The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1909-07-02
HER DEATH
A MYSTERY
MRS. WOODlLL AND BOB
HARTMAN BOTH DEAD.
CRIME BROUGHT TO
LIGHT IN Maryland ON
CHESAPEAKE BAY

and state officials, after working dill
gently and making thorough search
of the entire country bor5ered on Ches-
apeake bay, have been unable to find
any trace Of a 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
scott at the letter found on the body of
"Lame Bob' Eastman, who committed
suicide as a 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 a jealous woman, and that
he merely concealed the body to hide
traces of the woman s 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 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 IS 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 s past life-knew him as an &C.
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
have positive pevidence that Mrs.
Woodill first met Eastman in Paris,
where she also became acquainted with
"Kid" Mccoy, the pugilist, Johnnie
Ref, the jockey, and Timothy Wood
ruff, the New York politician. Then
she married DR.. Casweu of Boston, but
left home.
Then Mrs. Woodill married Gilbert
Woodill of Los Angeles, Cal, and East
man also married. He became involved
in the stock market, fled to Chicago
and then to California and met Mrs.
Woodill again. He returned here last
winter and lived in Baltimore as news
paper man for many months. Before
Mrs. Woodill and her husband arrived
for visit to her foster parents home,
he purchased farm next to them.
Then the old life began again.
Mrs. Eastman, the wife of the alleged
slayer, known as Fannie Bradcombe, a
New York actress, arrived here Sat-
urday.
His Funeral.
Near the bungalow where the first
tragedy occurred, a shallow grave had
been dug.
At half past eight a storm broke.
Lightning flashed as the little funeral
cortege wendell it's way to the dismal
spot where Eastman was to be buried.
Only three persons accompanied the
body to the grave. They were Mrs.
Eastman, Attorney Rosenthal and the
undertaken assistant. While the rain
fell in torrents, and the lightning
flashed at brief intervals, the ceremony
occurred. 1t was a CHASTITY scene, &C.
curing within a stones throw of the
bungalow where the blood stains show
where the woman met her death, and
but short distance from the spot
where the shallow waters gave up her
lifeless body.
| The gruesome ceremony was too
much for the widow and she collapsed
and was cared for by friends.
The body of Mrs. Woodill had been
buried about so rods from the grave
of Eastman. She was born in Wash
ington.
Mrs. Albert Right, Mrs. Woodill IS
mother, who resides near Asotin, Wash,
knows but little of the life of her first
born, but her mother love brought an
guish to her heart when she was told
of the sad death of the girl who was
educated in Europe and whose beauty