The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-06-24
SuppoSedWashington News
ington Newspaper Man
Suspected of Murder.
VICTIM IDENTIFIED
BY HER DENTIST
Woman Slain Is Former Miss
Thompson-Once Employed
at White House.

ST. MICHAELS, Nd, une a.
The pretty young woman whose
nude and weighted-down body was
fished out of the Choptank river
late yesterday afternoon, was today
identified as Mrs. Edith May
Thompson, the handsome and ac-
compliShed adopted daughter of
Charles A. Thompson, a wealthy
land owner of near St. Michaels.
Together with the identification
of the slain .youn woman, several
startling discoveries were made.
Head Crushed.
The headJ and skull had been crushed
and her features Yautilated almost be-
yond recognition, and identification was
made possible only by means of gold
filings in the teeth, recently placed
there by q young dentist who identified
the body.
The disappearance OF f. E. Roberts,
search OF the mans room which reveal
ed a bloody sheet and some OF the wo-
mans clothing, has aroused this neigh
borhood as nothing in years has done.
States Attorney J. Frank Turner to-
day sent out kilograms asking that Rob
erts be arrested, and charged with the
crime, and at the same time the Balti-.
more police were urged TO search for the
man, as 1t Is believed that he is In
that city.
Sang At White House.
The former Miss Thompson ives at one
time noted as a singer and musician,
and during President Cleveland's Ad-
ministration. was honored BY being CIV
en- an opportunity to play in the White
House, before the President and a party
Of Government officials.
Little is known here Of Roberts, who
came from Baltimore a fe wmonths ago
and purchased a small farm not far
from town.
The last seen Of the woman was on
saturday evening, when she was with
Captain Thompson had fears
for the safety of his adopted daughter
in spite of the assurances of Roberts
that he was confident she had come 10
no harm. Thompson and some of his
neiEhbors made search Yesterday I'm
an effort to satisfy themselves The
result o ftheir inquiry was to come
across the body Of Mrs. Woodell IN the
creek.
Planned 70 Leave.
In the meantime Roberts, who had
been in evidence IN the ncighborhood
since the woman was first missing, and
who did not appear to regard the mat
ter seriously, suddenly became very ac-
tive and took steps 10 leave the coun-
".
He was in st. AIichaels when news ar
rived at o'clock Of the finding Of the
body. He seemed to be very much
agitated, and left at once for Easton
He reached EaStOn Point just a little
too late TO catch the night steamer for
Baltimore, and was greatly dtsappoint-
ed. The EastOn authorities did not
know then that he was suspected OF
having any connection with the muir
der. When they learned this fact this
morning, and made an effort to ind
Roberts all trace of him had disap-
peared. kilograms were sent out broad
cast 10 locate nm, and the police Of
this city were soon on teh lookout for
the man.
Roberts vas a comparative stranger
in Talbot county He went there last
fall and bought q little farm near the
Thompson place and on the same creek.
He at once took up his residence there
and pursued his profession of writing
from that headquarters.
Special Correspondent.
He told this with whom he talked
that he was a special correspondent for
the New York World. He received and
mailed "a great many letters. He is un-
married as far as is known ia Talbot.
He is slightly lame and walks with a
cane
Mrs. Woodell was a beautiful young
woman. She was married two years
ago and moved TO California. In Talbot
she was known as Edith May Thomp-
son. She was an adopted daughter OF
Captain Thompson, and was a musician
of note. She had received a college ed
ucatlon and was an accomplished
woman.
She was in EastOn Saturday, and went
TO DIR. Norman r. SmitheTs. dentist TO
have some teeth fixed. She weighed
about 100 pounds When her nude body
was discovered. it was so swollen and
the face had been so mutilated that it
was difficult to identify her.
Dr- Smithers was sent for, and he
identified her without doubt by her
teeth, which were 10 have been finished
by him this week