A Daring Woman: A Melodrama in Three Acts
| Title | A Daring Woman: A Melodrama in Three Acts |
| Year of Publication | 1904 |
| Publication Type | Playscript |
| Language | English |
| Authors | Lesser, Louis, Challis, George S. |
| Keywords | Ed Biddle (1876-1902); Jack Biddle (1872-1902); jail wardens; jailbreaks; Kate Soffel (1867-1909); Peter Soffel (1864-1936) |
| Abstract | A failed Biddle boys stage play based on Kate Soffel, the jail warden’s wife who aided the Biddles’ escape. The play was intended to exploit Soffel’s notoriety after her release from prison, with original props such as the sleigh the Biddles used during their infamous 1902 jailbreak. |
| Notes | Newspaper accounts suggest that, for legal reasons, the play’s final draft did not directly reference the Biddles and switched the setting to the American West. Although set to open in Connellsville, Fayette County on January 23, 1904, the play was blocked by local authorities. Kate Soffel's manager, Louis Lesser, was fined $200 “contempt of the moral and decent sentiment of the community.” |
| Author Biography | Louis Lesser promoted variety shows and boxing matches. Newspapers described him as Kate Soffel's manager. George S. Challis managed the Colonial Theater in Connellsville, Fayette County. |
| Time | 1901-2 |
| Published | unpublished |
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