Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-07-01
WOMAN SIAM WRITER HELD
Nude Body Weighted With Bricks
Taken From Creek
Victim, q Protegee Of Lyman J. Gage,
Last Seen With One Roberts, Who
Posed as q Newspaper Man.

st. Michaels, Md.-The nude body
of Mrs. Edith May Thompson Wood
i'll, who had evidently been murdered,
was found by some boys who were
grabbing in Broad Creek.
The murderer had apparently beat
en- the woman over the head with a
club until the skull was crushed, and
then to hide his crime had attempted
to weight the body down, for tied
around the waist was a heavy iron
pot containing half a dozen bricks.
Despite this, weight the body had been
moved by the tide and had drifted
into shallow water.
Emmett Roberts, who passed here
as a special correspondent and news
paper writer, was arrested near the
scene Of the crime, charged with Mrs.
Woodil's murder. He was the last
person known to have been in her
company, and the Talbot County au-
thorities had offered $3.50 for his ar
rest.
Roberts was caught at the home Of
John McQuay, who lives at Bosnian,
about ten miles south of st. Michaels.
Roberts walked to the door Of the
Mtg AOIlC, oA0 o4IOA OdoAA6 thO
family asked for a drink of water.
McQuay came down to the door and
invited him inside. AS soon as Mrs.
McQuay saw the man she recognized
him, and leaving her home aroused
the neighbors. It was not long be-
fore the entire populace Of the village
had surrounded the McQuay home.
The neighbors didn't have the cour-
~ - on%or Tho honSo ond coi1o Pnh-
erts, but waited for the arrival. Of the
authorities who had been sent for at
st. Michaels.
Mrs. Woodfll was a beautiful and
accomplished young woman, of we'll
established social position in Mary
land and California, and a ward OF
Lyman 4. Gage, formerly Secretary
of the Treasury.
Before her marriage about a year
ago to Gilbert Woodill, who is en-
gagged in the automobile business in
Los Angeles, Cal, the murdered girl
had spent two winters in Baltimore,
and boarded at No. SIS St. Paul
street. There she made a great many
friends. and was considered by many
a beautiful and fascinating girl. She
was a great personal friend of Secre-
tary Gage, who visited her while she
was in this city, and whom she fire.
quently visited at his home in Cali
fornia.
Mrs. Woodill was about twenty
years old. and was noted among
large circle of acquaintances on the
Eastern Shore for her charming man.
ner and brilliant accomplishments.
Slayer of Mrs. Woodin a Broker.
st. Michaels, Md.-Quickly follow
ing the killing by a sherif's posse o.
the murderer of Mrs. Edith Ma,
Thompson Woodill, came the discov
les indicating that instead Of the mar
being Emmett E. Roberts, a magazine
writer, he was Robert E. Eastman, I
fugitive Wall Street broker known a!
Lame Bob"
The man was shot to death by
| sheriff's posse at 4 a. m. as he wa
trying to escape in a rOwboat In Bacl
River. He was followed by men IL
| boats and ashore, and when corneres
near the scene Of the crime he opened
fire and was fiddled with bullets.
In his pockets were found letter
and a vial of poison. While he CAV
the name Of Roberts when he cam
here a month ago and rented a small
farm, the sheriff found OF his body
letter addressed Mrs. Robert E
Eastman, care of George B. Taylor
This will be called for"