The Cairo bulletin., 1909-06-25
WAS IN MARYLAND TO SPEND
SUMER-SUSPECTED MAN
is LOCATED.
SMALL BOYS FOUND
BODY IN A CREEK
Woman Was Mrs. Woodill OF Los An
geles- Was Adopted When
Child by Capt. Thompson
Mystery About Parentage.

ST. Michaelis. Md, June 24.-Johl
r. Roberts is wanted in connec
tiun with the murder of Mrs Edit
May Woodhill wife Of Gilbert Wood
iii, an automobile dealer of Los An
with the skull crushed in from a blow
apparently delivered from behind, thu
face horribly disfigured. the entire
body swollen from the effects of sev
eral days immersion in the water
and weighted down with an iron poi
containing half dozen bricks, wa
yesterday discovered by boys who
were grabbing in Back Creek, not far
fro mthe home of Mrs. Woodll's fos.
ter father, Capt. Charles IL. Thomp
son, a few miles from mere. Roberts
was with Mrs. Woodill when she Wa.
seen for the last time The motive
for the crime is a mystery.
Came to Spend Summer.
Mr. and Mrs. Woodill came here
intention of spending the summer
with her foster father Her husband
remained only few days, intending
to return TO Los Angeles. From that
time Mrs Woodill and Roberts are
said to have seen much of each other.
Last Saturday Mrs. Woodill and Rob.
erts met at Royal Oak and drove to-
gether to the landing where his
launch was moored. They entered tan
launch and Mrs. Woodill was not seen
again alive, as far as has been learn
ed.
Since her disappearance Roberts
Roberts made a trip to Baltimore,
from which point a letter was receiv-
ed by Captain Thompson, ostensibly
from Mrs. Woodill saying that she
was in the city and would return
shortly. Roberts remained in this
neighborhood until after the finding
of the body. He had previously en-
deavored to allay the growing uneasi,
ness of Captain Thompson, it was said
about his foster daughters absence,
and used the letter referred TO as ev.
idence In support or his contention
that she was all right and would soon
return.
Body Badly Swollen.
When the body was brought ahora
IL was so badly swollen that identifi.
cation was difficult After the body
had been positively identified and the
suspicion began to point to Roberts,
he visited a livery stable here kept By
Justice of the Peace Wiley and A. II.
Radcliffe and tried to hire team
Radcliffe remarked to his partner
that the applicant for the team was
under suspicion. but Wiley did not
feel justified In OBTAINING him at the
time. Later last right. however, he
telephoned the boarding house Of
George Taylor and made inquiries
about Roberts and mentioned that he
was suspected of murder. Roberts
was beside Taylor during the conver.
sation and learning of the suspicion
against him remarked: If that's the
ease. ! will not go to Baltimore.
A few minutes later IL was discover
ed that ne had disappeared and that
he had taken Taylor's skiff
Found Her Clothes.
Investigation since made indicates
that when Roberts and Mrs. Woodill
left here they went in the launch to a
bungalow that is being built on Rob.
erts' small farm, near that of Captain
Thompson, and that in this bungalow
the murder was committed. There
were found a bloody sheet and mat
tress and portions of a woman 3
clothes, partly burned. These have
been identified as having belonged
80 Mrs. Woodill.
There was also found in tie bunga.
low a pair OF corduroy trousers, in
the pocket of which two letters were
found, one believed to have been from
Mrs. woodill and to have some con-
neetion with the melting at Royal Oak.
The room inwhich these things were
found showed evidences of a strug-
gle having taken place.
Was Married Twice.
Mrs. Woodill is said to have been
married TO Woodill about a year ago.
She is said, also. to have been pre-
Viontly married to a physician of
New York City. whose name. however.
could not be learned tonight. Their
is a mystery. too. about the parentag
of the dead woman. who. Captain
Thompson says, was p years old anl
who was obtained by him when she
was but two years old, from the fam
lily OF a street ear man In MinneAp-