Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1909-07-03
MURDER, A MYSTERY
BOB EASTMAN SAID TO BE
SLAYER OF MRS. W0ODILL.
After Committing the Horrible Deed He
Threw Her Body Into the Bay and
Was About to Escape When Cornered
BY Posse and Committed Suicide
She Was Born Out West.

and state officials, after working dill
gently and making a thorough search
of the entire country bordered on Ches-
apeake bay, have been unsole to find
any trace of wounded man, or any
party that might have been reveling
in the lonely bungalow on Broad creek,
ntar Mcdaniel, where Edith May
Thompson Woodill met her death a few
days ago.
For this reason they are inclined to
scoff at the letter found on the body of
''Lame Bob" Eastman, who committed
suicide as posse was making his es-
cape impossible, in which Eastman de-
clared Mrs. Woodill was struck on the
head with champagne bottle held in
the hand of jealous woman, and that
he merely concealed the body to hide
traces of the woman IS crime. In this
letter Eastman declared there were
three couples at the bungalow, and
when Mrs. Woodill stole the affections
of one of the men another woman struck
Mrs. Woodill and her male friend with
a bottle of champagne; that the man
was rendered unconscious and that Mrs.
Woodill died from the effects of the
blow.
A wooden bludgeon, smeared with
blood, which was found in a marsh near
Eastman's bungalow, seems to have
been the weapon with which death was
produced.
Sheets smeared with blood, blood on
the windowsills and blood on the floor
give evidence of a fatal conflict in the
bungalow, which the officials declare
would give the lie to Eastman s story
that Mrs. Woodill was killed while she
was lying on the bed.
The coroner's jury has formally de-
clared that Eastman himself killed Mrs.
Woodill. SO far as the officials are con
cerned, the case is ended.
There is no serious belief here that
Eastman killed Mrs. Woodill through
motives of robbery. Neither is there
any widespread idea of generalization
The two were heard to quarrel as they
drove away from Royal Oak station
June 10. The girl knew much of East
man IS past life-knew him as an ac
cused swindler and embezzler and {
fugitive from justice-and the theory il
advanced that in the course of the quar-
reling the girl threatened to disclose
the identity of the man who had takel
the name of Roberts.
There is the theory, too, that as Mrs
Woodill, because of her relations will
Eastman had been longer in the cas-
than either she or her husband now il
Los Angeles, intended, decided at las
to go away and see the man no more
The disclosure of this purpose may hav
led to her death in the bungalow.
Gay Life in Paris.
The detectives here say that the
have positive pevidence that Mrs
Woodill first met Eastman in Paris
where she also became acquainted wit
"Kid" Mccoy, the pugilist, Johnni
Ref, the jockey, and Timothy Wood
ruff, the New York politician. The
she married DR.. Caswell of Boston, bu
left home.
Then Mrs. Woodill married Gilbel
Woodill of Los Angeles, Cal, and Eas
man also married. He became involve
in the stock market, fled to Chicag
and then to California and met Mr.
Woodill again. He returned here Las
winter and lived in Baltimore as a new
paper man for many months. Befol
Mrs. Woodill and her husband arrive
for visit to her foster parents HON
!. he purchased a farm next to ther
= Then the old life began again.
Mrs. Eastman, the wife of the alleg6
slayer, known as Fannie Bradcombe,
New York actress, arrived here Sa
urday.
e His Funeral.
u Near the bungalow where the fir
tragedy occurred, shallow grave h;
been dug.
At half past eight a storm brok
Lightning flashed as the little funer
cortege wendell its way to the dism
spot where Eastman was to be burie
Only three persons accompanied t
body to the grave. They were NJ
Eastman, Attorney Rosenthal and t
undertaken g assistant. While the "a
4 fell in torrents, and the ightni,
a flashed at brief intervals, the ceremo,
- occurred. 1t was a CHASTITY scene, {
~ curing within stones throw of t
4. bungalow where the blood stains sht
IS where the woman met her death, a
v, but a short distance from the 81
~ where the shallow waters gave up
lifeless body.
T. The gruesome ceremony was
much for the widow and she collaps
and was cared for by friends.
10 The body of Mrs. Woodin had be
10 buried about so rods from the gra
of Eastman. She was born in Wa
be ington.
be Mrs. Albert Right, Mrs. Woodil
mother, who resides near Asotin, Was
knows but little of the life of her fl
l. IL