The Washington herald., 1909-06-26
SEEK OTHERS In
WOODTLL TRAGEDY
Continued from Page One.

At this the oar dropped in the water
and there was a flash of something bright
IA one hand OF the man IN the boat
Men. surround him." the justice OF
the peace hoarsely commanded. as II
speaking to a regiment.
Suddenly the loud report OF revolver
rang out. and there was a fash OF fire
as from a weapon in the hand OF the
desperate fellow out over the water
Thinking that Roberts. covered, had
opened fire upon the posse. Wiley blazed
away with his shotgun. but must have
aimed high, and nc shot wounds were
afterward found on the body of Roberts.
But IL seemed as though the murderer
had been struck and IN a vital spot for
suddenly Roberts reeled, fell backward
and was a heap in the bottom OF the
beat Fearing even this might be a ruse,
the squire" ordered Harry Crone. 4
barber and night watchman OF 81. Mich
els, to blaze away with a revolver.
Negro Waded 10 Boat.
Shoot low at the boat; put the bullet
through him. Wiley yelled. Crone fred,
but. as afterward learned. did not hit
the boat The men waited almost breath
less for some moments, not a sound or
movement coming from the boat. which
foated slowly farther and farther from
The shore. Finally the negro driver.
Charley Paine, who had brought the posse
close 20 the creek In a wagon. was
brave enough 20 wade out 10 the fat
bottomed skif. As soon as he got near
the boat he shouted:
'Sho. guess he's dead"
The negro brought the boat 70 shore.
and il was found that the body OF Rob-
eFts was Hfeless, a bullet having pierced
his heart and gone straight through his
body. It was plain that the man had
shot himself
Poison in His Hand
One OF Roberts hands gripped his re-
volver and the other held a bottle OF
poison, afterward disclosed 10 be aconite.
When Roberts pockets were searched.
four letters were found in them. fully
bearing out the theory not only that he
had taken his own life. but also that he
had planned for some tine before 10
commit SUICIDE. These letters. not con-
sidering the tragic death OF the man him
INAAf AAA AAAoAA AA-E EEA41AHUAAA AENEAD
OF the day But conclusions drawn from
the contents OF the missives may be all
wrong.
The authorities are tonight inclined 70
believe that all four letters were written
by Roberts after the murder OF Mrs
WOOdin and after the finding OF TIE body
for the precise purpose of throwing the
detectives OF the track. IN other words,
the authorities doubt the truth OF the
letters in their entirety. and look upon
them as a cleverly constructed trap IN
tended 10 catch and hold his pursuers.
Real Name l. Eastman.
The letters Indicate that Roberts real
name is not Emmett z. Roberts. but, with
initials. Robert E. Eastman. This
may be really his name. as is borne out
by the report that a broker. r Z. East
man, failed in New York for $5o0oO. and
then strangely disappeared.
II IS the evident purpose OF the letters
10 make il appear that when Mrs Woodm
was cruelty killed Roberts was not alone
with her, but that an orgy was then in
progress IN his bungalow on Broad Greek.
Roberts in one letter addressed 10 his
wife as Mrs. r. z. Eastman, goes on 70
say that besides himself and Mrs Wood
III, there We're AT his shore cottage the
night Of the murder two other women and
two other men These persons are de-
seribed as living 81 Annapolis and Bal
timOre. These letters. whether deslgnedly
or not, make the mystery sll the deeper.
Woman Killed on Sunday.
Roberts in his letters describes the mur-
der Of Mrs Woodlll as taking place N
the bungalow Sunday. He paints a pic
ture OF the actual killing. writing that
one OF the other women in a drunken
and Jealous frenzy struck Mrs Woodm
on the back OF the head with a cham
payne bottle. Then. he says. all the
others fed. leaving him alone IN the
bungalow with the body.
he tells in his letters the story OF how
he placed the body on the bed in his
bungalow and then, in distraction,
dragged It out across the porch, dropped II
1n the ground. picked II up. carried II IN a
4 little way IN his arms, placed Il m a
wheel barrow. wheeled II TO the boat land
ng, put Il IN his launch, tied an iron
kettle loaded with bricks to the corpse
10 sink n, and az last he lowered Il over
board into Broad Creek
This description is too realistic to be
without basis. IN fact so much so, States
Attorney Turner accepts It as q true
story OF the disposal OF the body by
Roberts after he had killed the beautiful
woman by striking her from behind with
4 club
Looking for Companion.
But while the authorities are skeptical
about the whole story OF the orgie in the
bungalow they are not diregarding IL
altogether. To-day the coroner's
Jury adjourned. waiting for more
evidence" The police electives Of Bal
imore and the police Of Annapolis were
Of the statement in these let
ers indicating that TWO women and two
nen. supposedly from these two places.
we're present when Mrs. Woodin was
EIled.
Various small circumstances. seemingly
1earing out the letters, were also COM
nunicated to the detectives.
WnKEN'c VnTrES uEAp0