The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-07-02
LAME BOB EASTMAN
PAYS PENALTY FOR
MURDER OF WOMAN
SHOT RANG OUT FROM QUIET
RIVER AND he WAS DEAD
BY OWN HAND.
LONG And EXCITING CHASE
Posse Discovered Fugitive Stealing
Away From Scene of His Crime
And Pursued in 5oat-Weary
Man at Last overtaken.

r ST. MICHAEL'S Nd. June 26.-Nc
: pursuit OF an accused assassin was
ever attended by more picturesque
surroundings than that which ended
) in the death OF Lame Bob" Eastman,
: murderer OF Mrs. Edith Woodill, who
had been known during his short
residence here as Emmett Roberts.
Eastman had simply transposed his
name from Robert Emmett Eastman
10 Emmett E. Roberts. The man dis
appeared last Wednesday evening, fol
/ lowing the discovery OF the body and
its identification. Suspicion had
! pointed TO him from the first, for he
/ was the last person with whom the
girl had been seen. Eastman made
efforts to leave Mcdaniel Wednesday,
but he was warned that he had better
remain to refute the charges that
were being made against him. Say
ing he could be found at his bungalow
when wanted, Eastman disappeared A
missing skin from the home of a
neighbor told the story OF his fight.
All day Thursday Sheriff's posses
were on the search, but no trace of
the missing man could be found Late
last night, however, John ". McQuay,
who lives four miles from Mcdaniel
on Harris Greek, one of the estuaries
OF Chesapeake Bay, heard in the still
ness of the night the splash OF oars
far out on the black waters. He
called, but there was no answer. Row.
ing YEARLY up the stream, the man
at the oars paid no heed. McQuay
summoned help by tele-
phone. A posse arrived, and then be
gan the stealthy trailing of Eastman
through the waters 10 his doom.
For hour after hour Eastman, suf-
ering the tortures of the damned for !
want OF food and water during the
light and day of his hiding in the 5
marshes Of the many shallow tidal
treams which put in from the bay,
ried to shake of his pursuers. Clad
4 a blue flannel shirt and dark trous-
rs, he was far less conspicuous :
CURE than were the members of the
heriff's crew, who all wore white
hirts. In and out OF the winding s
-ream Eastman led the way He evil s
emily was making for Mcdaniel, near
le headwaters of the creek, where
e hoped to steal a team and escape
is rowing became more and more j.
ainful, and his progress was so slow 81
last that the pursuers passed him -
the darkness. ~
Not sure that the men in the other ~
,at We're really on his trail, Eastman u
ntinued up stream until at last he n
I'd reacher point off the home of
d. Thompson's and OF the girl who
ID met death while with him. Here e
g stream narrows sharply and the ~
OF was selected by the posse to
1hO q StdHu' rum tuS ldll grasses
the shore they called to Eastman
surrender. Twice the call was re-
ated without answer. Then came TO
: fash and report of a revolver.
It had been aimed by Eastman at
own heart and the bullet had done
work. Thinking the shot had been
I'd at them in an attempt to resist
est, the posse returned the fire, Elk
l claimed at first that 1t was their the
ilade which had caused the man a c
in heap in the bottom or If
little craft. the,
negro who had been among the Mr.
suers waded in the shallow waters IN
brought the boat ashore. The HIS
stly flare OF match revealed the est
k Of the suicides pistol A great seeI
e had been torn in his chest and int
was extinct ate
he question of whether Eastman II
by his own hands or as a result neat
he fire of the pursuing party was man
settled until late in the day, wnen Whe
oroner's jury, after hearing all the mad
ence and reports of examining neat
sicians, decided that Eastman had beha
N his own life. impt
tea.
been