Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-07-01
Was Cornered by Posse Who
Wanted Him for the Murder
of Mrs. Woodill.
FIRED BULLET INTO HEART
Letter Found on II Body Claimed That
Mrs. woodill was Killed by An
other and Body Left on Hts
Hands-The Woman was
Famous In Many Cities.

st. Michaels, MI. June 25.--The last act
in a mystifying tragedy occurred in the
pale light of tho early morning to-day
when the man accused of the murder Of
May Edith Thompson Woodill- n spectre
like form fleeing in skiff from posse
OF pursuers-stood for moment facing
the men who had cornered him on the
waters OF narrow creek. then fred a
bullet into his heart and fell dead In the
bottom of the boat.
Blotting out untold the story of the
death Of a girl who had moved In the
highest social circles Of Baltimore.
Washington and Los Angeles. beautiful
talented girl who had been a protegc
OF Lyman J. Gage, and of former Governor
Frank Brown, of this State-the man
known hero as Emmett f. Roberts, but
who IN reality was Robert r. Eastman
as the man, failed member Of the
Consolidated Exchange Of New York, thus
passed beyond the reach Of the law
A letter found upon Eastman's body.
addressed to Miss Winnie Bradcom, care
Of Klaw & Erlnneer, the theatrical man
ayers IN New York gave Eastman's III
sustained excuse for the crime. II was
n rambling account Of how he had been
out in q lunch with party of men and
women. all of whom had been drinking
to excess with the exception of himself
and Mrs. Woodill of how ono OF the
women in a fit OF Jealous frenzy had at
tackled Mrs. Woodill with a wine bottle
and killed her: how the remainder Of the
party had taken flight leaving him tc
dispose Of the body. and how a mean.
| Of escape from all Of his troubles the
writer had decided to end his life. East
man asked Miss Bradcom 10 hurry &c
Maryland to take charge Of his body and
his property.
THERE ARE OTHER LETTERS.
Tho authorities. after a thorough in.
vestigation, apparently have cast aside
| THIS theory OF the death Of the girl bu,
in order more fully to investigate the
| Bradcom letter. and other letters which
now are said to have been found upor
Eastman. the coroner determined TO.
night TO postpone until tomorrow an.
other inquest into the death Of Mrs
Woodil The contents OF the additions
letters are withheld
Neither the known movements Of East
man and Mrs. Woodill. nor any OF the
circumstances Of the case. have seem Of
to bear out Eastman's explanation In the
letter which he had no opportunity te
mail. according to the authorities. who
serm to believe with Col. Charles Fl
| Thompson Of Mcdaniel the foster father
Of the girl that Eastman. in whose com
pany she was last seen alive, was re-
sponsible for tho death of Mrs. Woodll
As for motives. many have been ad
vanced. That Eastman was infatuated
with the girl was we'll known. She ir
| turn. It would seem. was fascinated by
him at times and possibly frightened b,
his attentions. In a note addressed Il
| Dear Wobby." declining to sec him a
the particular time. hut not wishing {
! anger him. she said:
1T Is only an Intermittent delirun
anyhow. and you had better go ant
wash your Dishes"
After this Eastman evidently prevail
ID upon the girl TO visit his farm which
was near that Of her foster fathers
to see the new bungalow which he ha<
built Tho girl met Eastman Saturday
was seen to leave the Mcdaniel wharf
IN launch with him. and Wednes
dny her nude body was found noatins
on the surface OF Rose Creek crudely
tied 20 a rope and weighted with iror
bricks.
Mrs Woodrl. the wife Of Gilber
| Woodill. an automobile dealer in Lo
Angeles, who had been on a visit Il
her relatives, had intended leaving II
a few days to rejoin her husband, Il
whom she was ostenibly happily mar
ricd. Jealousy, induced by the fac
that she was so soon to 60 away, 4
~
were evidences OF a struggle in tn
bungalow-a bloody sheet, some blood
stained boards. some half burne'
clothinz--but the real story OF tn
bungalow can never now be known.
TWO STRANGE CAREERS ENDED
Wood,ll. brought together two oddl
suited figures and the tragedy brough
to an end two strange careers, Mrs
Woodill, though twice married. was bu
, q slip Of a girl Where the girl spran
from, who her father was. and wha
should have been her proper station 1
life are clothed with much OF the sam
deep mystery which surround tho dc
, tails Of her death. She was adopted b
Colonel Charles II, Thompson. we'll t
|
land, 10 years ago, when shs was
tot Of three. The baby was In the Gus
, tody OF Minneapolis street car con
ductor and his wife. who said they kne'
nothing OF her parents.
The records In Minneapolis show tina
tho baby adopted by Colonel Thompso
. and his wife was entered in the record
Of adoption as the daughter OF Mai
thew and Zetella Knight WITT Indica
lions seem to point to the fact tina
@ WITT was not her father. Mr. Wood
IL known 20 have advertised recent
In an endeavor to find something d.
= finite OF his wifes parentage,
!, Eastman's identity was establishe
!, through a deed found in his possel
y sion.
s CAPTURE OF EASTMAN.
., The man disappeared late Wednes
u day evening. following the discover
Of tho body and ITS identification