Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1909-07-02
PASSES BEYOND
THE LAWS ARM
MAN ACCUSED OF HEARTLESS
MURDER OF PRETTY GIRL
TAKES HIS OWN LIFE.
MOTIVE OF TRAGEDYUNKN0WN
The Girl Met the Man June 1e, Was
Seen to Leave Wharf in Launch
with Him and on June 20 Her
Dead Body Was Found.


chapter in story of crime un-
parelled in this section Of the
country was written in the half light
Of an early summers dawn when the
man accused of the heartless murder
Of pretty little May Edith Thompson
Woodill, spectre-like form fleeing in
a skiff from a posse of determined,
relentless pursuers-stood for a mo-
ment facing the men who had cor
nered him on the waters of narrow
creek, then fired a bullet crashing
into his heart and fell lifeless lump
into the bottom of the boat which he
hoped would carry him to landing
place where flight might be possible.
Taking his fate into his own hands
and blotting out untold the story of
the death of girl who had moved
in the highest social circles of Balti-
more, Washington and Los Angeles
beautiful, talented girl who had
been a protege of Lyman j. Gage and
of ex-Gov. Frank Brown of this state
the man known here as Emmett e.
Roberts, but who in reality was Rob-
ert Emmett Eastman, a failed broker
of the Consolidated Stock Exchange
of New York, passed beyond the reach
of the law.
Eastman's Excuse for Crime.
A letter found upon Eastman's body,
addressed to Miss Winnie Bradcome,
(who later confessed to being Mrs.
Eastman, wife of the alleged slayer)
cnra of Klou oud Er1onoar tho tho.
atrical managers in New York, gave
Eastman's ill-sustained excuse for the
crime. 1t was a rambling account of
how he had been out in a launch with
party of men and women, all of
whom had been drinking to excess
with the exception of himself and
Mrs. Woodill; of how one of the wom-
en- in fit of Jealous frenzy had at
tackled Mrs. Woodill with wine bot.
tie and killed her.
Many Motives Advanced.
AS for motives, many have been ad.
vanced. That Eastman was infatuat-
ed with the girl was we'll known. She
in turn, it would seem, was fascinated
by him at times and possibly fright.
ened by his attentions.
After this Eastman evidently pre-.
vailed upon the girl to visit his farm,
which was near that of her foster.
fathers to see the new bungalow which
he had built. The girl met Eastman
June 19, was seen to leave the Nc
Daniel wharf in launch with him,
and on June % her nude body was
hn I1rfa nf
creek, crudely tied to rope and
weighted with iron and bricks.
Girls Ancestors Unknown.
The meeting of Eastman and Mrs
| Woodill, wherever and whenever il
occurred, brought together two oddly.
| suited figures, and the tragedy brought
| to an end two strange careers. Mrs
Woodill though twice married, was
but slip of a girl, vivacious, petite
little thing immensely fond of pretty
clothes, always Immediately dressed
and weighing only about 100 pounds
Where the girl sprang from, who hel
father was and what should have been
her proper station in life. are clothed
with much of the deep mystery which
surrounds the details of her death
She was adopted by Col. Charles H
Thompson, a well-to-do farmer of the
eastern shore of Maryland, 10 years
ago, when she was tot of three.
Eastman Fugitive from Justice.
A talented, attractive, winning girl
she was sought by many and it was
not strange that she should have mar
ried in New York DR.. Caswell OF
Crowell, believed to be from Boston
before becoming of age. The marriage
was annuled and, as Miss Thompson
again, the girl was engaged to Harry
Adams of Mount Vernon, N. Y. Meet
ing Mr.. Woodill about this time she
married him instead. The girls fos
ter-brother is said to have committed
suicide because of love for her. East
man, according to the information re
ceived here, failed in New York las
| year, was arrested twice in Chicago
last August for grand larceny ant
since that time has been a fugitvi,
from justice.
Dual Tragedy Closed Incident.
st. Michaels, Md.-With the com
promise of the coroner's jury tina
Robert Eastman either killed, o
was accessory to the murder of Edit
May Woodill and the declaration o
States Attorney Taylor that he wa
through with the case, the strang
dual tragedy which has for nearly
week focused the eyes of the entir,
country upon this little out of the wa.
hamlet of Maryland's famous eastern
shore, has become a closed incident
Woman Author Crosses Divide.
South Berwick, Me.-A severe Ill