Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-07-01

fte Cdlieu, Dut NneTe was no answer. |
Rowing weariiy up the stream. the
man at the oars paid no heed. Nc
Quay frantically summoned help by
telephone. A posse answered. and
then began the stealtny trailing OF
Eastman through the waters to his
doom.
COULD NOT ESCAPE PURSUERS.
For hour after hour Eastman, suf-
fering the tortures Of the damned for
want OF food and water during the
night and day OF his hiding in the |
marshes of the many shallow tidal
| streams which put In from the bay |
tried to shake off his pursuers. Clad
in a blue flannel shirt and dark trous- |
ers he was far less conspicuous
figure than the members Of the eher-
| ms crew who all wore white shirts. |
| In and out of tho winding streams, |
| Eastman led the way. He evidently |
was making for Mcdaniel, near the
head waters Of the creek, where ne
hoped to steal n team and escape. His
| rowing became more and more pain
ful and his progress was so slow ut
last that the pursuers passed him in
| tho darkness. Not sure that the men in
the other boat were really on his trail,
Eastman continued upstream until at
last he had reached n point just off
the home Of Colonel Thompson and
Of the girl who had met death while
with him Here the stream narrows
sharply and the spot was selected by
the posse to make a stand. From the
tall grassca OF the shore they called
to Eastman to surrender Twice the
cnll was repeated without answer.
Then came the fash and report of a
revolver.
1t had been aimed by Eastman at his
own heart and the bulle. had done Its
work Thinking the shot had been sent
ut them in an attempt 70 resist arrest,
the posse returned the fire ana claimed
at first that II was their fusillade which
had caused the man to crumple and fall
| IN a heap to the bottom OF the little
craft.
A coiored man who had been among
the pursuers. waded out In the shallow
waters and brought the boat ashore The
hare Of a match revealed the CHASTITY
work Of the suicides pistol, A great hole
had been torn In his chest and life was
extinct.
The question Of whether Eastman died
by his own hands or as result of tho
fire of the pursuing party was not settled
until late In the day when a coroner's
Jury after hearing all the evidence and
the report OF examining physicians
decided that Eastman had taken his own
NE
Eastman watched the development o,
the murder charges with smile on his
face. All morning following the Mon
day after tho crime he sat in the telegraph
| IN f,H tai 70 81,
went to baltimore 70 mail tho letter which
Mss Carrie Thompson received on We'd
nesday morning. and which would have
delayed the search for some DAYS II the
body had not been discovered. He re-
turned on Tuesday night.
CLAIMED TO RE REPORTER
Sitting In the office on Wednesday aft
ernoon he heard George r. Taylor re-
ceive a telephone message announcing
the finding OF the body.
MY God" he exclaimed. jumping to
hi. feet. "you don't mean to say wom-
an has been murdered here. Who is
she?" He dropped back to his chair
when told she was unknown. After a
few minutes he said: Get me team.
Mr.. Taylor; will go over to St Mich
ael's to get a story about this murder
ard then take It to Baltimore"
Eastman had claimed to be a news
raperman.
Reaching ST Michaes, he watched the
proceedings and did not leave until the
body had been identified.
I Return'n. to Mcdaniel. he ordered a
ticket for Baltimore. In the meantime
/, Constance Mortimer called up over the
/, phone TO inquire about him. stating he
, was stranger and might know some
thing.
, Eastman then said: "Oh. II there Is
any suspicion about me will remain. |
never saw this woman"
LETTER BY MRS. wOODILI.
Tie letter mailed by Roberts at Ralti-
more and received here by Miss Carrie
Thompson. al foster sister OF the murder
, ed girl, Is one Of the factors which
seem to connect Eastman most closely
with the crime This letter writ
ten by Mrs. Woodil. and was mailed
several days after her death. Whether
or not II was written by Mrs. Woodll
to shield her visit TO Eastmans bunga-
low or whether the man had some evil
. intent In mind and caused her 10 write
the letter to delay a search for her
body. may never be known. The letter
was intended 10 give the impression that
Mrs. Woodl was in Baltimore
Colonel Thompson and Miss Carrie
Thompson both declared to-day that the
t letter was In the handwriting OF Mrs
$ Woodill. They could offer no explana-
o ton as to why she should have written
q a letter In advance Of a trip to Balti-
= more.
One Of the most pitiable figures In
e all the tragedy Is old Colonel Charles
II. Thompson Of Mcdaniel. foster father
Of the murdered girl. Sitting on the porcl,
: Of his home. overlooking the waters OF
!. Harris Creek. the broken old man told
y too the story OF the girls NE SC
I far as ne could recall the details He
=. had followed the girls body to It's las,
t resting place yesterd~v beside the grave.
Z OF his wife and son.
t FOSTER BROTHER KILLED HIM
SELF.
!, To the foster brother, whose grave 1.
y next to hers the girl had been the Ideal
q He had grown up with her and It Is sale
y. desired her To become his wife. Sh,
n would not. He killed himself Through
!. out the neighborhood II Is common tall
l., that young Thompsons suicide was du,
~ to his failure to win his foster sister.
love
II This is the browning sorrow OF m!
N Me" said Col. Thomson.
Is The little girl who became his fost
l. or daughter was but three years ole