The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-06-26

intended to give the impression that
Mrs. Woodill was in Baltimore. 1t
follows:
Dear girl: A line only, to say I
am we'll and safely landed DR.. Smith
ers fived me up temporarily. l have
an engagement with him for next
week. I'll get all fixed Up in Balti-
more and then if there is any travel
ing to be done, we will dccamp to-
gether. By the way, would you like
to come up now? Just say the word
if you want to. My face is good in
Baltimore.
''Expecting q check from Gilbert any
day to make good. Don't know how
many days I'll stay in town, but you
know where to find me. Write and
tell me all the news. | may stay un-
till telegraphed to go with Edith H.,
! to see the factor girls; am not sure.
Better forward mail which you have
for me- Let me know if there are
any little commissions to be attended
to in town. AS always,
Your baby sister.
"EDITH."
A Mystery.
Colonel Thompson and Miss Carrie
Thompson both declared today that
the letter was in the handwriting Of
Mrs. Woodi, but could give no ex-
PLANTATION Of why she had written it
in advance.
One of the most pitiable figures in
the lamentilble tradcgy is old Colonel
Thompson or MCDANIEL foster-father
Of the murdered girl. The broken, old
man told the story Of the girls life
SO far as he could recall the details.
He had followed her body to it's last
resting place yesterday, beside the
graves of his Wife and son. TO the
foster-brother, lying in the grave next
to hers, the girl had been the ideal
of all that was good and sweet and
pure. He had grown up with her and
learned to love her and it is said
wished her to become his wife. When
she refused, he committed suicide
This is the crowning sorrow of my
life," said Colonel Thompson, as the
tears streamed down his cheeks. Il
have experienced many SORROWS. /
have had many heart-wrecking blows,
but this is the hardest of all to bear"
Tells the Story.
The aged man went on to tell much
of the story Of his own life and that
of the girl. Born 70 years ago in
Connecticut, he came to the eastern
shore of Maryland 16 years ago, buy
ing the farm where he still resides.
The little girl, who became his foster
daughter. was but three years old
,st1,o oh
son, who was at the time charity
worker of Minneapolis. The child was
then in the custody of street car
driver or conductor, who was willing
to surrender her to anyone who could
offer Il better home.
"She did not belong to the man."
said Colonel thompson. Il do not
know who her parents were and | do
not know how the street car man got
her. We decided to take the child
and soon became as deeply attached to
her as If she had been our own flesh
and blood. AS she grew older, the
girl developed the most admirable
traits of character She was a great
favorite and all who came within her
influence We're attracted to her.
,DlDIGl j 1llDlliSOH lDlQ VI lnG SlTl 5
first marriage to q DR.. CasWel or
Crosswell, whom she met in New
York. which union was soon annulled.
He told of her engagement to Harry
Adams of Mount Vernon, N. Y, and
her subsequent marriage to Gilbert
Woodil1, of Los Angeles, to whom she
seemed devoted. Their married life
had been marred by no unhappness.
He told of her meeting with Lyman
J. Gage, former secretary of the treas
ury, and his deep interest in her edu-
cation and the development of her
musical talents.
New Acquaintance.
AS for the man who killed her."
continued Colonel Thompson, who
from tho first held the theory that
murder had been committed by East
until she came here to spend the
summer with me. l have heard peo-
pie say she knew Eastman before she
came here. | am persuaded that she
did not. The first meeting was here.
Why he should kill her I cannot
imagine. The horror of the thing al
most drives me mad. My child is
gone. torn from me without a warm
ing. brutally massacred in the shadow
of her fathers home. and | not able
to raise a hnnd to ward off the
damnable blow OF the Wretched as
assin."
AS the story of Eastmans suicide
was told him. Mr.. Thompson said:
ut is over. 1t is settled. | am
glad it ended this way and that there
was no trial.
Doubt as to whether the mans real
name was Roberts was raised today