The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-06-25
WARD OF LYMAN I.
GAGE VICTIM OF
MURDER
Mrs. WoodilI Killed While on
Visit in Maryland
BODY FOUND IN RIVER
Newspaper Correspondent Named
Roberts Believed to Have Been
Perpetrator of Crime

st. Michaels, Md, June 25.-Mrs.
Edith May Thompson Woodill, wife OF
Gilbert Woodill well known automo-
bile dealer in Los Angeles and long
a ward of Lyman J. Sage, eX-Secretary
of the Treasury, was the victim OF a
murder committed several days ago.
Her body was found in Back Creek,
leading TO the Choptank river near st.
Michaels Wednesday and was identi-
fed yesterday.
Emmett Roberts, a newspaper CORE
spondent was arrested late last night
not far from the scene of tne crime.
He was last seen with Mrs. Woodill,
and is charged with the murder
Mrs. Woodill came here with her
husband recently to visit her foster
father. Col Charles H. Thompson,
who lives a few miles from here. She
was well known socially in Baltimore
and along the Eastern shore. Her
husband went home and she was to
have returned soon. Recently she
had been seen much in the company
of Roberts. whom she had met before.
Roberts was a comparative stranger
in Talbot County. He came here last
Fall and bought little farm near the
Thompson place, where ne had a bun
galow. He described himself as a
writer and newspaper correspondent.
Mrs. Woodill went TO Easton last
Saturday and had some dental work
done. When she left Capt Thomp-
sons she said that Roberts would see
her safely home, as he was going in
the same direction. Roberts met her
at Royal Oak Station with horse and
carriage. and the pair drove to St
hichaels. where they embarked on
Roberts launch and headed for the
little creek that passes their homes
The last seen of Mrs. Woodill alive
was soon after the little launch left
the ST. Michaels wharf.
II appears that when Mrs. Woodill
went 10 Easton on Saturday to have
her teeth treated she had an appoint
ment 10 meet Roberts at Royal Oaks
Station. Roberts got as far as this
place in his launch, and then. missing
the train, hired a team and drove to
Royal Oaks where ne met Mrs. Wood
Ill and drove back TO st. Michael's
/ avoiding the main street and making
directly for the pier where his launch
was tied.
The presumption is that the couple
next went to Roberts bungalow. Rob
erts had evidently been there and had
set the place on fire after leaving it.
| Constables went to the bungalow,
which was not consumed and found
an arsenal of arms of the first class,
/ nn0npb n icon off %, 4
/ iers
No blood stains were found until
they were ready to leave. when they
| found sheet on the bed with large
blood stain, as though the head had
| rested there. pair of corduroy
| trousers like those Roberts is said to
| nave worn when last seen, were also
| found, and contained this letter in
Mrs. Woodill's handwriting and dated
! June 16:
Dear Wobby: Can't come down,
haven't even had my mornings
additions. and | know how men
hate waiting. Why, I'd be afraid
you'd wear out the parlor rug plus
your temper If you tried it. Its on
ly an intermittent delirium any
how, and you'd better go and
wash your Dishes" Even with
out an imagination you must
know that I'll be thinking of you.
Doll Baby
After the body had been found and
suspicion began to point to Roberts,
who has disappeared, and it was af-
terward discovered that he had taken
Taylor's skiff. An alarm was sent
out in all directions, and all day a
search has been made of the swamps
and woods. Police of Washington
and Baltimore also watched railroad
stations and docks.