The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-25

Bergen. Bogota county. New Jersey,
and is dated July 20, 1908
The letter began: ''Vernia,'' who is
believed to have been his wife, "the en-
closed keys are several you will need
to examine my property. I owe 20
cents to VIM. Sutton, neighbor. 1 owe
S. to VIM. Norris, Easton, Md. Pay
them BOTH
The note has no date and was writ
ten in lead pencil 1t was stamped but
had been opened. Mr.. Taylor with
whom Eastman, or Roberts, boarded,
got letter some days ago from E. B.
Wellington, from the New Willard,
Washington, in which inquiry is made
after Roberts. Mr.. Taylor wrote to the
hotel but the letter was returned with
the statement that wellington had left.
Later Roberts said Wellington was an
uncle and lived in Denver. He also
stated at different times that he came
from Denver
The coroner has in his possession
letter found on Roberts or Eastman as
he is now supposed to be, addressed
to Miss Winnie Bradcome, care Klaw &
Erlanger. New York, in which the writ
err asks the girl to come down to Mary
land to take charge of his body and
property as he intended to commit sui
eide
Eastman added that he had been out
in a boat with four other people, two
men and two women, that all had been
drunk except himself and one girl;
that one of the women struck another
over the head with a wine bottle and
had killed her.
The Pursuit.
Shortly after midnight a small craft
was seen moving I'D the waters of
Black river along the shores of which
are the homes of Col. Thompson and
Roberts. 1t is unusual to see a small
boat on the river at such an early hour
~ ATnnTroxy he hoe fcr on
a point making out into the creek
near Bozman, notified Sheriff Mortimer
and Magistrate Willy, who were at St.
Michaels. McQuay said the boat looked
like the one in which Roberts escaped
from Mcdaniel and that the man in it
looked like the missing author.
Sheriff Mortimer, Magistrate Willy
and a posse of six men hurried to the
scene, reaching the river shore at L a.
m. ALI were armed. They crept down
outlines of a man in his shirt sleeves
languidly rowing a boat up the river
They made no demonstration, resolving
to wait until the rover got into mar
rover warars and within ranee-
Followed in Boat.
Sheriff Mortimer and Messrs. Hooper
and Harper obtained p1at and fol-
lowed Roberts, who apparently became
alarmed and FASTENED up the river at
a faster pace, the sheriff's boat follow :
ing. Magistrate Willy and others fol-
lowed along the shore The cornering
maneuvers began shortly after a. m.
For one, two and three hours the two
boats and the sheriff's party proceeded
up the river, the shores narrowing all
the while.
Roberts was nearing the scene of his
alleged crime. AS the, shores drew to-
gether members of the posse made out
the features of Roberts. He was near
ing the wharf at Mcdaniel from which
point he is supposed to have fed.
When Roberts got abreast of the
landing place and was but 100 feet from
shore, Magistrate Willy and his two
deputies stepped out into the open.
Hello. Roberts, throw up your
hands," shouted the magistrate.
Roberts did not utter word but rose
in his boat with a big revolver in his
right hand. He quickly leveled it at
the party on shore and fired.
Meyer Crone, a special deputy, fired
shot from a revolver at the white
shirted figure standing In the boat
Then Magistrate Willy discharged
shotgun. Deputy Crope fired a second
shot During the fusillade- Roberts
dropped in a heap in the boat, his re-
volver falling at his side.
The deputies waded out to the small
craft Roberts had been shot in the
mouth and was dead.
The boat was drawn to the shore and
the body examined. Roberts had a
bottle of poison in his pockets and a
number of letters. The body was taken
to St Michaels.
Last Person Seen With Her.
Mrs. Woodill's nude body, weighted
with an iron pot containing half a
dozen bricks, was yesterday discovered
by boys who were grabbing in Back
creek, a tributary of Choptank river.
Roberts was with Mrs. Woodiu when
she was seen for the last known time.
The motive for the crime is mys-
terry. Roberts claimed to be maya
zine writer and to handle general cor
respondence for newspapers. He is
even said to have declared that he re-
turned to this locality after short
absence for the express purpose of
writing up the murder which he is
now accused of having committed.
Mrs. WoodilI, who is said to have