Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-11
1hf Daily 4ress aud 1asetatan
YAkkTON DAKOTA
---
tuesday Evening, Nov. ", 1879.
rHe covk MURDER CAST.


An Interview. with che Deemed Man aud
Dcadwood Times, Oct. 81.
Martin l.. Couk occupies une Of the iron
cell-, and we had . long conversation with
him. He has been 10 Jail over fourteen
mouths, and looks TO be in good health, bu,
thinks the criticisms Of the press In regard
70 him have been unjust in the extreme.
tie says that all Of the time since his incar-
c~eratitn he has been cheerful and hopeful,
and is yet. When seemingly all hope from
the courts has vanished, he thinks tina,
something may yet turn up that will unrav-
el the mystery of Mrs. Collisions death.
That at no time since that terrible night he
would not have been willing to give up
everything that he has in the world, tina,
the truth might be known ; that if he knew
anything about it he would have told it long
ago. but that he does not, and is in a. much
Ignorance of the parties who did it a. the
babe unborn. His attorney, judge
Brearley, he thinks done him a
great injustice in not permitting
him to 60 on the stand and testify in bis
own defence, that he desired 10 do 30, and
told Brearley time and again of his wish
that he could have explained where he va,
that night that would have been corrobora.
ted by other witnesses, but he invariably
told him that if he could not have the en-.
tire management Of the case he would have
nothing to do with it, and kept telling him
there was no case against him, and that the
jury would not be out two minutes before
they would get a verdict of not guilty. In
that way people had formed an erroneous
opinion of him, and from the fact of his not
testifyjng had concluded that he did moi
because Of his guilt. He hoped to be able
to convince some at least of his innocence
when he would be taken into court to be re.
sentenced, az he thought the court would
then permit him to make a statement. He
had no confession to make, as there was
nothing to confess; he would gladly do &C
if he could, and his manner and earnestnebs
impressed us with It's truthfulness.
The press he claimed, and We guess be
was not much out of the way, had misrepre.
sented him and his action, when he receiy.
ed the news of the action of the supreme
court, that he was greatly. surprised, as he
had always thought that he would get a new
trial but that he did not break down anC
weep, and this was confirmed by those pres
ent. He spoke in high terms OF Alber
Allen his present attorney, and of his per
sistent and determined efforts to obtain
new trial.
Martin L. Couk has not the appearance
of a bad man to us, and We can only hop
that justice may yet be done to the unfortu
nate nan
Mrs. Boughton, who occupies one of tn
wooden cells that opens into the front CORR
der, has comfortable quarters, if such a thin,
can be said of any one in confinement, an,
talked freely CT her situation, the crime q
which she was accused of participating in
the witnesses against Couk and everylhin,
and everybody that have been connecte'
with the tragedy. She has a theory of III
murder and it is a person with whom tn
woman had had trouble in previous years
and Of whom Mrs. Callison lived in deadl,
fear, and of whom she had often spoken
and always as expecting him to come upo,
her suddenly and kill her, had come ii
from the north across the country and ha,
done as he had often threatened to do, an,
had left as quietly as he came; that tn
foot marks left near the house Corresponds,
to the peculiar boots he always wore, an,
she thought it was not too late yet if tn,
proper means were employed, to trace VI
this man and bring him to justice. Tha
she had been peculiarly and persistent,
misrepresented by those of whom diferen
treatment should have Teen expected, ant
trivial n innocent acts Of hers had beef
magni6ed into crimes. That she knew
nothing whatever of the murder or VIII,
committed it; but that she had an abidin,
faith that in the end the truth would com,