Twin-City herald. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1927-1940, 1934-07-21
TheO. Woodward
Answers Statement
Of W. Squire Neal

In reply to signed statement from
w. Squire Neal printed in these col
umns last week, Theo. Woodland of
the Woodland Mortuary, 826 Sixth
Ave. No., issued the following state
ment:
I noticed a statement in the Twin
City Herald, issue of July ID, 1884,
by w. Squire Neal, in what is re-
ferred to as the "Neal-Woodard" con-
troversy. Since Mr.. Neal has pub
lished his Statement" and has very
conveniently omitted some of the
facts in the matter, it is only fair
now in justice to myself that the pub
lie shall have the other side of it.
Consequently, am writing this ex-
PLANTATION. I believe that this oc-
currence on the part of Mr.. Neal is
only one of long series of studied
efforts to hinder me in the operation
of my business, and to make it I'M
profitable for me to continue the same
and thereby forcing me to close it
out.
I was standing in Sumner Field
watching the fireworks display on the
night of July 4th last when Miss Ed
wards met her death there. After
she died, the lady with whom she
had lived came to me and requested
me to take charge Of the remains. I
did not in any way solicit the case.
She further told me that during her
lifetime Miss Edwards had stated to
her that if anything ever happened
to her, to let any undertaken have
her body except Mr.. Neal.
Accordingly, / went to the morgue
with Mr.. and Mrs. Martin, and the
latter signed for the body to be de-
livered over to me. However, we were
informed at the morgue that that was
not sufficient, and that we should get
in touch with the relatives of the de-
ceased and receive authority. So we
returned to the home of Mr.. and Mrs.
Martin, both of whom rode in a car
just ahead of mine. When the Mar
tins drove up in front Of their home,
Mr.. Neal was standing in front of the
house, and he Immediately asked
them for the body. They refused.
Inside the house, Mrs. Martins gave
me the address of the sister of the
deceased, Mrs. Sylvia King, Amarillo,
Texas, and 1 wired her at once and
received authority as follows:
WESTERN UNION
CA394 34DL l EXTRA-B AMARIL-
10, TEXAS JULY 5, 1884 2:3S P. M.
To Woodland Mortuary,
1926 Sixth Avenue No.,
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
"Marie Edwards has enough insur-
ance for service not to exceed two
hundred dollars and railroad fare to
Boley, Oklahoma. Will give order on
insurance for expense. Have county
morgue release body"
(Signed) Eliza Edwards
By Sylvia King.
The body was then taken to my es-
and embalmed by Mr..
Meantime, while the
deputy coroner was at the residence
Of the deceased the following morn
ing, I obtained the address of the
mother of the deceased, Eliza Ed
wards, from the West Broadway Of
flee of the Public Relief, and wired
her Immediately at Boley, Oklahoma.
received no reply. The same morn
ing, Mr.. Neal demanded that l turn
the body over to him and 1 refused.
Several times during the day he de-
the body, finally resorting to
court action, and on the night of the
9Th he came with the deputy sheriff
who took the body and placed it in
the morgue.
About midnight Monday, July 9th,
Mr.. Neal came to my establishment
and informed me, eve are both MAX
ing damn fools out of ourselves, and
what we ought to do is for both Of
US to ship the body away and split
The profits, because the way it is now,
some other undertaken might come in
and take the job from both of u.s."
Mr.. Neal also held out to me the facili-
lies of his st. Paul establishment, and
he way he did it caused me to be-
lieve that he was attempting to
:reate the impression in my mind
that he was willing to give me en-
oloyment If I would get out of busi-