Evening journal., 1913-12-23
WOMAN HID
Is YEARS In
MANS OFFICE
Strange Story Revealed By
Death Of Melvin H. Couch,
New York Lawyer
WIFE FORBIDDEN TO
PASS THROUGH DOOR
By The United Press.

by Ihe United Press.
MONTICELLO, N Y, Dec 2S.-"A
woman gives; always gives and sac
rifices all when she loves. And /
am but a woman"
This was Miss Adelaide M. Brance's
answer today to one Of the most re-
markable stories of Illicit love, TO-
nance, self-denial and tragedy ever
unfolded on the pages of life.
In the little cemetery of Monticello,
early today was an open grave. II
awaited the body of Melvin II. Couch,
former district attorney Of Sullivan
county, a lawyer Of repute, respected
by his townspeople and man whose
private life was believed to be above
reproach.
But as the funeral was in progress,
as the relatives and friends gathered
to pay their last respects to the dead,
the spectre of this mans life, revealed
only by his death, lowered near.
Every precaution was taken to pre-
vent the woman who had voluntarily
made herself a prisoner in a dingy
! little room OF Couch's once for three
years suddenly appearing in the
midst Of the family.
the sheriff today She is held on a
technical charge Of having taken SO
from the pocket of the man for the
love Of whom she stepped from her
place in the world into the narrow
confines Of her prison that she might
always be near him.
The funeral services today we're
private. They we're conducted by the
Rev. A. J. Waugh, of the First Pres
byterian Church, in the Couch home.
There Mrs. Couch and her twenty
two year old daughter have remained
in seclusion since Sunday when the
death of the father and husband re-
vealed that, while living, he had con-
cealed for fifteen years.
i Remorse failed. Her portion now
lis but sorrow. Denied the right OF
attending the funeral, Miss Brance
was all but hysterical.
"I knew Mr.. Couch was married
when ] met him." she said. Il fee
deeply for Mrs. Couch. To her today
fall the rights Of the lawful widow
She may attend the funeral. But t'
me. though ] was his wife before
God. nothing remains but the scorI
: of friends Of the man l loved AM
D honored."
q Miss Brance has retained much Q
Y the beauty she possessed when sh
4 nrst met Couch fifteen yars ago, Will
r working as a book agent. She is o
{ medium height and of handsome fig
{ lure. Her hair is slightly streakei
. with grey, but her face is still youth
= ful. Her voice is low and musica
' and she talks with every evidence o
= culture.
Telling more of her life today, Mis-
Brance said she was a student of tn
! Oswego Normal School when he
= health began to fail and physician
! advised her to obtain outdoor EN-
= ployment She then began selling
publication. She was then twenty
. three years old and on a trip Z
Monticello, met Couch. "I came from
Cooperstown, where l have a half
brother named Charles" she said. p"
will not tell his last name. My par
ents are dead and I am glad they are
7 do not know Just how ! drifted int
my association with Mr.. Couch, but
! was willing to sacrifice everything
for him" -,
Miss Brance said that for nearly ff
teen years she has lived, virtually
: prisoner, but not against her will, in
t. secret chamber opening from the oihc
of Melvin H. Couch, married, respected
70 former district attorney of Sulliva
: county and associate of Alton B. Parke
a When Mrs. Couch went to her hu'
i bands Office. in the Masonic Temple, yes
iterdav to find his dead body surrounde
Inv an undertaken and county officials
: she demanded that the door benin
n which she had been forbidden to pass b
L lopened. The undertaken, mounting
= lchair. looked over the transom.
Find Woman in Den"
y He saw a poorly clad woman croucf
l. ing in a corner in terror. She cried ths
ishe would come out. When she wake
d into the room and announced her nam
Is Mrs. Crouch tainted and had to be cal
y ried home. She was Miss Brance, an
E. later she told her remarkable story.