The sun., 1903-07-13
LETTER SIGNED "ALICE WOOD"
DEFENDS DIR. WOODS IN REGARD
TO TIE BEST CASE.
Letter Is Received by an Easton Editor
and PurpOrts to Be From the WIFE OF
the Accused Man-Says No Crime Was
tommitted-Is I'm a New Jersey Town.

EAsToN, Pa. July ia letter was re-
ceived Yesterday by j. P. Correll, editor
of the Sunday Call of this city, from Mrs.
Alice Woods wife of DR.. John ID. Woods,
who is wanted in San Rafael, Cal, for for
gerry and grand larceny in the Best case.
The letter was undated. Mr.. Correll re-
fused to disclose the postmark. 1t evidently
came from some nearby town. 1t is no.
ticed that the writer does not use the letter
IS" on the end Of Wood. The Gulick re-
ferred to is her maiden name. The Quick
family in Phillipsburg declare they do not
know where the Woods are. The letter
says:
al implore you to deal kindly toward us
that pure, noble family shall not suffer
more through you. We have not run away
Our attorneys will not permit us TO talk yet.
They want the Bests to drive their nail.
Then if they notify our attorneys, whom
they know, in a few hours or minutes
they can have us. We have committed no
crime. They thought Col Best gave us
about half a million stock. He did not.
The so-called diabolical surgical autopsy
was performed by the County Physician
and Coroner, ordered by William T.. Best, a
son, of Seattle. Wash.
I'VE never treated Col. Best. No, never
The property they speak of finding with
us was a grip only which Col. Best had
given Kathleen, and both the Best boys
acknowledged his letters to Kathleen as
municating with Atlantic City, they made
themselves liable to law and left hurriedly
when they found they were mistaken.
Col. Best died purely a natural death.
They have asserted many things, not one
true, all damnable lies, and we will prove
it. Do you think we would run away when
we are innocent, and let the name of Gulick
and Wood be eternally smrched2 No, sir.
No Gulick ever committed crime. My
sisters are noble women; my father and
mother good people. OF course, | shall
live only to prove each and every assertion
damnable lie and DIR. Wood good man.
He made boyish mistake years ago.
II was more to blame than he. But I
have been burden to him, yet he has
nobly taken care Of me and never given
me one cross word His only fault is,
he is too good. His heart is tender and
he believes all others are good, and there
fore Injuries, himself | shall be hereafter
dead to those love. l shall never see or
hear from them. Tis hard to one who
loves them as l do, but it must be. We
will, however, as soon az the Bests make
their final stroke, wipe from our name
every stain. We owe it to ourselves, our
family. But the tide will turn when the
Best affair is cleared and Best IS domestic,
social and financial affairs disclosed. They
invited it, now let them take it, Because
a man makes little mistake in early life,
everything that occurs after that near
where he is, is not proof he did it. He
IL good, noble and pure. I am nervous
wreck. Any other man would put me in
an asylum
"Oh, Mr. Correl, not for my sake, but
those loved ones at home, give it in bold
characters. Col. Best, it will be proven,
died from natural causes, No physician
or surgeon touched his body but the coro-
ner who ia an undertaken, from the hour
of death until shipped East. He had IT,
This great surgical feat was performed by
order of William f. Best, his son, of Seattle,
Wash The price paid was $3.50.
"We have not,run away and shall not but
defend our honor against these damnable
lies Alfred NJ Best should have taken
little better care of his father in ite instead
of showering alabaster vases OF perfume
now. California won't want the Woods
when abe knows the truth. We are in good
old Jersey and shall remain until cleared.
Yours in sorrow, ALICE WOOD