Omaha daily bee., 1909-06-26
BRANDEIS STORES, OMAHA

the proceedings, and did not leave until
the body had been identified.
Returning to Mcdaniel he ordered a
ticket for Baltimore. In the meantime the
constable called over the telephone to i'll
quire for him, saying he was a stranger
and might know something. Eastman then
said:
"Oh, II there is any suspicion about me 1
will remain. / never saw this woman"
Letter Mailed by Murderer.
The letter mailed by Eastman at Balti-
more and received here by Miss Carrie
Thompson, a foster sister of the murdered
girl, is one Of the incidents which seem
to connect Eastman most closely with the
crime. This letter was written by Mrs.
Woodill, and was mailed several days
after her death. Whether it was written
by Mrs. Woodlll to shield her visit to
Eastman's bungalow, or whether the man
had some evil intent in mind and caused
her to write the letter to delay a search
for her body, may never be known. The
letter was intended to give the impression
that Mrs. woodil was in Baltimore.
The letter follows:
Dear girl: A line only to say l am well
and safely landed. Stayed with Little May
Bartlett in Easton. You remember her and
her aunt, Mrs. Emory. We had a fine
time talking over old days. DR.. Smithers
fixed me up temporarily.\ l have an en-
gagement with him for next week. I'll
get all fixed up In Baltimore and then II
decamp together. BY the way, would you
like to come up now? Just say the word
IL you want to. My face is good in Balu-
more. Expecting a check from Gilbert
| any day to make good, Don't know how
| many days I'll stay in town, but you know
where to find me. Write and tell me all
the news. l may stay until Thursday to
go with Edith H. to see the factory girls;
am not sure. You know how it is in Balti-
more. I don't know where to go first or
BETTER BETTE e forward p~ m nssR which SfsR WE" You have for
me. Let me know II there are any little
commissions to be attended to In town.
As always, your baby sister, EDITH.
Colonel Thompson and Miss Carrie Thomp-
son, both declared today that the letter
was in the handwriting of Mrs. woodill.
They could offer no explanation as to why
she should nave written a letter in advance
of a trip to Baltimore.
Grief Of Foster Father.
One Of the most pitiable figures in all of
the lamentable tragedy is Colonel Charles
H. Thompson. of Mcdaniel. the foster
father of the murdered girl. Sitting on the
porch of his home overlooking the waters
Of Harris creek where Eastman had ended
his life in the early hours of the dawn, the
broken old man told the story of the mans
life so far as he could recall the details.
He had followed the girls body to its last
resting place yesterday, beside the grave
Of his wife and son.
The girl was devoted to her foster mother
and II she could have chosen her burying
place 1t undoubtedly would have been at
the side OF this dear friend. To the foster
brother, lying in the grave next to hers
the girl had been the ideal Of all that was
good and sweet and pure. The splendid
young fellow had grown up with her and
learned u love her and it is said that he
desired her to become his wife. she would
not. He killed himself. Throughout the
neighborhoOd it is common talk that young
~Thompson's suicide was due TO his failure
to win hts foster sisters love.
las for the man who slew her." said
Colonel Thompson. who from the first held
the theory that the murder had been com
mitted by Eastman. OF Roberts, as he was
known here. 'she knew nothing about him
until she came here to spend the summer
with me. / have heard people say she
knew Eastman before she came her. I am
POSITIVELY persuaded that she did not Their
first meeting was here. Why he should
kill her l cannot imagine.
The horror Of the thing almost drives