The sun., 1909-06-28
EASTMAN WAS AT WITS END

EASTMAN WAS AT WITS End
INFATUATION AND FEAR OF Ar
REST DROVE HIM TO MUHHEH.
Knew He Would Have to Dodse Police
Again and wanted Mrs. weediii - Go
with Him-Lettcrs written 70 eave
His Neck- Buried without Cersmsny.
ST. MIcHAELs. Md. June 37.--Larne Bob
Eastman feared that he was to be ayyssted
and taken back to New York TO stand trial
for grand larceny. He begged Mrs.
Edith Thompson Woodill TO run away With
him. The girl refused and Eastman.
pressed by anger. fright and his nscesd-
ties. murdered her while she lay on the
bed in his bungalow.
That Is the story OF the tragedy which
has come to be believed by the Maryland
the first clear reading Of the
motive. Eastman's own account OF Mrs.
woodill's death. written into the letters
that were taken from his body. has bssn
rejected utterly as the strategem Of .
cunning rascal who schemed to ssve his
own neck by duplicating men who were
his friends in the days when he was sup
posed TO be on the square.
Lame Bob was warnad sAveral days BE-
fore he persuaded Lyman J.. Cages a.
tractive young ward to accompany him
to the bungalow on the shore OF Broad
Creek that he was in danger Of arrest.
The State police are absolutely con-
vinced that the man was In despersts
panic In heap Of rubbish back Of the
bungalow there was found this morning
part OF torn letter. II had bssn ripped
into three or four pieces. A dirty scrap
on which the ink had run bore this writ
ing:
.You were seen In Baltimore Tuesday.
l think the police know
The rest Of the message was gons. torn
away and scattered by the windA. What
remained had b. ground under foot
rained on and ha oliteratsd. u
FITS NH tn. scHE1R.
Little a. It was. though, II threw more
light on the tragedy tnan any single d.
veiopment. Every bit Of Information u
the hands Of the authorities fits squarsly
into o. whole-that Lame Bob. infatu-
ated with Mrs. woodill. murdered her
because she wouldn't dee with him.
He had to take up again the old NE
Of dodging around the world. Of doubling
and twisting and turning to 90 free Of
the police. The leather trunk In his room
was checkered with the labeh Of foreign
hotels, but there was space for more,
and Lame Bob knew almost oertainly
that he would see them pasted on.
His passion for Mrs. Woodill had reAcAsd
such q stage that the man could not bring
himself to take to his heals without AeI.
He .wsa badly, scared by the wax1insp
that had Tsaohs Inn, bot hs dsIaySd M
flight trying to induce Mrs. Woodill TO
elope. When she refused II 70 believed
that Lame Bob lost his head comp]etAly.
went into q rsge and beat her to desth
with tho first weapon that oaizso - IL
hand. an empty champagne bottle.
1t was discovered to-day that he killed
her as she lay In bed The pillow. the
sheets and the mattress had bean burned.
but two pieces Of flooring that Eastman
had removed and hidden in the cellar were
found. They were stained rcd and the
wood OF the post which supported the
floor OF the bungalow was red In places.
although an effort had been made to
shave it clean with a plane.
GOT WARNING LETTERS.
A number OF letters came to Eastman
from Baltimore and New FORK In tho fsw
days before the murder He 50 seldom
letters Of any kind that some Of
his friends joked with him about 1t.
They suggested that he was getting tired
Of the slow life on the old Eastern Shore
and his country friends and would be go
ing away before long, suggestion that
nicked the truth 30 well that Eastman's
jesting replies are remembered here with
Certain It Is that the
never lacked for resourcefulnsss
and craft until his ENHANCEMENT with
Edith woodill muddled his brains. II 10
straight to the point and an interesting
that he began to display
the cunning that had Characterised him
only after Edith was dead and her body
weighted down In Harris Creek.
Lame Bob had besn in the habit Of rum
ming over to Baltimore frequently, that b
to say, once every week or 90. He tav-
elled on the steamer that CROSSES CheeA-
peake Bay between Claibourne and
Baltimore. He was . great patron OF the
ticket scalpers. He used to dawdle ou IL
deck until the gangplank was going up.
sorswing a soalper down Is cents on the
price OF passage. It is believed now tAAt
he was seen and recognised on one Of his
recent trips to Baltimore and that It had
been tipped OF to the polfce that Robert
Emmett Eastman might be found hiding
on the Eastern Shore.
II is positive that Eastman hirbself bad
no inkiink until recently that his ssfreat
had been discovered. He bought eli oS
his supplies IN Baltimore. he purchased
there the best Of his clothing. Lame Dob
vas no great fellow for the country stoes-
keepers. He got hi, wines and whiektsa
from Baltimore, ordering thsm In psrsoa,
md his trips continued throughout ~
residence here.
FORCED TO 90 FOR CASH.
The curious feature Of tbs bustns@ y
Why he took the risk Of going 10 Bsltinnore
the day after the girl was killed, but that
Is explained on the ground Of his nesd,for
nv IL a -