Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-07-06
EDITH WOOD|LL KILLED
IN BRANL, SAYSLETTER
Supposed Murderer Dies in Fight
with Posse or BY His Own
Hand.
WOMAN IS BLAMED FOR CRIME
Roberts, or Eastman, Declares Cages
Protege Was Struck Over Head
with Wine Bottle.

Sensation after sensation has devel-
oped in the mysterious murder OF
Mrs. Edith May Thompson Woodih,
protege of Lyman j. Gage, at st.
Michaels, Nd The first was the death
of Emmett E. Roberts or Robert E.
Eastman, the supposed slayer, who
was followed by a sheriff's posse on
the Back creek at l o'clock Friday
morning, and killed in a fusillade of
bullets. Roberts died either by his
own hand or the shots of the posse.
In his pockets was found letter
addressed to Miss Winnie Braxcome,
care Klaw & Erlanger, New York, in
which the writer asks the girl to
come to Maryland to take charge of
his body and property, as he intended
to commit suicide. Roberts added that
he had been out in a boat with four
other people, two men and two wom-
en-, that all had been drunk except
himself and one girl; that one of the
women struck another over the head
with a wine bottle and had killed her.
Mrs. woodiIps EventfuI Career.
Some facts of the meteoric career OF
Mrs. Woodill, in whose brief life, love
and romance played such a great part,
have been related by an intimate.
friend of the slain woman who said
they were told by Mrs. Woodill her
self Mrs. Woodill said she was born
in Minneapolis about twenty years
ago. Her mother, who called herself
Mrs. Ames, died when she was about
norance of her parentage or forbears.
Mrs. Charles H. Thompson, of McDan-
iel, Nd, then took her and brought
her up, telling her that she (Mrs.
Thompson) was her mothers intimate
friend, but never disclosing to her the
name of her father.
When she was about u years of age,
they went to Washington, where they
lived for some time in the house of
Lyman ]. Gage, who took a great in
terest in her. When she was about
Is he sent her, with Mrs Thompson,
Co Paris, where she studied music,
Mr.. Gage paying all expenses. On her
return from Paris she went to Boston
to complete her studies, and while in
Boston she was married to Mr.. Cas-
well, who was an osteopath. When
she was about II, she went to Balti-
more to continue her studies at the
Peabody conservatory, leaving her
husband. She was known as Miss
Edith Thompson, concealing her mar
riage from all but a few intimate
friends.
In a very short time thereafter she
entered suit against DR.. Caswell for
divorce. She left Baltimore Easter
time a year ago, being engaged at the
time to Harry Adams of Mount Yer
non, N. Y. After a brief stay in New
York she went to California, where in
less than thirty days after her divorce
from DR.. Caswell she married Gilbert
WOOulll, OF Los Angeles.
During her residence in Baltimore
Mr.. Gage sent her checks continually.
some of them amounting to $1,000, and
when she was married to Mr.. Woodill
he gave her $4,000. At the time of her
death Mr. Gage was also building her
house in Los Angeles, with the I'M
Outstanding that he was to come. and
live with her and her husband.
story of the Murder.
A few weeks ago Mrs Woodill left
her home in California to visit at
the home of Capt. Thompson. She
was often seen in company with Rob
erts, who took her for launch rides on
the river. On Saturday, June 10, Rob
erts told Capt. Thompson that Mrs.
Woodill had gone to Baltimore and
would be back in few days. Suspect
ing that something was wrong, Capt.
Thompson gave voice to his belief that
the woman had met with foul play.
Roberts heard of this and disappeared.
A search was made for Mrs. Woodills
body and it was found in Back river,
the skull crushed and the corpse
weighted with an iron post. A search
of Roberts bungalow revealed a bloody
bedroom, but everything indicated that
the young woman had been killed out
side and the body dragged into the
room.
Where and under what circum-
stances Eastman and Mrs. Woodill met
is not known, but both are said to
have been Immediately attracted to
each other.
The alleged slayer of Mrs. Woodill
was Lame Bob" Eastman, Wall
street broker, who failed in New York
last July with liabilities of from $780,
600 to 100000 He was broker on
the Consolidated Exchange. Eastman
left the city and was arrested in Chi
cago on complaints made by persons
who had lost money through his opera
lions. AT that time he said: There
was never a more complete failure
than myself Wall street never wit
messed more complete ruin"