As a leader of "The Chloroform Gang" Jack Biddle robbed a small store in Mt. Washington, Pennsylvania in which the owner was fatally shot. When detectives led by Lt. Charles "Buck" McGovern and his partner, Det. Patrick Fitzgerald, learned the gang was hiding out in a house on Fulton Street in Pittsburg the gang was surrounded and a gun battle was fought in which Fitzgerald was killed. After the battle his gang was captured and he was convicted and sentenced to hang. Kate Soffel, the wife of the warden at the jail took an interest in the prisoners and attempted to rehabilitate them. A romance flourished between her and Ed Biddle and with the help of a guard she smuggled a gun to Ed Biddle and they escaped shooting a guard in the process. They made their way north into Butler County to the Graham farm where McGovern had laid a trap for them. The Biddles were killed in a shoot-out with police in which Ed Biddle shot Kate at her request. Kate survived to stand trial and served several years in prison.
Biddles' Remains Interred
Pittsburg, Pa., Feb. 5.--The remains of Edward and John Biddle were quietly interred in a single grave at Calvary cemetery this morning. Not more than twenty-five persons, including the brother, Harry Biddle, accompanied the bodies to the grave. At the cemetery Rev. Father Sweeney read the burial service of the Roman Catholic church.
SOURCE: Los Angeles Herald, Volume XXIX, Number 128, 6 Feb 1902, page 3.
As a leader of "The Chloroform Gang" Jack Biddle robbed a small store in Mt. Washington, Pennsylvania in which the owner was fatally shot. When detectives led by Lt. Charles "Buck" McGovern and his partner, Det. Patrick Fitzgerald, learned the gang was hiding out in a house on Fulton Street in Pittsburg the gang was surrounded and a gun battle was fought in which Fitzgerald was killed. After the battle his gang was captured and he was convicted and sentenced to hang. Kate Soffel, the wife of the warden at the jail took an interest in the prisoners and attempted to rehabilitate them. A romance flourished between her and Ed Biddle and with the help of a guard she smuggled a gun to Ed Biddle and they escaped shooting a guard in the process. They made their way north into Butler County to the Graham farm where McGovern had laid a trap for them. The Biddles were killed in a shoot-out with police in which Ed Biddle shot Kate at her request. Kate survived to stand trial and served several years in prison.
Biddles' Remains Interred
Pittsburg, Pa., Feb. 5.--The remains of Edward and John Biddle were quietly interred in a single grave at Calvary cemetery this morning. Not more than twenty-five persons, including the brother, Harry Biddle, accompanied the bodies to the grave. At the cemetery Rev. Father Sweeney read the burial service of the Roman Catholic church.
SOURCE: Los Angeles Herald, Volume XXIX, Number 128, 6 Feb 1902, page 3.
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