Evening star., 1909-06-26
EASTMAN DESERTED HIS Wife
WINNIE BRADCoME, SHOW GIRL,
welded HIM IN 1908.
On Stage She Will Work for Seven
Month-old Babe He Had Never
Seen-Denies He Is Murderer.

! NEW YORK, June 26.-"Nobody can
make me believe that Robert Eastman
killed that woman. He had no bad hab-
its: he never drank, never smoked and
had the most perfect control OF his pas
sions OF any man l have ever known
In the above words Winnie Bradcome,
as she is known on the stage, summed
up Robert Emmet Eastman last night
She was married to the man who died
SO tragically with the stain of murder on
| his name.
1t was in her apartments uptown, at
| 1872 West 10th street, where she lives
with her mother and younger sister and
| a seven-month-old baby-the child or her
union with Robert Eastman-that the at
| tractiye young widow talked of the ter
| rible tragedy that has brought her con-
splcuously before the public. The young
mother, who is slender and pretty, with
| the grace of manner that usually obtains
with women of the stage, seemed not IN
| the least perturbed over the death of the
man whose name she bears.
Forced to Leave Him, She Says.
"'He treated me so strangely, so mys-
| teriously, that I was forced to leave
him. she said. I'VE were not separated
| legally, and l had no intention of such
an action, mainly because OF our little
baby, but, on the other hand, our lives
| have become so far apart that his death
| only affects me in that 1t has such
| terrible, tragic element in it.
II have been informed that he left
a letter asking that l come and take
| charge of his body. This l hardly think
/ am called upon to do; I do not believe
| I will make such a move unless l am
advised to do so when l consult my at
| torney.
why Robert Eastman. who chose to
desert me and our little baby, should
want me at his deathbed is a curious
| turn of affairs"
Asked when she first met the dead
broker. Mrs. Eastman-who prefers to
be called by her own name, Miss Brad
come-said
Il was playing with the Rogers Broth
ers, and Miss Julia Eastman, who was
friend of mine, introduced me to her
brother-a widower. she told me-hfty
years old.
well, 1 married him. after a few
months acquaintance. During our en-
gagement and subsequently he never
talked of his business affairs. but ne
told me enough of his personal life
to lead me to believe that 1t had been
more or less of a gay one. but not gay
in the way of the usual designations. for
he never drank. smoked or played cards.
Made Her Keep Marriage Secret.
I'VE were married January 26, 1905, in
Hackensack. at the parsonage Of min
lister whose name 1 have forgotten. The
same conservative. mysterious silence as
to his business affairs prevailed after
marriage, and when he seemed to think
1t wise that our marriage be not MADE
public and that / retain my own name,
was rather disappointed and perturbed.
L am a business man and you are on the
stage, he argued, and 1t would be far
better under those circumstances that we
keep our marriage quiet for time
1T was during this time that his bust
later on, he was forced to become flu
gitive from justice, and that is why he
was sometimes known as Emmett Rob
erts When the little girl was born he
he was forced to leave the state l took
mothers advice and eliminated the
thought of him from my life.
Il have supported myself and little one.
and only yesterday was up to see klaw e.
Erlanger. looking for an engagement in
the 'Folies of 1909,' but they told me all
the parts were filled. Today this horrible
tragedy has come out. l don't care for
myself, but for our little one l shall make
an effort to get share of whatever es-
tate he may have left, If his creditors
don't get at it first. 1 suppose the proc
esses Of the law will not allow me to be
cheated of what belongs to me as his
wife,"
Not a Murderer, She Declares.
II feel that I ought not to go down
there, for when our poor unfortunate
child grows up it shall be. as far as l
am able to manage 1t, without knowledge
of the character of her father. Think Of
a man who would take no more interest
in his own child as not to attempt to see
1t or send 1t some little remembrance.
And while Mrs. Eastman referred in this
way TO her dead husband she was valiant
ly defending him against the accusations
Of murder.
That murder-if it was murder-was
either the act of a man moved by furious
passion induced by drink, or else by
natural, untrammeled tendencies. Robert
Eastman had neither trait. for he was as
emotionless as Grants tomb. And while
feel no great personal grief in his death,
I firmly believe that some ore else was
responsible for the woman's death.
This has been a sorrowful awakening
to me; found myself entirely disliluslon-
ed within fortnight after my marriage.
but / am going to go right on for the
sake of that little thing over there In the
CRADLE she added. with real tenderness
in her voice.
Mrs. Eastman is we'll Known to all
theatrical managers of unis city. She ap-
peared with the Rogers Brothers. The
Pearl and the Pumpkin and in a. Lulu
Glaser production within recent years.
She is still in her twenties.
Offer Money for Wife's Fare.
BALTIMORE. June 26.-Wiley & Rad
clifYe, undertakers at st. Michaels. tele-
graphed to Miss Minnie Bradcome. to
whom Eastman addressed letter. in care
Of Klaw G. Erlanger. AID street. New York
city, instructing her to draw $50 on them
and come Immediately to ST. Michaels for
the purpose OF fully identifying the dead
man.
Miss Bradcome. In reply to a previous
request from the undertakers. had wired
that she was broke.