The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-06-25
Cornered by Posse, He
Commits Suicide to
Avoid Capture.
EVIDENCE FOUND
IN VICTIMS CLOTHES
Pursuit of the Fugitive Lasts for
Hours and Ends Just
Before Dawn.

ST. MICHAELS, Md, June 25.
Driven to bay in one Of the
numerous creeks near this place,
Robert E. Eastman, murderer of
beautiful May Edith Thompson
Woodill, played the last act in the
Eastern Shores sensational tragedy
by sending a bullet through his own
heart just before daybreak this
morning.
With his death, retribution came
in a singularly appropriate manner.
The river in which he had tried to
hide the body of his victim made
pursuit of him easy, and, when he
fell dead, his body dropped into the
bottom of the boat in which he had
tried to escape.
May Be Broker.
That the slayer Of Mrs. Woodill
was really Robert E. Eastman, a
former Wall street broker. who
was fugitive from justice, is sus-
pected by the police here today.
A deed was found on the body of
the murderer, showing the trans
fer Of property in Bergen county.
N. Y, from Robert E. Eastman to
John H. Mann, on July 2s, 1908.
Eastman was known in Wall street
as Lame Bob"
1t was within sight of the home
of his victim that Eastman brought
his tragic career to its end.
Trailed By Posse.
Followed through the long night By
members of a determined posse. he had
turned and twisted. rowed back and
forth over the winding waterways or
Talbot county, but without being able
TO get rid OF his pursuers. who pressed
him closer and closer. but feared 10
make a false movement in the dark.
Up Harris creek. which is q beautiful
estuary of the Chesapeake bay. East
man piloted his boat, apparently intend
ing 10 reach McDaniels. where ne had
hope Of getting a team to drive him
away from the scene of the crime.
II was just few minutes after $50
o'clock when Eastman reaahed the
headwaters OF Harris creek. and it was
there that his pursuers. their numbers
having been augmented by the ar
rival of Magistrate c. E. Wiley and
others, determined TO close in on the
fugitive, as they feared that ne might
escape If he once landed. They quickly
detoured, and coming up along shore
opposite the point where Eastman sat
in his boat. called to him to sur
render.
II was a thrilling moment The night
was stin dark-the hour just before
daHn-and out in the stream the men,
bers of the posse could Just make out
the slzin and the form OF the man in IT.
Shot Is Answer.
Their first haid was not answered
They called again and the reply TO
this was a wholly unexpected and
unlocked for shot.
The members of the posse though
thought the shot lad been fired at them
and that they had a desperate man
who would fghl to the end. and they
opened fire al 5im, emptyiRg their re-
vOlvers.
But the facts disclosed later showed
that it was not at the posse that East
man fred, but at himself. He ended his
own life. putting a bullet through his
heart.
when their fusillade had ended. the
members of the posse waded out TO
the skif and there they found East
mans body lying in a pool Of blood
in the bottom Of the boat.
The boat was dragged TO the shore
and the body removed and made ready
for the arrival of the coroner. Just
Col. Charles II. Thompson foster
father Of the suicides victisa. came on
the scene
Posed AS Correspondent.
Eastman had told every one about
Mcdaniel. that he was a sewspaper
man, with connections in Washington.
and posed as a journalist Of wide ex-
perience All Efforts to find anyone
who ever heard Of him. as a journalist.
have failed utterly. Roberts was
lame and his afflictiOn was much the
same as that which caused the name
of Lame Bob" 10 be s9yen to the miss
Eastman was the head OF the firm OF
Eastman e. Co, at 80 Wall street Ha
way suspended from the Consohdated