Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-26
MAN RUN DOWN AS
HE ATTEMPTS ESCAPE
ovERTAkEM BY MEN ON BANH
AS HE ROWS ON RIVER, ROB
ERTs FIRES WHEN ASKED To
HALT AND Is SLAIN.


correspondent, magazine writer
and author, who was wanted for
the murder of Mrs. Edith May
Thompson Woodil, adopted
daughter of Col. Chas. A. Thomp-
son. was shot to death early to-
day by sherff's posse while re-
sisting arrest at Mcdaniel. Early
last night information reached
the authorities that Roberts was
on the river In small boat, He
was followed up the river by
deputy sheriff and two other men,
who gradually drove him to the
neighhorhood of Med iel's
wharf, not far from which the
murder was committed. Here
were waiting Magistrate Willy
and a posse. willy, when Roberts
was within a hundred yards OF
the sheriff, ordered him to throw
up his hands. The reply of the fu-
gitive was shot. Before Its
echoes had d;ss@ away a member
OF the posse fired and Roberts
dropped back into the seat dead.
New York, June 25.--It Is now
believed the slayer of Mrs. Wood
III may have been "Lame Bob"
Eastman, a Wall street broker
who failed in New York last July
with liabilities of from $4,000 to
100000. Eastman left the city
and was arrested in Chicago on
August q on complaints made by
persons who had lost money
through his operations.
ST. Michaels. Md, June 25- John r
Roberts is wanted in connection
with the murder Of Mrs. Edith Nal
Woodill, the wife OF Gilbert Woodf1l, al
automobile dealer of Los Angeles, Cal
whose nude body, the skull crushed IN
from a blow apparently delivered from
behind, the face horribly disfigured
the entire body swollen from tho eff.
fects of several days immersion ant
weighted with an iron pot containing
half a dozen bricks was discovered
by boys who were grabbing in Bacl
creek, not far from the home of Mrs
Woodill's fosterfather, Capt. Charlie
III. Thompson, few miles from here
Roberts was with Mrs. -Woodill whel
she was last seen. The motive for th'
crime is a mystery.
Disappeared Saturday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Woodill came her,
early this month, the latter with th
intention of spending the summer witt
her fosterfnther. Her husband re
mained onlv few days, intending t,
return TO Los Angeles, From tina
time Mrs. Woodill and Roberts ar
said to have seen much of each other
Last Saturday Mrs. Woodill and Rob
erts met at Royal Lake and drove to
gether to the landing where hi
launch and Mrs. Woodil was not see
again alive, as far as has been learned
Since her disappearance Robert
made q trip to Baltimore from whic
point a letter was received by Cap
Thompson, ostensibly from Mr.,
Woodill saying that she was In tina
city and would shortly return Rob
erts remained in this neighborhoo
until after the finding OF the body. n
had previously endeavored to allay tn
growing uneasiness of Capt. Thompso
with his forest daughters absence, an
used the letter referred to as evi
dence in support of his contention tha
she was all right and would soon re
turn.
An investigation since made indi
Gates that when Roberts and Mr.
Woodill left they went in the launc
to a bungalow that is being built o
Roberts small farm near that of Cap
Thompson, and that in this bungalo'
the murder was committed. Ther
were found bloody sheet and mat
tress and portions of wonnan's clothe
partly burned These have been iden
titled as having belonged to Mr.
Woodill.
There were also found in the bunga
low a pair of corduroy trousers In tn
pocket of which were two letters, on
believed to have been from Mr.
Woodill and to have some connectio
with the meeting at Royal Oak. I'll
room In which these things wer
found showed evidences of struggI
having taken place.
Gage Aided Girl.
Chicago. June 25.--Mrs. ELI A. Gag
a. daughter -in-law of the former Sci
retary of the Treasurer Lyman
Gage, when informed of the murds
of Mrs. Edith M. Woodill, of Mary
lland, said that her father-in law be
came interested in the girl when /
was secretary of the treasure and sr
was then twelve or thirteen years ,
Continued op Page 81