Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-07-03

st. Mlclaels, Md, June 26. - The
last tragic chapter in a story Of crime
unparalleled in this section of the
country was written when the man &C
cused of the heartless murder of pretty
little May Edith Thompson Woodill-a
spectre-like form fleeing In a skif
from a posse OF determined relentless
pursuers-stood for a moment facing
the men who had cornered him on the
waters of narrow creek, then fired
bullet crashing into his heart and fell
lifeless lump into the bottom of the
boat which he hoped would carry him
TO landing place where fight might
be possible.
Taking his fate into his own hands
and blotting out untold the story OF
the death of girl who had moved In
the highest social circles-who had
been a protege of Lyman J. Gage and
of former Governor Frank Brown of
this state-the man known here as
Emmett L. Roberts, but who tn reality
was Robert Emmett Eastman, a failed
broker of the Consolidated Stock Elk
change of New York, passed beyond
the reach of the law, and with his e
ing there vanished the hope of clearing
up the motive and the battling details
of this strange tragedy.
Letter Tells of Alleged Orgy.
A letter found upon Eastman's body.
addressed to Miss Winnie Bradcome in
New York, gave Eastman's ill-sustain-
ed excuse for the crime. It was
rambling account of how he had been
out in a launch with party of men
and women, all of whom had been
drinking to excess with the exception
of himself and Mrs Woodilf; OF how
one of the women in fit OF Jealous
frenzy had attacked Mrs. Woodfll with
a wine bottle and killed her; how the
remainder of the party had taken to
! flight leaving him to dispose of the
body, and how as a means of escape
from all Of his troubles the writer had
decided to end his life. Eastman
asked Miss Bradcome to hurry to
Maryland to take charge of his body
and his property Miss Bradcome Is
Eastmans wife. They were married
In 1908, and lived together only a
week
! Heard Merrymakers In Bungalow.
! A witness has been found who over
| heard the voices of several persons
merrymaking in Eastman's bungalow
Sunday afternoon. The witness is said
! to be interested in religious work AID
was on his way to see Eastman about
a meeting to be held Sunday evening
which the man had expressed a desire
to attend. Among the voices of the
women in the bungalow the witness is
said TO have recognized that of Mrs.
Woodill Hearing the merrymaking,
the man did not stop to see Eastman.
or Roberts as he knew him.
AS for motives. many have been adj
vanced. That Eastman was infatuated
with the girl was well known. She in
turn, it would seem. was fascinated
by him at times and possibly fright
ened by his attentions. In a note ad-
dressed to Dear Wobby." declining to
see him at the particular time, but not
wishing TO anger him, she said;
ct is only an intermittent delirium.
anyhow, and you had better go and
wash your dishes"
After this Eastman evidently pre-
vailed upon the girl to visit his farm.
which was near that of her foster
fathers, to see the new bungalow
which he had built. The girl met
Eastman Saturday, was seen to leave
the Mcdaniel wharf in a launch with
him, and Wednesday her nude body
was found floating on the surface of
Rose creek, crudely tied to rope and
Weighted with iron and bricks. There
were evidences of a struggle in the
bungalow "a bloody sheet some
blood stained boards, some half-burned
clothing-but the real story Of the
bungalow can never now be known,
Womsn's Percentage a Mystery.
The meeting of Eastman and Mrs.
Woodill. wherever and whenever 1T oc-
Cured, brought together two oddly
suited figures, and the tragedy brought
|, to an end two strange careers. Mrs.
Woodill although twice married, was
but a slip of a girl. Weighing only
about 100 pounds. Where the girl
, sprang from. who her father was and
what should have been her proper sta
tion in life are clothed with much OF
the same deep mystery which sur
rounds the details of her death. She
was adopted by Colonel Charles H.
Thompson. q well-to-do farmer Of the
eastern shore of Maryland. nineteen
, years ago when she was a tot of
three. The baby was in the custody
p of a Minneapolis street car conductor
and his wife. who said they knew moth
b ing Of her parents,