Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-06-30
BODY OF WOMAN FOUND IN
CREEK WEIGHTED DOWN
WITH KETTLE OF BRICKS.
SUKLL CRUSHED BY BLOW FROM
BEHIND-FAcE HORRIBLY
DISFlGURED.
JOHN T. ROBERTS UNDER SUS.
PICION, ARRESTED AND HELD
PENDING INQUEST.

st. Michaels, Nd, June 25.-John
L. Roberts is under arrest in connec-
ton with the murder of Mrs. Edith
May Woodill, wife of Gilbert Wood
ill. an automobile dealer of Los An
geles, California, whose nude body,
with the skull crushed in from blow
apparently delivered from behind, the
face horribly disfigured, the entire
body swollen from the effects of sew
eral days immersion and weighted
dozen bricks, was discovered by boys
who were Grabbing in Back creek not
far from the home of Mrs Woodill's
foster father, Captain Charles H.
Thompson, a few miles from here.
Roberts was with Mrs Woodill when
she was seen for the last known time.
The motive for the crime is a mys-
terry.
Mr.. and Mrs Woodill came here
early this month, the latter with the
intention of spending the summer
with her foster father. Her husband
remained only few days, intending
to return to Los Angeles. From that
time Mrs. Woodill and Roberts are
said to have seen much of each other.
Last Saturday, Mrs. Woodill and Rob-
erts met at Royal Oak and drove to
the landing where his launch was
moored They entered the launch
and Mrs. Woodill was not seen alive
again, as far as has been learned.
Since her disappearance, Roberts
made trip to Baltimore, from which
point a letter was received by Cap
tain Thompson, ostensibly from Mrs
Woodill, saying she was in that city
and would shortly return. Roberts
remained in the neighborhood until
after the finding of the body. He had
previously endeavored to allay the
growing uneasiness of Captain
Thompson in connection with his fos
ter daughters absence, and used the
letter referred to as evidence in sup
port of his contention that she was
all right and would soon return.
When the body was brought ashore
it was so horribly swollen that identi-
fication was difficult After the body
had been positively identified and
suspicion began to point to Roberts,
he visited livery stable here kept
A. H Radcliffe, and tried to hire a
team.
Radcliffe remarked to his partner
that the applicant for the team was
under suspicion but Wiley did not
feel justified in OBTAINING him at the
time. Later, however, he telephoned
the boarding house of George Taylor,
made inquiries about Roberts, and
mentioned that he was suspected of
the murder. Roberts was beside Tay-
lor during this conversation, and upon
learning of the suspicion against him,
he remarked:
IF that is the case l will not go to
Baltimore"
A few minutes later it was discov-
cred that he had disappeared and
that he had taken Taylor's skifr.
Investigation since made, indicates
that when Roberts and Mrs. Woodill
left here they went in the launch to
a bungalow that is being built on
Roberts small farm, near that of
Captain Thompson. and that in this
bungalow the murder was committed.
There was found bloody sheet and
mattress and PORTIONS of a Woman's
clothes, partly burned These have
been identified as. having belonged to
Mrs. Woodill. There were also found
in the bungalow pair of corduroy
trousers, in the pocket of which were
two letters, one believed to have been
from Mrs WOOdill and to have some