Evening star., 1909-06-29
BUNGALOW TALE TOLD
Jury Pronounes Opinion and
Prosecutors Abandon Case.
EASTMAN HELD TO BLAME
Either as Accessory OF Murderer Of
Edith Woodill.
WIFE VISITS MANS GRAVE
No Evidence Given to Throw Light
on Mystery Of Launch Party
at Shore Home.
EASTMAN HELD TO BLAME
WIFE VISITS MANS GRAv1

at Shore Home.
ST. MICHAELS, June 29.-"Robert E.
Eastman killed Edith May Thompson
Woodill or was accessory to the mur-
der" was the compromise verdict OF the
coroner's jury at ST. Michaels Yesterday
Four of the jurymen refused to sign
unless the words ''9r was accessory to
the murder" were added to the verdict.
The four jurors believe the story Of the
crime as related in the letter Of East
man to his wife-that jealous woman.
one of launch party. struck Mrs.
Woodill with a champagne bottle. and
that all fed. leaving her body on East
mans hands.
States Attorney Turner has announced
that he Is through with the case. With
this announcement the strange dual trag-
edy. involving the beautiful protege of
Mr.. Lyman j. Gage, former Secretary of
the Trea sury, and the fugitive from New
York Justice becomes a closed incident SO
far as the authorities are concerned.
The letter left by Eastman for his wife.
in which he declared that Mrs. Woodill
had been killed by woman in jealous
eficials seemed to take 1t for granted
that all the evidence unearthed since the
finding of the body was well known to the
residents of the community and that 1t
was unnecessary that 1t should again be
rehearsed.
There was just a bit Of politics mixed
up In the verdict, too. Several men,
bers Of the jury have been bitter political
enemies in Talbot county.
Much Of the testimony given before the
jury was deeply interesting and made
clear many points in the tragedy which
heretofore have been matters of conjec-
ture.
The mysterious launch which was re-
ported as having been seen near the
bungalow on the Sunday following the
disappearance of Mrs. Woodill did not
materialize In the evidence. Residents Of
the neighborhood OF the bungalow were
piled with questions as to the launch, but
none had seen 1t.
Blackmail Theory Advanced.
No one was seen about the bungalow
the Sunday when Mrs. Woodill was slain.
There was absolutely no evidence that
any one other than Eastman could have
been responsible for the crime. and the
final theory Of the authorities Is this:
That Eastman was in need OF money:
from Mrs. Woodill for some time: that he
undoubtedly knew something of her past
life and that he had been blackmai1ing
her: that he attempted to continue this
practice and the woman rebelled, intimat-
ing that she. too, had found out certain
things about Eastman and that II driven
to 1t would expose him.
Eastmans dread of serving term In
the pentitentiary is well known. His wife
has said that he told her he would COM
NIT suicide rather than be confined In
prison. The pawni1g of the jewelry the
authorities set down to the desire OF
Eastman to get away: When cornered
the man decided that his race had been
to it all. AS to why Mrs. Woodill went
to the bungalow there was no evidence.
Wife Visits Bungalow.
Mrs. vinna Bradcombe Eastman. the
brokers' widow, accompanied the coro-
ner's jury to the bungalow yesterday.
Through the long, hot, tiresome trip and
during the time the inquest was in prog
ress she did not shed tear When
she caught sight of her husbands desc
late grave she gave q shudder, her shoul-
ried. half supported by her cousin. Louis
B. Peddler Of Washington. D. c.
The jury which held the inquest over
the body Of Eastman and which declared
own hand was In session yesterday morn
ing. Before this jury Mrs. Eastman ap-
peared and exhibited her wedding ring
bearing the initials of the dead man to
establish her identity.
These formalities over. she. accom-
panied by her sister and cousin, went
to the bungalow which had been occu-
pied by her husband. After few min
utes In the house she walked over to the
little mound of earth fresh and un-
marked. beneath which lies Eastman's
body. For few minutes Mrs. East
man stood in silence. Then, recalling
perhaps the happy days when she was a
bride, she wept.
Testimony Before Jury.
The first witness called by the coroner
in the investigation Of the causes leading
to Mrs. Woodilrs death. John w. Jump.
who lives about $40 yards from the bun
galow. testised:
II have known Roberts or Eastman
for several months. and he paid frequent
visits to my house. I did not see him
on the Saturday preceding the finding
Of the body, and the last time saw him
was Sunday morning before he disap-
peared Wednesday.
"He came over to my house Sunday
and said he wanted q chicken, some let
tuce and lot Of radishes. ! killed
chicken for him and gave him the Nege-
tables that he asked for. He did not
have much to say and talked about the
weather. That was the last time that
saw MIN.
Ibid he ever tell you that he ex-
pected visit from a party Of New
Yorkers?' asked Mr.. Turner.
''Yes, he told me that on several occa-
sions. But l never saw any launch come
near his bungalow" replied Mr. Jump.
"Did you see him Monday"
NO. sir"
Ibid you see any light in the homo
Saturday night?"
Yes. when ] returned from church I
saw light burning in the bungalow. but
heard no noise. and l went Immediately
to bed. l heard absolutely nothing dur
ing the night
The next witness called was William
Sutton.
when was the last time YOU saw
Eastman or Roberts," asked Mr.. Turner.
Sunday night week ago." replied
the witness.
Heard Woman's Voice.
II came over to the bungalow late Sum
day afternoon. about O'Clock. con-
tinued Mr.. Sutton. Ito invite Mr..
Roberts to our Children's day service.
got within seventy-five feet Of the house
and to my surprise / heard woman's
voice. Roberts was walking about the
place and I said to him-'Win you come
over tonight. Mr.. Roberts" He replied
that he would. Then 1 heard the wom-
ans voice again. and did not approach
T1n~1 a