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Source:  The Knoxville Journal, November 24, 1959 – pages 1 & 2

Dr. Neal, Figure In Trial, Dies

Dr. John Randolph Neal, who rose to fame in 1925 as chief defense counsel at the Scopes Evolution Trial in Dayton, died in Rockwood Hospital yesterday of pneumonia.  He was 83.

Dr. Neal, who made his home at Spring City, had been in declining health for some time.  He was hospitalized about a week ago with influenza.  Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at Spring City Methodist Church, Rev. Roy Wampler officiating.  Burial will be in Post Oak Cemetery, Roane County.

Talked to Scopes

Dr. Neal was credited with talking John T. Scopes into being the guinea pig in the world-famous “Monkey Trial.”  It was Neal who acted as Scopes‘ chief defense counsel in the test of a state law which prohibited teaching of the Darwin theory of evolution in public schools.  “I didn’t care whether man descended from a monkey or whether the story of Genesis or evolution was true,” Neal once said.  “To me it was a fight for the freedom of teaching.”

Ironically, Dr. Neal‘s death came on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the publication in England of Charles Darwin‘s book on the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection which dealt with the theory of evolution.  The liberal Neal was instrumental through the American Civil Liberties Union in bringing Clarence Darrow, Arthur Garfield Hays, Dudley Field Malone and Bainbridge Colby into the “Monkey Trial” as other Scopes defenders.  William Jennings Bryan jumped into the celebrated legal battle to assist the state in prosecution.  The trial, proceedings of which were published throughout the civilized world, lasted eight days

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in a near-carnival atmosphere.  Scopes was convicted, but the jury did not fix the penalty.

Often Candidate

But Dr. Neal‘s fame was not confined to the Scopes Trial.  He was a perennial Tennessee political candidate, an Authority on the United States Constitution, a former professor of law at the University of Tennessee where at the age of 14 he was its youngest graduate, and was the founder of the John Randolph Neal College of Law, named after his father.  Dr. Neal received his BA degree at UT, his LLB degree at Vanderbilt University and his PhD degree at Columbia University in New York.  Neal was an early fighter for creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority and often appeared before committees of both houses of Congress in behalf of its development.  He has been credited with focusing attention to the valley’s potential to the late Sen. George W. Norris, who was known as the “Father of the TVA.”

Neal often said, however, that the TVA Act came out differently than he had planned. He said it was his idea that TVA be an agency to promote navigation and conservation.  He claimed he argued against power production as one of TVA’s functions.

He ran for governor and US Senator many times. once for both on the same ballot.  He never was elected to either post, but took his defeats philosophically.  “I enjoy the humor of life, politics and everything else,” he said.  “The main thing in life is fighting for the things you want to fight for and if you succeed, all right, and if not, all right.”

He served one term as a state representative and one as a state senator.  During the latter he was elected speaker.

As a state legislator, he was author of a general education bill which created the four normal schools.  The bill also carried the first annual appropriation for UT.  He was the author of the present UT charter.  Another of Neal‘s bills set up the county high school system in Tennessee.

A self styled “liberal but not a radical,” Neal became known as “The Great Objector” because of his many fights against the accepted, order of things.  Until advanced age slowed him down, Neal continued to battle for freedom of teaching, the right of the workers to organize unions, clean elections and fair trials.

His understanding US Constitution was recognized by the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt who called him to Washington several times to consult him on Constitutional matters.

Dr. Neal attended all Presidential inaugurations from Grover Cleveland until President Eisenhower‘s second inauguration.  He loved to travel.  He sailed once to the Skaggerak to visit his brother during US Navy maneuvers.  He’s had his hair cut in Bombay, a shave in Ceylon, and in Singapore he once stuck a hamburger into his pocket only partly eaten because he wasn’t particularly hungry at the time.

Appeared Unkempt

In later years, Dr. Neal paid little attention to his personal appearance.  He often was unshaven, his hair uncombed, his shoes untied, his clothes unkempt.  But behind these visual appearances was a man — a man with a brilliant mind devoted to fight for what he believed was right, and a man with a heart, ready always to help a fellow man.

He is survived by two nephews, John Neal Wheelock, Washington, D. C. and William Neal Wheelock, California; two nieces, Mrs. Harriet Neal, Mrs. Lindsay Neal Wheelock, both of California.

Kefauver Regrets Passing Of Neal

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23 (AP) — Sen. Estes Kefauver (D-Tenn) said today that Tennessee lost one of its most public spirited political figures in the death early today of Dr. John R. Neal, former Dean of the University of Tennessee Law School.