Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-26

llovable character that ever lived. 1t
was no wonder that those who came
in contact with her loved her.
"She was about years of age when
Mr.. Gage first saw her. My introduce
tion TO him was through my wife. Our
acouaintanceship ripened and when we
came east he was an occasional visitor
to our home here.
Gage Impressed
'From the day he first saw the lit
tie girl he took a deep interest in her
and was very much impressed with the
possibilities of her voice. He later
took much pride In her acooInplisiii- si
ments as a vocalist and instrumental
list.
continued Colonel Thompson, who from
the first held the theory that the MUIR
der had been committed by Eastman,
"She knew nothing about him until
she came here to spend the summer
| with me.
Il have heard people say she knew
Eastman before she came here. l am
persuaded that she did not. Their frst
meeting was here.
"Why he should kill her I cannot
imagine. The horror of the thing al
most drives me mad. My child is gone'
torn from me without a warning, bru-
fathers home and l not able to raise
hand to ward off the damnable bloW
of the wretched assassin"
Glad 1t Is Over
As the story of Eastman's SUICIDE
was told him, Colonel Thompson salo;
ut is over, it is settled. l am glau
1t ended this way and that there was
no trial.
Colonel Thompson today received this
telegram from Mr.. Gage:
SAN DIEGO, Cal, June "a. II.
Thompson, Mcdaniel, Md,
"It is horrible. Overwhelmed. Inn
possible to realize it. Have notlIeo
husband. You will hear from him. Can
1 do anything? L. ). GAGE'
The coroner has in his possession the
letter found on Roberts, or Eastman
addressed to Miss Winnie Bradcompe'
care Klaw & Erlanger, New YORK, III
which the writer asks the girl TO come
down to Maryland to take charge OF
his body and property, as ne lnlehueo
to commit suicide.
Eastman added that he had been out
in a boat with four other people, two
women and two men, and that one OF
tha men struck a girl over the head
with a wine bottle and killed her.
Wrote Letter as Ruse
It is believed Roberts, or Eastman,
wrote the letter when he found that all
avenues of escape were being closeu
against him. Evidently he wanted ms
version of the tragedy to be given TO
the world. 1oeora
he had onportunitv to mail it. In the
letter Roberts is said to have declared
that when the horror of the crime IN
the launch dawned on his companions
thew all took flight, leaving him 10
make what disposition he could OF the
body. u,,,,,o-
sition of the authorities would be that
he had done the deed and he sought
to conceal it. He had finally learned
fhat concealment was impossible ana
in sheer desperation was going TO take
his own life. .,a
The inquest over Roberts was helu
tonight. Roberts, or Eastman, VINO ne
is now supposed to be, is described as
a man 40 or 45 years of age. height
| feet inches, stout, smooth shaTen
and with luxuriant hair. He walked
with y limp and wore brace on MS
leg.
Theory Not Accepted
The letter found today throws dis
+inctlv new light on the situatlon put
fbe authorities are not prepared TO ac-
cent this theory of the murder.
Mrs. Woodill when last seen was was
alone in roberts company. The letter
SIU, SaIna in Roberts bungalow dated June
1s indicated there had been vlsltors
and a possible party at the place early
The letter dated from Easton, Md,
saId. s'2van and Short" together with
the writer, (aowarth) would be down
at 12 o'clock that night, but Woulu
leave shortly afterward and were sorry
roberts could not go this tlIne' as
the GIRLS were all at Annapolis. Ihe
,,,,,r5ar is believed to have been COM
mitted last Saturday night, June IT,
Parentage Unknown
with the lips of both victim ana
SLAYER sealed the story of the terri
ble struggle in the lonely bungalow
ON the shores of a tidal inlet OF Ches-
apeake bay; the story OF the mao el-
forts of the slayer to conceal the luen-
titv and dispose of the body OF ele
woman, who though twice married was
still a mere girl in years; the story OF
the scenes preceding the fatal attack
and above ALL the motive for the deeo'
may never now be told.
uTba mystery of Mrs. WoodilIS ante
cadents her brilliant prospects and
accomplishments, her beauty ana the
prominence of her foster parents anu
relatives and the brutal manner OF ner
death had created an intense SENSATION
in themselves which was further
heightened by the death or the man III
whose company she was last seen.
Roberts is believed now to nave as
s,,n,ad that name Robert e. Eastman
undoubtedly was his right name, ac-
| cording to the papers discovered TO-DAY:
For dramatic features the death OF
Roherts could hardly be surpassed. IL
was the blacklist part OF a mooniess
night-the half hour of darkness just
| hafore dawn-that the posse came mp
,Tito their quarry, who had during the
night taken to a rowboat and sculied
UP Back creek.
Fugitive Hemmed In
! Hemmed in on all sides Roberts trled
to escape through one or the many
branches of the creek, but the snghS
noise made hY his oars was deteeteu
and the watchers saw the oarK lorh
of his boat on the water. -
There was a sharp command to halt,
which went unheeded, then another
| command. Then Roberts fred the pul-
let which ended his life.
| In answer to his shot the posse sent
a fusillade l.. the direction Of the boat.
THE man hunters then rowed out to
the sl<iff cautiously and found Roberts
wing dead in the bottom of his boat.
Thus eliminated the most sensational
tragedy enacted in this state, with ram
ifcations that have become country
wide in extent, through the soclai
standing and charming personality OF
the victim.
! Where and under what circumstances
T3oharfe and Mrs Woodill met is not