when I was awakened this morning and I have not seen her since. She is gone—God only knows where. I said I would lay everything bare and I am doing it. This is the worst blow of all, but I believe it is true. I did not suspect her and hence was off my guard. But she is gone and the suspicion of assisting in the delivery by furnishing weapons rests upon her.” He broke down and wept when speak- ing of his wife’s actions. “Think of my children,” he said, ‘‘their future will be blighted. I would rather have died than come to this. To think that my wife, the last person in the world whom I would suspect, should act so.” Mr. Soffel has two girls, 15 and 13 years of age, and two boys, 10 and 7 years. The prison board began an investigation this afternoon and announced upon ad- journment to-night that Warden Soffel, at his own request, had been relieved from duty pending the result of the investiga- tion. Deputy Warden Marshal was placed in charge temporarily. Nothing else was given out. James Francis Burkeand J. D. Watson, the attorneys who defended the Biddles at the trial and the former of whom was instrumental in securing their respite, have announced that their connec- tion with the case is ended and Attorney Burke has telegraphed the governor that the application for a hearing before the par- don board is withdrawn. Up to a late hour to-night not the slight- est clue as to the whereabouts of any of the fugitives has been discovered. PITTSBURG, January 31.—A telegram from Butler to-night says : Edward Biddle is in jail dying, John Biddle, riddled with buckshot and in a pre- carious condition,and Mrs. Peter K. Soffel, lying in the hospital with a self-inflicted bullet found in the breast is the sequel of the sensational escape of the Biddle broth- ers from the Allegheny county jail, aided by Mrs. Soffel, the wife of the jail warden, on Thursday morning. " The scene of the shooting was a snow cov- ered road two miles east of Prospect, But- ler county, near Mount Chestnut, and the exact place was at McClure’s barn, where two double team sleigbs, filled with officers three of them Pittsburg detectives, John Roach, Albert Swinebard and Charles Mec- Govern, met the two Biddles in a one horse sleigh, stolen at” Perryville, and at once opened fire on the trio. The Biddles re- turned the fire after jumping out of the sleigh. Murs. Soffel was shot through the breast. Edward Biddle was shot in the left arm, in the breast and in one leg. John Biddle was riddled with buckshot in the breast and head. The Pittsbuig officers were met at But- ler this afternoon by Deputy Sheriffs Rain- ey and Hoon and Officers Frank Holliday and Aaron Thompson, the latter under com- mand of Chief of Police Robert Ray, of Butler. The officers were certain that they were on the right trail. It was only a question of time when they could catch up to the escaping condemned murderers and their guilty companion. The Biddles and Mrs. Soffel ate dinner at J. J. Stephen sons at Mount Chestnut, 5 miles east of Butler. They had madea de- tour of the town of Butler, and after going several miles east turned north and then west. The Pittsburg officers, only a few miles in the rear, took the wrong road for about eight miles, but when they found their mistake they made up for lost time by telephoning and telegraphing ahead for fresh horses. : They reached Mount Chestnut not less than halfan hour after the Biddles and Mrs. Soffel. At this point William Wat- son, storekeeper, had fresh horses awaiting them, and the chase of life began anew. The two sleighs with the eight officers aboard started westward and met the Bid- Jdles and Mrs. Soffel at McClure’s barn,two miles from Mount Prospect. The Biddles having learned that they were almost over- taken, and taking what they considered the only chance, they had, drove eastward and met their doom. The officers were armed with Winchester rifles and revolvers of large calibre. They shot to kill and their aim was perfect. When the detectives got within about sixty yards of the fugitives they opened fire. The Biddles promptly answered with revolvers. When Ed Biddle fell and Mrs. Soffel saw she was about to be captured, she fired a bullet into her breast. An examination by physicians shows that she will recover, as the bullet was deflected by her corset and the wound is comparatively slight. Ed. Biddle got a bullet in the breast which penetrated his right lang and will probably end his life before morning. John Biddle may recover his wounds, though numerous, failing to reach a vital spot. The escape of the officers is miraculous. The Biddles have demonstrated on several occasions that they were good marksmen and why they should have failed to-day to bring down their men is a mystery. After the Biddles fell to the snow-cover- ed ground the officers picked up the appar- ently lifeless body of Mrs. Soffel and the Biddles and came back to Butler, bringing the stolen sleigh, patched up harness and worn out horse that the trio had tried so strenuously to get away with toward Cana- da and liberty. The story of the fight as told by one of the detectives is as follows : The Biddles were