New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-05
Hysteria Broke
1r,oth, Says Girl
AskinggslOO,OOO
Elderly Chicagoan Told
Edith Ransom She 'sCot
ON His Nerves." Letter
TO Her Attorney Recites
She Was Creel's Secretary
Sixty Year Old Defendant
Wrote Poetic Letters to
Plaintiff. Who Is Only 23

Thus far in the breach of promise
litigation brought by Miss Edith l..
Ransom to recover 100000 from John
B. Woodward. an executive and stock
holder of "The Chicago Daily News"
the attitude of the defendant with re-
gard to his alleged failure TO make her
his wife is expressed only in Miss
Ransom's words. In a letter which
Miss Ransom wrote to her attorney,
Thomas ]. Stapleton, she said, "Mr..
Woodward told me he did not intend
to marry me as he had discovered that
I had very jealous nature and that l
got on his nerves at times when be-
came historical after his quarreling
with me-"
Miss Ransom was secretary to
George Creel, while he was a director
OF the Bureau of Public Information
for the government during the war.
She is twenty three years old. Mr..
Woodward is said to be about sixty, is
a widower and the father of several
children who have reached their ma
jority Though now widely separated
socially, the plaintiff and defendant
are living on the same street-West
Fifty-fifth Stre@-Miss Ransom at the
Hotel Laurelton and Mr.. Woodward at
the Dearborn Apartments.
The Gay and the date of the planned
nuptials, according to Miss Ransom,
were agreed on the very evening Mr..
Woodward first made his promise,
while they were at dinner at the
Hotel Majestic. They we're to be mar
ried on Sunday, June 20, 1920, said the
plaintiff Several times thereafter, it
is alleged. Mr.. Woodward renewed his
promise, the last time in October, 1920,
at Summit, N. ]. 1t was not until two
months ago, the young woman recites,
that her much older alleged fance def
nitely informed her that it was not
to be-
Miss Ransom SAYS that she became
i'll from the disappointment and
heartache and worry" following the
announcement of Mr.. Woodward that
he would not marry her, for she had
been placed in an awkward position,
she said. She had been introduced by
the Chicago newspaper man as his
fancee and he paid all her expenses in
Chicago. And since the alleged breach,
said Miss Ransom, she has been re-
ferred to as "Mr. Woodwards mis-
tress."
Mr.. Woodwar although nearly sixty
letter writer with a poetica turn of
alleged fiancee of twenty three, ac-
cordng to copies of such communica-
tions which Miss Ransom's attorney
has. One of these epistles was written
from Loon Lake, N. Y. in October,
1920. Mr.. Woodward wrote: Dear
Edith-Here am ] where pines and
hemlocks murmur. 1t was Emerson
who said, Give me health and day
in the country and I will make the
pomp of an emperor look ridiculous. 4"
When he wrote this letter Mr. Wood
ward was at the camp of Colonel Grail.
After describing the beauties of the
surrounding country and the comforts
of the camp, he wrote: 81 miss my lit
tie travelling companion very much.
must stop, as the colonel is calling me
for game of golf. Looking forward to
seeing you, with much love.-J. B. w"
Another letter attributed to Mr..
Woodward is in quite different tone.
1t is written on the letterhead Of "The
Chicago Daily News" and dated merely
Wednesday. "You have great versa
tility in letter writing" it reads. "In
almost every letter you write you show
it. Sunday you pictured me as a great,
big, wonderful man. Tuesday l was a
shrimp not fit to continue as your de-
voted pal; on my return to New York
was not to speak to you. Wednesday
was to prepare for the wedding
march. and on Thursday I was a cold
hearted villain, who had forsaken his
princess and was rushing widows and
vamps. Your letters are always inter
esting. and l enjoy reading them i'm
mensely."
Mr.. Stapleton said he had state
ments from persons connected with a
santarium in Summit. N. j., that in
November, 1920, Mr.. Woodward and
Miss Ransom spent ten days there, the
plaintiff occupying room Ia and the de-
PENDANT room IL, and that Mr.. Wood
ward there announced that they were
to be married in the following month.