The Washington times., 1913-12-24
SOUL .W|FE'S STORY
OF SACRIFICE TOLD
Decade Of Martyrdom for Love
OF Lawyer Revealed by Doc
tor of Dead Man.

MONTICELLO, N. Y, Dec. 24-The
funeral Of Melvin H. Couch and the
revelations that have followed his death
caused general sorrow here. He was
the best loved man in Monticello.
Convinced that the whole truth would
end the scandal more quickly than half
the truth DR.. J. F. Curlette, brother-in-
law Of Mr.. Couch, has told the story of
Adelaide NJ. Branch's secret life in the
Office Of Mr.. Couch for the last three
years and of a similar life in years pre-
ceding in the old building that was de-
stroyed by fire in 1909
Tells Her Secret.
That story was related to DR.. Curlette
when he was summoned early Sunday
morning to Mr.. COUGHS deathbed. The
woman. hysterical over the loss of the
man whom she had loved, admitted that
there had been secret relationship be-
tween them In the old building extend
ing back for possibly ten years; that in
all those years she had been a self-sen-
fenced prisoner in a small compartment
OF the lawyers inner office.
The mind of the woman" the doctor
said. has been affected to such an ex-
tent that it is feared she will commit
suicide the moment she is alone. For
that reason she has been constantly un-
der the eye of a trained nurse. Though
she has been discharged from the Gus
tody Of the law because District Attor-
ney Cooke has found nothing on which
he can detain her, she is in such a
hysterical condition that she is still an
inmate of the hospital in the county Jail
not against her desire, howeyer-and
will remain there until her lawyer, for
mer County Judge Smith, sells her
mortgages, amounting to $500. and fur
nishes funds on which she can live
Otherwise she would go out into the
world penniless. Even then it is feared
she might end her life"
Rumors Were Bad.
DR.. Curlette's story came at an oppor- /
tlne time. Through the conflicting
statements made by the various county
officials and a poorly managed attempt
to conceal the facts, rumors spread that
an effort was being made to prevent |
the woman from telling her story and |
that she was being detained illegally. |
DR.. Curlette was actuated in part by |
his wish to heed the widows pathetic
request
Let us bury poor Mers> Jdy. let |
-
everything as quickly as possible
DIR. Curiette entered the office of the |
District Attorney after the funeral Men |
and women who had trudged through |
tne slush were returning home. 1t was
almost dark when he walked in. He
volunteered the only account of this af- |
fair that any person would give over |
his own name.
Il give you my word of honor, gentle
men," he said, that no man in this |
town knew of the existence of Miss |
Branch IN COUGHS office up 10 the time !
1 had no idea of it While ten years |
ago there were rumore of his friend
ship for her they died out after she
disappeared.
7 knew he was i'll last week. for I
had treated him for hardening of the
arteries near the heart. Nevertheless
was surprised when I was awakened
on Sunday morning about o'clock By |
a woman half dressed, who excitedIy
told me Mel was i'll.
know2" / asked, as I looked at her
sharply and realized that sh. was not
a member of Couch's famil5i
Never mind now, she answered,
but You will come, won't you?
Il said / would. and when ] reached
Couch's office 1 found him dead. 1
knew at once II was caused BY a COL
lapse Of the artery. The woman was
weeping piteously., / saaid to her:
Won don doIns are Ssrss. mot his wife What are
This is my home she said. cling
ing to me.
i" Go away at once I commanded,
ano i thrust her into the hall
Please. doctor she pleaded. L
can't 20. I have no money. my clothes
are here, and II will cause a scandal
Who are you I asked again
I am more than his wife she an
swered, pushing her way back into the
inner office I am his soul mate She
kept repeating that word soul mate
IN a pathetic manner.
Did His Cooking.
Doctor" she continued. leading me
TO the cubbyhole, look at tins cell You
say have no right here Look at this
place. No wife would have lived there
as I have for three years, doing his
and typewriting bandaeing