sitting on the right side of the cutter. Mrs. Soffel was on the left side. ‘‘Hold up your bands and sur- render,” cried Detective McGovern. Ed. | Biddle jumped up from his seat and raising a shotgun fired it at McGovern. Heaimed badly and the shot scattered on the road alongside of McGovern. Detectives MeGovern and Roach dis- charged their Winchesters at Ed Biddle. Both shots took effect. Jack Biddle raised from the seat and discharged his revolver at the three officers. Detective Swinenart steadied himself and fired his 45 calibre Colt’s revolver at Jack. The ball took ef- fect in Jack’s arm. Then the detectives opened fire on the boys in rapid succession. The shots knocked them out of the sleigh. Ed fell sprawling on the snow and Jack fell on top of him. Their firearms fell alongside of them. The Biddle’s horse then became frightened and ran away across a field. It was at this time that Mrs. Soffel | was seen to collapse in the sleigh. The detectives approached the wounded men and Detective Swinehart was rushing in on them, when Detective McGovern call- ed to him to stay back, that the Biddles were only feigning. Detective Roach saw Ed Biddle reach in his pocket for a gun, and the detective shot him again. Then Detective McGovern ran up within five fezt of the boys and emptied his Winchester in- to them. ‘The Biddles then yielded. After the Biddles yielded, Detectives Roach and McGovern handcuffed them bands and feetand they were taken to But- ler. Mis. Soffel, who had fallen out of the sleigh when the horse ran away, was pick- ed up and placed in the detectives’ large sleigh with her companions and taken to the hospital at Butler. ~ At the jail tonight Ed. Biddle called for a priest and made the following statement : “I have been accused of a great many serious crimes. [ admit that I could have committed many, the opportunities for them having presented themselves. I want to say now that I did not kill Detective Fitz- gerald nor did I shoot Thomas Kahney nor was my brother implicated in the latter af- fair. Mrs. Soffel aided us in getting out of the county jail and had it not been for her we would have made our escape today. She gave up everything for us and I was bound to back her. I did not shoot her. She shot herself. Oh, father bless me and tell me that my sins are forgiven. ‘‘ Although I have been pictured to youn as a desperate man, I still have some heart aud gratitude for the woman who helped us to escape. She merely did ic ous of good sympathy feeling for us. 1 persuaded her to do it. I told her I was guiltless of the crime for which I was about to be exe- cuted and she was impressed and yielded to my suggestion. I planned it.all.” ‘Looking up he saw several reporters and recognized them as the men who had reported all his nefarious crimes for which he was tried. “You blackguaids, you are the cause of the bitter feeling that has been engendered against me. You created the public senti- ment against us. Are you sorry? You are not? You are too heartless.” At this point Biddle showed signs of collapse and made a feeble effort to signal the priest. Father Welsh administered the solemn last rites of the dying and Bid- dle rolled over on his face and sighed. He was asked if he wanted any word taken to his brother and he shook his head ‘‘no.”’ The tracking of the fugitives by the de- tectives was very complete. Early thie morning the Pittsburg police were notified that a horse and sleigh had been stolen Thursday morning from the barn of a Perrysville farmer. Frequently during the day reports were received at headquarters that two men and a woman, the description of which tallied with the Biddles and Mrs. Soffel, bad been seen go- ing through different towns on the route. From the description furnished it was clear to the police that they were the fugitives, and detectives were immediately sent after them. The Butler anthorities were at once notified, and by telephoning to the surrounding small towns it was learned that the party had turned away from the direct road into Butler and were going through the wooded country to the narth of Butler. The Butler officials at once went in the direction in two good sleighs provided with | fast horses. They soon found they were on | the trail of the fugitives and at 3 o’clock | wired the Pittsburg police that they had learned that they were only thirty minutes behind the sleigh, and that their horse was tired. From this time on it was only a question of a short time until the capture was made. The entire party, officers and prisoners, are expected to arrived in this city some time to-night on a special rain. Excitement here has been intense all day and the pursuit and capture of the Biddles has been the burden of conversation on the streete and in homes generally. One of thesensational developments of the day which the authorities bave tried to keep secret was the finding on the person of Mrs. Soffel, when searched at the hos- pital, a long letter from Edward Biddle, setting forth in detail the plan for the escape of the brothers from jail, and nam- ing their destination afterward. From a statement made this morning by John Biddle, it