The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1911-01-27
BITTER CONTEST FOR
POSSESSION Of REMAINS
CHAUNCEY L.. A GREAT
FIGHT FATHERS
COURSE IN WASHINGTON COURTS
THEY DESIRE HIS BURIAL Be MACE AT RAPID CITY, S. D
Opposed Mrs Wood Who
Objects to His Being Laid
life.
Seattle, Washington. Jan. 23.-A

Seattle, Washington. Jan. pa
contest for the possession of the
body of Hon. Chauncey L. Wood, of
Rapid City, South Dakota, who died
in hospital here few days ago, is
being waged between Mrs. Bessie
Wood, second wife of deceased, and
two of Mr.. Woods sons by for
mer marriage. The sons are Ben NJ.
Wood. of Rapid City, S. D., and
Buell. r. Wood, of Lennon, in the
same state. They had not been APP
praised of their fathers critical con-
dition until it was too late to reach
his bedside in time to see him alive.
They insist that the body should be
taken for burial to Rapid City,
where he had been an old and hon
ored resident, and placed beside
that of their mother. In their wish
they are supported by all the peo-
pie of the South Dakota town, and
kilograms have poured in upon
them in large numbers urging
them to protest against interment at
any other place. The sons and
their supporters discredit any state
men that Mr.. Wood expressed a de-
sire to be buried in Seattle.
The contest for possession of the
body was carried into the courts
here Saturday. Two orders have
been issued restraining all contest
ants from disposing of the body un-
til further orders of the court.
Masonic services in honor of de-
ceased were held here Sunday.
The body of Chauncey l.. Wood,
democratic leader of South Dakota,
is likely to remain four or five
months in a bronze casket at But
terworth & Sons undertaking es-
Enlistment in this city while the
state and possibly the federal courts
are deciding whether the widow
may bury it here or take it to Rapid
City, S. Oak, his home town.
Judge Boyd j. Tallman, of the
King county superior court this
morning made permanent an order
which was signed Friday night at
his home by Judge Mitchell Gillian,
forbidding the sons, Buell. r. Wood,
OF Lennon, S. OAK, and Ben NJ.
Wood. of Rapid City, to remove the
body from the city. Walter S. Full
| ton, attorney for the sons, at once
asked for an order preventing the
widow, Mrs. Bessie F. Wood, from
burying the body. This was at
once granted
Mr.. Fulton expects to appeal to
the state supreme court as soon as
Judge Tallman makes an expected
confirmation of his decision at a
formal hearing which will prob
ably be held Monday. Then if the
widow should win the litigation.
suit is to be brought in the
federal courts The dispute about
what was to be done with Mr..
Woods body started as soon as
Buell., who is deputy prosecuting at
torney OF Perkins county, S. D., and
Ben Wood, who has succeeded to
his fathers practice in Rapid City,
arrived at Seattle Monday night.
Mrs. Wood was married to Mr..
| Wood In Arizona in 1884, and is
Istepmother of his sons. She had.
her sons say, found herself persona
non grata with the people of South
Dakota. Five years ago she came to
Seattle, where she has a son. Row
Frank, by former marriage, to
i've here. She was visited from
time to time by her husband. He
came in December Intending to re-
main until March. He had been OBJ
Ierated on for appendicitis at the
Il Providence hospital and died there
ION Tuesday, January IA.
The only thing the two factions
were able to agree upon was that
the funeral services should be held
lat Butterworth's tomorrow after
noon. These will be under the us
pices Of the Scottish Rite, the Mys-
tic Shrine and Knights Templars Of
Free and Accepted Masons, OF which
Mr.. Wood was thirty-second de-
lgree member.
/ The lull in the family turmoil
that will abide while the courts are
Slowly determining where Mr.. Wood
shall finally lie comes as relief 10
the Butterworths. They had ar
ranged for the widow to inter the
body in Lakeview cemetery here,
when they got the order OF the sons
70 send the body to Rapid City. No
more had they, taken out shipping
papers than they were served at
midnight Saturday night with tempo