Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-03-24
Couch Declares Vocal Teacher
Stole Miss Dunn; Studio
Scenes Described.
DEFENDANT BREAKS DOWN
His Mind a Blank at Time of
Double Tragedy, Asserts on
Witness Stand.

! ''iN'@Nil'iA Nll MdICH -J-l OF
more than six hours today John VI.
Couch, on trial for the alleged murder
of Nellie NJ. Dunn, a teacher in the
| public schools here, occupied the wit
ness stand in district court and told
the story of his travels about the
| cUuntry-part of the time under an
assumed name-and his return to ok
lahoma city on January Il. the day
before Miss Dunn and Rowland ID.
Williams, a well-known vocal teacher,
were shot to death within an hour of
each other.
Couch admitted he had talked to
Williams on the telephone an hour
before the vocal teacher was found
dead in his studio to protest against
! Williams permitting Couch's 10-year-
old daughter Mary to call at the
studio with Miss Dunn. The witness
said Williams replied that it was
none of his business If Mary did come
to his studio"
His Mind Blank
Cuoch said he had a vague recollec-
ton of being driven around town in
a taXicab, but after that his mind was
a blank until he found himself in Jail
at Guthrie. He understood he had
been under indictment for misuse of
the mails at Enid, Okla. and that
the only federal Jail he knew of was
at Guthrie"
Under the vigorous cross eXamina-
ton of County Attorney Selby, Couch
testified he had a faint recollection"
of leaving the taXicab in the neigh
borhood of the Wheeler school where
Miss Dun. taught. but would not ad-
NIT he was in the building.
/ Circulated Letters.
an ,rnufIa1
Couch confessed to improper relations
with Miss Dunn and that he had in
tended to marry her as soon as Mrs.
Couch would obtain divorce Asked
why he had circulated five hundred
copies of letter alleged to have been
written by Williams to Miss Dunn,
Couch said he did it because of his
dislike to Williams and not to humili-
ate or disgrace Miss Dunn.
What was your idea in sending let
tors to the school board about Miss
Dunn if you loved her as you admit"
asked County Attorney Sclby.
ITO get her away so that he would
not have any influence over my baby
the witness answered We had fallen
out over admissions she had made to
me concerning improper practices
that occurred in Williams studio
Admits Improper Relations.
Couch swore that Miss Dunn ad-
mitted to him that Williams had been
guilty of improper conduct with her
and threatened harm to his (Couch's)
daughter unless Couch left town.
Couch testified he left oklahoma
after telling Miss Dunn he would re-
turn If his daughter was taken to
Williams studio.
Couch related how he had arranged
with T.. \. De Tar his brother-in-law,
to watch the movements of Miss Dunn
and williams and to keep him in
formed by letter if Miss Dunn was
seen taking COUGHS daughter to the
studio.
De Tar wrote six or seven letters.
lCouch stated, the first of which was
received on October 80, 1916. In this
letter the writer suggested that Couch
return to oklahoma city and take MS
daughter away with him. \ subse-
quent letter read in court read:
'I promised to write YOU if Mary
came to the studio she was here"
No name was signed to this missive.
Missed Baby Daughter.
Witness described his married life
and cried when he began to talk Of
the birth of his daughter Mary. lie
said she had been with him constantly
until she was years old and when
she underwent an operation he nursed
: her at the hospital day and night.
Nellie Dunn went to live at the
Couch home when she was Is years
old. the witness said. Miss Dunn In
troduced him to Rowland d. VIII
liams.
Asked by one Of his attorneys to
relate what his daughter had told him
regarding her visits to the Williams
studio. Couch said:
Mary told me that when she went
there with her Aunt Nellie, Williams
would take her on his lap and fondle
her and that williams and Nellie then
/; would 30 into the studio and leave her
alone. And, daddy. | never heard
them say anything Mary added
Couch then related the story he
said Miss Dunn told him of what had
occurred in the Williams studio.
, Describes studio Scene.
"She said that he gave her drink
of somethng-she thot it was water
but It deadened her and then Will
/ liams had improper relations with
: her. after that she said she felt that
she was compromised and did his bid
ding at all times; she said that was
Q the reason she did not let little Mary
: in the studio" declared the witness.
r At the conclusion of Couchs testi-
mony Judge Clark sustained an OBJ
} lection of attorneys for the state and
/ ruled that all Couch's testimony re-
t lating to Williams and Miss Dunn be
withdrawn.
Mrs. Mary d. Couch. divorced wife
! of the defendant. preceded Couch on
the stand. Mrs. Couch admitted hav-
ing employed special counsel to assis,
/. in the prosecution, Mt the behest OF
members of her family. She also ac-
knowledged authorship of the letter
to County Attorney Selby, in which
she urged that her former husband
l ''be given the extreme penalty for his
/. crimes"
0 At the time, she said. she felt her
) own safety depended on Couch's be-
ling sentenced to death.