is evident that the jail breakers and their accomplice bad arranged to commit suicide in case capture became imminent. In addition John also told how they escaped. Their manner of get- ting out of jail, according to his statement, was as has already been published. Me- Geary, he says, fell over the range when he jerked loose from the hold the prisoner had on him. He says Mrs. Soffel helped them to escape, but would notsay she sup- plied the saws. The sawing of the bars of the cells, he says, was completed before Jan. 14th, but several times previous to the day on which the escape was made their plavs failed through some little detail. After they left jail they went to a house near a railroad in Pittsburg. They re- mained there all of Thursday. The people in the house, John said, when they read of the escape from the jail, recognized them, and would only let them remain after the Biddles gave them a ‘‘bunch of money.’ They remained at the house until Thurs- day night, leaving it as soon as it grew dark. John says that he wanted to stay there and that Ed was willing to stay, but that ‘‘the woman’’ was nervous and afraid they would be caught. “I wouldn't let them go alone,’”’ John said, ‘‘and as soon as it grew dark we went down the street and took a Perrysville ave- pue car. We rode tothe end of the line and from there walked until we reached the farm where we stole the horse. If it had not been for the woman we would not bave been caught, for we could easily have got another horse and by this time been more than 100 miles away. It is certain that we would have escaped, but we could not let that poor woman go by herself. She did all she could for us, betrayed her hus- band, desérted her family, all to help us ont, and we would not have been a great deal worse than we are thought to be if we had left her. ward us on the road yesterday evening we | St. Paul’s Roman Catholic churel, who | knew it was all up. We did not fire a shot | ministered to the Biddles in their dying at the officers, but agreed to kill ourselves. | hours, spoke touchingly of them to the I shot myself in the mouth. ‘‘Ed.’ shot himself over the heart,and the woman shot herself in the breast. wanted to kill ourselves.”’ It bas been discovered that John had two bullet holes through his mouth, stead of one, as at first thought. The Bid- they wore when they escaped. Jobn had, in addition, a light melton overcoat. Soffel also had on the clothes in which she left her home. Through ‘‘Ed’s'’ coat there blue velvet vest he wore are two holes made heart. of the coat and ten in the right sleeve. The latter appear to have been made by small bullets. ‘‘Jack’s’’ pistol was a cheap 32- calibre affair. BUTLER, Feb. 2—The terrible fate of the Biddles is the sole topic of conversation here today and a curious throng of people have been defying the storm, hanging about the jail entrance in vain attempts to get in to see the bodies of the dead murder- ers. A great deal of sympathy for the boys is expressed on all sides, and not a few of the female portion of the crowd expressed a desire to see what manner of man Ed. Bid- dle was that he should exert such wonder- ful influence over men, and particularly over women. The jail doors were closed all day and none got in but the doctors, who attended the autopsy, and the coro- ner’s jury, whici organized at 9 o'clock this morning. Even the newspaper reporters were excluded from the inquest, which was held in the jail and nothing concerning their deliberations could be learned till late in the afternoon. Coroner John L. Jones arrived at 9 o’clock at tlie jail and selected the following jury: Lewis B. Stein, W. A. Stein, A. M. Fleck J. A. Waiter, Jacob Keck and Harry Ratti- gen. Ed. S. Riddle, court stenographer here, took the testimony and the commonwealth was represented by District Attorney John R. Henninger, A. M. Christley and W. Z. Marrin. The testimony of all the officers concern- ed in the capture was taken except Rob Rey, the Butler policeman, who is sick in bed. The testimony of Dr. R. B. Greer, who was one of the doctors who attended the Biddles, and of Sheriff Thomas R. Hoon, was also taken. The verdict of the jury is that Ed. Biddle came to his death by a revolver shot fired from a 32 calibre revolver by himself, and that Jack Biddle met his death from a gun- shot wound inflicted by the officers in the discharge of their lawful duty. Under the instructions of Coroner John L. Jones aun autopsy was held on both the Biddles this morning. The surgeons in charge were Drs. McCurdy Bricker and Jf. Clinton Atwell. The evidence secured by the autopsy bears ont the statements that the Biddles intended to kill themselves rather than be taken alive, and that Ed succeeded in his attempt, while Jack failed, though his life | was forfeited. Dr. Bricker gave the following statement after the autopsy : ‘‘Jack Biddle was shot the worse of the two men, although he was in better condi- tion than Ed, when the men were brought to the jail on Friday night. He had two gun shot wounds on the right side in the region of the liver, the bullets passing up and around the body and doing no