Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-07-02
N0RDER,A MYSTERY
ROR EASTMAN SAID TO BE
Slayer OF MRS. WOODILL.
.,..r Committing the Horrible Deed He
rbrew Her Body Into the Bay and
was About to Escape When oornered
Nv Posse and Committed Suicide
She Was Born Out West.


"a state officials, after working dill
aor+Iv and making a thorough search
q tbe entire country bordered on Ches-
onooke bay, have been unable to find
INV "pv trace of wounded man, or any
a a that might have been reveling
r the lonely bungalow on Broad creek,
ator Mcdaniel, where Edith May
Tbomnson Woodill met her death a few
days ago.
For this reason they are inclined to
seof at the letter found on the body of
nLame Bob" Eastman, who committed
,nicide as a posse was making his es-
zane impossible, in which Eastman de-
dared Mrs. Woodill was struck on the
head with champagne bottle held in
the hand of a jealous woman, and that
he merely concealed the. body to hide
traces of the woman 8 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
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 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 fatal conflict in the
bungalow, which the officials declare
would give the lie to Eastman IS story
that Mrs. Woodill was killed while she
was lying on the bed.
The coroner s jury has formally de-
cared 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 s past life-knew him as an ac-
cuSed swindler and embezzler and a
fugitive from justice-and the theory is
advanced that in the course of the quar-.
reling the girl threatened to disclose
the identity of the man who had taken
the name of Roberts.
There is the theory, too, that as Mrs
WOOdill, because of her relations with
Eastman had been longer in the east
than either she or her husband now in
Los Angeles, intended, decided at last
to go away and see the man no more
The disclosure of this purpose may have
led to her death in the bungalow.
Gay Life in Paris.
The detectives here say that they
nave positive pevidence that Mrs
WoOdill first met Eastman in Paris
where she also became acquainted will
1Ald" Mccoy, the pugilist, Johnnie
lief, the jockey, and Timothy Wood
run, the New York politician. Their
she married DR.. Caswell of Boston, bu
left home,
Then Mrs. Woodill married Gilber
"oodlll OF Los Angeles, Cal, and East
man also married. He became involved
IN the stock market, fed to Chicago
anu then to California and met Mrs
"Oodlll again. He returned here las
winter and lived in Baltimore as a news
paper man for many months. Befor,
MIS- Woodill and her husband arrived
iOf visit to her foster parents home
Te purchased a farm next to them
men the old life began again.
MRS Eastman, the wife of the alleged
%ayer, known as Fannie Bradcombe,
Ne" York actress, arrived here Sat
uday.
His Funeral.
Near the bungalow where the frs
uSgedy occurred, shallow grave ha'
been dug.
al half past eight a storm broke
lightning flashed as the little funera
OOrtege wendell its way to the disma
9Pot where Eastman was to be buried
pniy three persons accompanied tn
pUuy to the grave. They were Mrs
eastman, Attorney Rosenthal and tn
uluertaker's assistant. While the raj
o In torrents, and the hghtnin
a"Sned at brief intervals, the ceremOn
occurred. 1t was a CHASTITY scene, oc
Sufflng within a stones throw of tn
bungalow where the blood stains shoJ
Sue'e the woman met her death, an
Ou' short distance from the spo
r %nefe the shallow waters gave up he
meless body.
Inc gruesome ceremony was to
auen for the widow and she collapse
u was cared for by friends.
Inc body of Mrs. Woodill had bee
Darled about so rods from the grav
ingtOn.
MRS Albert Right, Mrs. Woodill
uOther, who resides near Asotin, Wash
uo"S but little of the life of her fir:
Urn but her mother love brought al
s.sh to her heart when she was tol
the sad death of the girl who Wa
Nuucated in ,-bo.,C Iaaut