The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1909-07-03
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MuRpERER or CAGES WARD
IDENTIFIED AZ ROBERT +. ~ Y
EAsTMAN. VI
DIES TO ESCAPE A POSSE
Mystery Of Mrs. Edith WoodllI's Life,
Percentage and Death, e Deep
ened by Act Of Her
Murderer.

st. Michaels, Md.-The last tragic
chapter in story of crime unparalleled y
|, in this section of the country was 4
written In the half light of an early
summers dawn when the man ac-
cused of the heartless murder Of
pretty little May Edith Thompson
Woodill- specter-like form fleeing In
a skiff from posse of determined,
relentless pursuers--stood for mo-
ment facing the men who had cor
nered him on the waters of a marrow
creek, then fired bullet crashing into
his heart and fell a lifeless lump into
the bottom of the boat which he
hoped would carry him tot landing
place where fight might be possible.
Taking his fate into his own hands
and plotting out untold the story of
the death of girl who had moved In
the highest social circles of Balti-
more, Washington and Los Angeles
beautiful, talented girl who had
been protege of Lyman ]. Gage, and
of former Gov. Frank Brown of this
state-the man known here as Emmett
e. Roberts, but who In reality was
Robert Emmett Eastman, failed
broker of the Consolidated Stock ex-
change of New York, passed beyond
the reach of the law, and with his go.
ing there vanished the hope of clear
ing up the motive and the banning de-
tails of this strange tragedy.
For hour after hour, Eastman, suf-
fering the tortures of the damned for
want of food and water during the
night and day of his hiding in the
marshes of the many shallow tidal
streams which put in from the bay,
| tried to shake of his pursuers.
Hemmed in on all sides, Eastman
tried to steal out through one of the
slight noise of his oars was detected,
and the eagle-eyed watchers saw the
dark form of his boat over the water.
/ There was q sharp command to halt,
which was unheeded; then another
command. Then Eastman fred,
whether at the posse or at himself
is unknown.
In answer the posse sent fusillade
in the direction of his boat.
After the hail OF lead the man-hunt-
ers paused In their work for a mo-
ment. They peered into the darkness
and all was quiet They rowed out
| to the skiff cautiously, but there was
no sound. Alongside the boat they
found their quarry lying in the bot
tom, and look showed he was dead.
A letter found upon, Eastman's body,
addressed louisville. an actress. known
as Winnie Bradcome. in New York,
gave Eastman's ill-sustained excuse
for the crime II was rambling ac-
count of how he had been out In q
launch with party of men and wom-
en-, all of whom had been drinking to
excess with the exception of himself
and Mrs. Woodill; of how one of the
women in fit Of Jealous frenzy had
attacked Mrs Woodill with a wine
bottle and killed her. leaving him to
dispose of the body. 4
The authorities, after "a thorough
investigation, apparently have cast
aside this theory. The first word re-
ceived from Miss Bradcome conveyed
the somewhat bathing information
that sic kHSW uOtuluS VI bdStkudn pus
later admitted being his wife.
Mrs. Woodill, the wife Of Gilbert
Woodill, an automobile dealer in Los
Angeles, though twice married: was
but slip of a girl, vivacious. petite
and immensely fond of pretty clothes.
always Immediately dressed and
weighed only about 100 pounds.
/ xuy, 40 tha otr1 ,propo from oud xuho
her father was, are clothed with much
of the same deep mystery which sur
round the, details of her death. She
4 was adopted by Col. Charles H.
Thompson. q welito-do farmer of the
eastern shore of Maryland, 10 years
ago, when she was tot OF. three. The
baby was in the custody. of a Mime
apolis street car conductor and his
wife, who said they knew nothing Of
her parents.
The records in Minneapolis show
that the baby was entered in the rec
ords OF adoption as the daughter OF
Matthew and Zetella Knight Witt bf
Lewiston, Idaho. Indications are that
Witt was not her father.
A report from Spokane. Wash. says
o woman who 10 supposed to be the
mother of Mrs. Woodill lives near
Lenore. in Nee Perez county. Idaho
She married her present husband
after Matthew witz was killed BY
Henry Grayson.
She married DR.. Caswell. OF
Crowell, believed to be from Boston,
before becoming Of age. The mar
rage was annulled. The girls foster
brother ID said to have committed
lsuicide because Of love TOR her. ~