damage. They were removed on Saturday. A bul- let wound was found in the roof of the mouth, but it was slight and would not have caused his death. This wound was inflict- ed by himself with the evident intention of committing suicide. His right arm was shattered by five bullet wounds and the radius broken in the upper third. The woupd that caused his death was made by a 41.75 calibre bullet that passed through the crest of the illium on the right side and passed backed through the kidney, causing hemorrhage. In all Jack was suffering from nine wounds, but excepting the one that penetrated the kidney none of them wonld have been fatal. ‘‘Ed’s tertible sufferings were caused by a bullet wound that struck him on the left breast about an inch and a-balf to the right of the nipple and passed down between the fourth and fifth ribs to the left of the heart and through the lungs. This wound was made by Ed himself, the powder marks be- ing visible on the skin. Death was caused by hemorrhages, and the man suffered un- told agony to the last breath. Another wound found on his body was on the same side about an inch to the left of the nipple, but the bullet struck the fourth rib, passed under the skin and did no damage. Both bullets found were of 32-calibre and in the opinion of the doctors who held the autopsy there is no doubt that he killed himself.” After the autopsy the bodies of the Bid- dles were taken in charge by undertaker W. P. Roessing, of Butler, who prepared them for burial. Arrangements are being made to take the bodies to Pittsburg to- morrow morning. They will be in charge of sheriff T. R. Hoon. Since the officers concerned in the fight and capture of the Biddles have had time to cool off a little, there appears to be a dis- position to be fair towards each other in the matter of the distribution of the prize money and an agreement to divide the $5,000 equally among the four officers here, the driver, J. A. Snyder, and the three Pittsburg detectives, has been practically consented to by all of the men exeept de- tective McGovern, who is not here to-day. At 6 o’clock this evening the bodies of the Biddles were removed from the jail to one of the hallways of the sheriff’s dwelling and the public was given an opportunity of looking at the two notorious criminals. Hundreds of people to-day braved the worst blizzard of the year, besieging the jail doors for admittance, which was refused until this evening, when the doors of the dwell- ing house attached to the jail were opened and everybody given aun opportunity to gratify their morbid curiosity. Late to- night a long line of people are standing in front of the door, the wind blowing about their cars and the driving snow stinging their faces like icicles, waiting their turn, and noticeable among the crowd was a number of women, who are curious. even in death, to see Ed Biddle, the man who is said to have had such a charm over women when he was alive. Mrs. Soffel is reported to he spitting blood to-night at the hospital and her con- dition is not considered favorable. The track of the bullet in her breast runs close to the pleura and the doctors are not yet able to tell whether the hemorrhage is caused hy the wound or 1s attributable to another cause which is not yet known. The pastors of nearly all of the churches in Butler took occasion to-day to refer to the sensational capture of Mrs. Kate Soffel, and John and Ed. Biddle on Friday last, ‘When we saw the officers coming to- | members of his parish in both masses this { morning. We knew we had no | statements given ont and said it was for chance to get away,and we knew we would | every person to decide for themselves as to swing if taken back, and that is why we He touched briefly on their the innocence or guilt of the men. When | seen at his residence this afternoon, Father | Walsh said : in- | Biddle boys to the newspapers and officers dles when captured had on the same clothes | of Butler county, bot Ed and Jack Biddle i made confessions to me. Mrs. | on Friday night. ‘‘Besides the statements given out hy the Ed’s was made There was nobody pres- | ent but myself and Jack lying in the next i cell. is one bullet hole, but through the dark Jack did not confess until yesterday. There confessions were full and complete in every particular and they will never be by the bullets that are lodged near his | revealed. “Jack’s’’ coat and vest are literally | riddled. There are four holes in the side | hour, they were brought to jail here, they ‘While ministering to them almost every | would talk to me how they were wrongly i accused of crimes. They denied positive- {ly that they killed Grocer Kahney in | Mount Washington and Ed told me in the most emphatic terms that he did not shoot Detective Patrick Fitzgerald. *“The poor hoys died like dogs, literally riddled with bullets, and some one should be held responsible for inhuman actions in shooting them when entirely helpless, un- armed and unable to make the slightest defense or resistance.’’ Rev. Samuel Cronin Wett, of St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran church, in his ser- mon to-night spoke at length of the crim- inal history made in Butler county in the past few days. He criticized severely the woman, who he held responsible for the whole affair. Hesaid : *“The Biddles and Mrs. Soffel made a vain flight from justice and retribution came upon them. The blindness and in- fatuation of this women in leaving her be- loved husband and helpless little children for a gang of desperadoes is the worst crim- inal act thus far in the history of the Twentieth century. The testimony taken at the inquest was voluminous, making about 11,000 words, and some parts of it quite sensational. The testimony given by Deputy Sheriff Rainey Noon reflected severely on McGovern, one of the Pittsburg detectives. Deputy Noon, after describing the hunt for the fugitives and the final sighting of them coming over the hill, said : ‘“‘We put our teams in charge of Mr. J. A. Snyder. We then got in line and they came down the hill and the first thing I° saw Ed Biddle pulled a revolver. When he pulled the gun. all began to shoot. I could not tell who fired the first shot. We all shot. I should judge we were 150 feet from them. Q.—Did they fall out of the sleigh? A.—They both fell out. Q.—How many shots had been fired be- fore they fell ? A.—I have not forty or fifty shots. Q.—The Biddles fell out of the sled ? A.—Yes sir; both boys fell ont and the woman fell forward. She stayed in the sleigh and the horse ran off with her and passed into the field. Q.—Deseribe your approaching the Bid- dle boys? A.—MecGovern and I walked up to them. They were both lying on their faces. I walked up first and McGovern sworeat me for it. I had a revolver in my hand and bad it loaded. I walked up to them and he walked up and hit Jack on the back of his head with the butt end of his Winches- ter when hie was on his face. Then I turn- ed Ed. over on his back. I was the first to touch either of the men and he was going to shoot them again. He stepped back and shot Jack again after he was on the ground I turned Ed. over and he said : ‘For God’s sake don’t shoot again; let me die.”” Mr. Holliday turned Jack over and he coaxed him not to abuse him; to let him die. Q.—The slugs that entered the sides and arms of Jack Biddle were the shots fired by McGovern while he was lying face down in the snow at close range ? A.—Yes sir. I am sure of that. within a few feet. . Q.—Do you think the striking of Jack on the head with a gun had anything to do ‘with the hastening of his death ? A.—I could not say. He could still speak. Q.—Did he strike with considerable force ? A.—He hit him a good hard biff with the butt of the gun. much idea. I suppose I was Woman Home Rich trom Nome. She Went Away as Miss Hefel and Came Back Mrs. Beason. Miss Nellie Hefel, who left her home at Muncie, Indiana, four years ago to seek her fortune in the Klondike, returned to- day as Mrs. Colvin Beason, a millionaire in her own right and by her own business sa- gacity. She went from this State to Seattle and from there to the gold fields of the Yu- kon and arrived at Dawson city without a cent. She there secured a place as a waitress in a restaurantat $50 a week and when the reports from Nome reached her she left for that place with her accumulated earnings. As soon as she reached Nome she went into the coal business and through certain agents got a corner on the entire supply contracting for it at $45 a ton. She imme- diately raised the price to $150 a ton and investigation showed that she was the owner i of all the coal to be bad. A mobsurround- ed her office and battered down the door, but Miss Hefel succeeded in making her es- cape and was protected. With the proceeds from her coal corner she purchased an in- terest in several mines and she is now a partner in fifty four claims, some of them. being the best paying properties at Nome. Colvin Beason, a rich miner at Rampart City, was struck with the girl’s business methods and they were married just before she started back to her old home. She will return to Nome early in the summer. Rallroad Adopts a Baby. Choctaw Managers Decide to Keep an Infant Abandoned in a Car. The Choctaw railroad will rear a baby which was found abandoued on one of its: cars east of El Reno, Oklahoma, on Friday. The child was left in a seat in a basket, which was well supplied with warm cloth- ing and a nursing bottle filled with milk. On the handle of the basket was a note saying: ‘‘I have no parents; please take me to the next station.”’ ? The conductor telegraphed to the com- pany’s headquarters and was told to take the baby to the next station. Later helre- ceived a message ordering him to retain. possession of the infant, as the road had decided to adopt it, raise and educate it. It is now in a hospital in Wichita. MiLLIONS PuT T0 WORK.—The wonder- fal activity of the new century is shown by an enormous demand for the world’s best workers—Dr. King’s New Life Pills. For Constipation, Sick Headache, Bilious- ness, or any trouble of Stomach, Liver or who died in the county jail last night. Rev. Father Daniel S. Walsh, rector of Kidneys they’re unrivaled. Only 25c. at. Green’s Pharmacy.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers