The sun., 1909-06-29
JURY MILD WITH EASTMAN
REfI SES TO SAY BLUNTI.Y THAT
HE WAS A MURDERER.
Some Of the Coroper's Men Insist There
was some Truth In Letters WIFE Be
llc,cs Story-Foster Father Admits
the stain on Mrs. WOodlil's Birth.

llc,cs Story-Foster Father Admit,
the stain on Mrs. WOodlil's Birth
ST. MIcHAELs. Md. June 2s.-Afte,
hearing number Of witnesses, none O
whom gave any testimony which sheo
enough additional light to remove tn,
doubts existing in the minds OF some O
the members Of the Coroner's jury, tha
tribunal rendered a verdict this eyenins
which set forth that Robert E. Eastman
killed Edith May Woodill or was an ac
cessory TO the murder.
There were four jurors who were moi
altogether satisfied that Eastman deal,
the blow. They argued there must be some
truth In the letter Eastman had writer
to his wife and in which he charged thu
crime upon others II was in Difference tt
their conscientious soruples that the other
eight members consented to a oom-
promise verdict. and hence the addition
.or Was an accessory
The inquest began this morning. After
q thorough inspection Of the bungalow
Broad Creek. in which the body Of Mrs
Woodill was found. and the land surround.
ing the house the jury went to Mcdaniel
where additional witnesses were examined
this afternoon.
The jury on its arrival at the bungalow
made an inspection and then began the
hearing Of witnesses. John Jump. the
nearest neighbor to Eastman. who lives
across the creek. was frat called, but
brought out nothing new.
William Sutton told Of approaching the
bungalow on Sunday afternoon. He
said that he heard voices. but did not
approach near to the house, as he realized
It was no place for him. He declared that
he recognized one voice as that OF Mrs.
Woodill and that she was speak king in con-
versational tones A horse and buggy
belonging to George B. Taylor. a livery
man at Mcdaniel. was standing outside
the house. A rein had dropped over the
horses back and he stopped to replace
it before he left.
George Powell. another witness. de-
clared that he called at the bungalow on
Sunday afternoon. Eastman met him.
but did not ask him into the house. This
was the first time he had been inhos-
ptable. Taylor's horse and buggy were
then in front OF the house. He heard no
voices and saw no one. Powell spent the
day with Sutton. He declared that he
saw no one enter or leave the bungalow.
This seems to confirm the theory that
Eastman's letter to his wife accusing a
woman Of the crime was written in an
effort to clear himself. None OF the other
witnesses gave any evidence that was
material. Their testimony related prin-
cipally to the movements Of the murderer
Among others called was Eastmans 8
widow, Winnie Bradcombe. who testified
hal oh Nu1Q VII hnr
wedding ring in which was inscribed
4. f. E. to V. B. Some OF the jurors in
sisted upon seeing her marriage certifi-
cate, but she had left It at Easton. What
she wanted was her husbands effects.
but the jury. adjourned without having
passed upon this question. The foreman,
who has possession of these goods, de-
cllnes to give them up. He was called
up',l to pay the undertaken for funeral
expenses.
Eastman's widow accompanied the Coro-
ner's jury to the bungalow and grave of
long tiresome trip and during the time
the inquest was in progress she did not
shed tear When she caught sight Of
her husbands desolate grave she gave a
shudder her shoulders, ,quivered and abe
had to be half supported by her kinsman.
Peddler.
President Dodson Of the Citizens Ma
tional Bank to-day refused to honor a
draft for $50 drawn on the money found
on Eastman's body. II was said that to
do SO would acknowledge Mrs. Eastman's
claim to all the money and the fact that
the legality OF her marriage had been
1t developed to-day that Eastman
had been married before he became the
husband Of Winnie Bradoombe. Mrs.
Eastman told several persons that her
husband had married early in life in
California and that his wife died in child
birth. To some Eastman himself said
the child had lived to be 8 years old.
There were other reports that the boy
lived and Is now 2S years old.
Mrs. Eastman. the widow. was asked IL
Eastman left any relatives. She said
that he had two half-sisters living. but
that she thought her husband had not
DO you believe what your husband
said in the letter left for you-that Is,
that woman killed Mrs. Woodill?' Mrs.
Eastman was asked.
Il think the letter must be true she
said. -or why should he have written i?
Just when he was on the brink of death.
He would have wanted to die at least
With the truth on his lips.
Il have no way OF knowing whether
Mr. Eastman had ever met Mrs. Wood
before she came to Talbot county. To
MY hIlOWltukt uc bdSi hcNci hhoVh AOi
before. He said In the letter to me that
he had known her only three weeks.
Why should he have sent this II 1t was
untrue?
Yes. you can say for me that believe
Mr.. Eastman told the truth In the letter he
wrote me.
4 only heard from my husband once
after he ran away from New York. His
letter was marked from Philadelphia last
April. In II ha said that he wanted to get
himself straight with the world. My hus-
band and parted very soon after our
marriage. He was in financial straits
in Wall Street and for some time contem-
plated skipping. He was often depressed.
and talked of suicide. Referring. to the
subject of destruction he said to me
that some time he would go down the
river instead OF up"
Robbing Mrs. Woodill's life Of the poor
glamour Of romance which had been at
trbuted to It and upsetting. the theories
and beliefs OF many OF the neighbors as TO
her parentage, Col. Charles II. Thompson,
III. man who adopted her. admitted to-
day for the first time that she was an
ilegitimate child.
DTCKV