The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-06-25
MURDERER or THE BEAUTIFUL
MRS. WOODILL IS BEYOND
REACH OF THE LAW
Hemmed in On All Sides Roberts Either Shot to Death by One
Posse or by Ills Own Hand Near Scene of Tragedy-e May
be Robert Eastman of New York; Young Victims Life
Was Filled With Romance

st. Micheal's, Md. June 25.-Dead
either by the shots of sheriffs posse
or his own hand. Emmett z Roberts.
the accused slayer OF beautiful Mrs
Edith May Thompson Woodin, pro.
tege of Lyman ]. Gage, passed beyond
the reach of the law today, and with
his death vanished the hope of clear
ing up the details Of one of the most
shocking crimes the state OF Mary
land ever has known. With the lips
Of both victim and slayer sealed. the
story Of the night struggle on the
lonely bungalow on the shores of a
tidal inlet of Chesapeake bay. the
story OF the mad efforts of the SLAYER
10 conceal the identity and dispose
of the body OF the woman, who al
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 deed,
may never now be told.
the mystery of Mrs. Woodill's an
tecedents. her brilliant prospects and
accomplishments. her beauty, and the
prominence Of her foster parents and
relatives, and the brutal manner OF
her Geath had created an intense SEN
sation in themselves. which was fur
ther heightened by the death OF the
man in whose company she was last
seen.
Roberts, who was little known here.
is believed now 70 have assumed that
name. Robert E. Eastman is believed
fo Gaz bie linz,
10 papers discovered today.
For dramatic features, the death of
Roberts could hardly be surpassed.
night-the half hour of darkness just
before dawn-that the posse came up
with their quarry. who had during the
night taken to a row boat and d-sculled
up Back river.
Hemmed in on all sides. Roberts
tried 90 sneak out through one OF the
branches of the creek but the slight
noise made by his oars was detected
and the watchers saw the dark form
Of his boat on the water There was
sharp command to halt, which went
unheeded then another command,
Then Roberts fired whether at him.
self or al the posse IS as yet unknown.
In answer to his shot the posse sent
q fusslade in the direction OF the
boat The manhunters then rode out
to the skiff cautiously. and found Rob-
erts lying in the IJttom dead.
Thus eliminated the most sensa
tionaI tragedy enacted in this state,
with ramifications that have become
countrywide in extent through the
social standing and charming person
aIity Of the victim. Jealousy may
have been the motive.
Where and under what circum.
stances Roberts and Mrs Woodill met
Is not known, but they seemed to have
been Immediately attracted to each
other Little is known here regard
Ing Roberts, which name he gave
when he came to this region about
month ago and purchased a small
farm near Captain Thompson's place.
He claimed TO be a magazine writer
and newspaper correspondent. He
was polite and affable in manner,
made friends readily, but never dis
cussed his affairs.
Whether the mans real name is
Roberts is doubtful. The finding OF a
letter near his body. and a deed adj
dressed TO Mrs. Robert E. Eastman,
care of Geo. B Turner. ito be called
for aroused this doubt. The letter
began:
"Verni (who is believed TO be his
wife) the enclosed keys are several
you will need to examine my proper
tv. / owe seventy cents TO William
Sutton, neighbor | owe So TO Wm.
Norris, Easton, Md. Pay them both, b"
The note has no date and was writ
ten in lead pencil II was stamped,
but had been opened. Nh. Taylor,
with whom Easton. or Roberts. board
cd, got a let0r some DAYS ago from
L. B. Wellington. from the New Will
lard. Washington. In which inquiry
is made after Roberts. Mr.. Taylor
wrote TO the hotel. but the letter was
returned with the statement that Wei
liDgton had left,
Later Roberts said wellington was
an uncle and lived In Denver. He
also stated at different times that he
came from Denver
The coroner has I'm his possession
q letter found on Roberts. or East
man, as he IS now supposed to be, ad-
dressed 10 Miss Winnie Bradcombe,
care Klaw and Erlanger. New York.
in which the writer asks the girl to
come down to Maryland to take charge
Of ais body and property. as he in
tended to commit suicide. Eastman
added that he had been out In boat
with four other people, two women
and two men and that all had been
drunk except himself and one girl;
that one Of the men struck girl over
the head with a wine bottle and had
killed her
The letter throws a distinctly new
light on the situation, but the authorl-
ties are not prepared to accept this
theory OF the murder.
Mrs Woodill. when last seen. was
olonc IN Roberts company A letter
found in the Roberts bungalow, dated
Juno 16. Indicated there had been vis-
i,ors and a possible party at the place
carly last week
The letter was dated from Easton,
Md. and said:
Ryan and Short" together with the
writer. 'Howarth" would be down At
l2 O'Clock that night. ana wopld leaye
shortly afterward and were sorry Rob