The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-01-20
OFFICIALS ARE
UNCERTAIN OVER
ACTION TO take
Fain Is Willing to Turn Pris-
oner Over TO County,
SELBy TO FILE O CHARGE
Information TO Accuse Man Of
Murder of Williams.

Legal questions are keeping 'chn
Couch in Guthrie II County Attorney
Selby and the United States district
attorney we're sure the transfer of the
prisoner from custody OF the United
States courts to state courts was en-
tirek free of legal difficulties he
would be brought back 10 Oklahoma
City promptly TO be arraigned on
charge OF murder OF Miss Nellie Dunn.
As il is Couch is still held in Guthrie
to be arraigned Monday on charge OF
misuse Of mails y
Consultation Held.
Until last night County Attorney
Selby and other lawyers we're in con-
sultation on the prosecution of Couch.
Ed s. Vaught, attorney and president
OF the chamber Of commerce has been
retained to aid in the prosecution.
United States Attorney John Fain Is
Wiling 10 turn Couch over to county
officers that he may be tried for the
more serious crime But today tire p
lawyers we-c not yet certain that 2
prisoner might be legally released
from the custody Of federal officers
when he is held on a federal grand
Jury indictmen, to county officers be.
fore United States Judge acts.
Fear Of Nistaks.
The county officials fear that il they
brought Couch here irrepularly law
yer for the defense might secure his
release on writ of habeas corpus
Days-even weeks--may pass before
the status Of John NJ. Couch, alleged
SLAYER Of Nellie N. Dunn and suspected
Of the murder OF Rowland d. Williams
here last Thursday. is changed. =!
present he is a prisoner in the federal
jail al Guthrie, held on capias war.
rant based on an indictment returned
against him by federal grand jury AZ
Enid last Sentenber in which Couch
!, charged with sending obscene letters
to Miss Dunn
Will File Charge.
County ATTORNEY Selhy stated this
morning tina, he probably would issue .
second warrant against Couch this AIT
ernoon. charging him specifically with
1 slayinR Williams in his studio on West
Second street Williams was killed
about a half hour after Miss Dunn was
,ho, down in a hall near her school,
room at the Wheeler ward building. :.
United States Marshal T. Q. Newell
has stated on several occasions that
Couch will probably be arraigned Mon
day morning before Judge John n. C4s
teral. who has been holding court in
New Mexico in lish OF federal dts
trict Judge who died there recently, he
is expected to return Sunday or Mon.
day and to open court by the first Of
next week
win Be Held.
II was indicated this morning by
John A. Faiu, United States district at
: torney. however, that Couch will prob
|, ably be held for several days before no
, is arraigned-if he is TO be arraigned.
Mr. Fain would make no direct state
ment this morning, but he said, when
!, questioned abou, the proposed arraign-
ment. -.
c 81 cannot say when Mr.. Couch viii
r face Judge Co,teral. The Judge will be
{ very busy with other arraignments ana
c court matters so that the Couch arra'gn-
Il ment will have to wait is turn. II may
: be Monday, and il may not.
= May Postpone Action.
This statement is taken TO iudicsts
! that Mr.. Fain, who has already ex-
pressed his sympathy with county otfi-
GERS in their desire to secure posses
sion Of Couch in order to put him Oh
trial for Miss Dunn's murder, intend!
to postpone arraiRning him In fedora!
court until mob sentiment here has died
down. Then, II is thought, Couch will
\ he quietly smuggled into Oklahoma
CITY, served with the warrant sworn
= cut by County Attorney Selby charging
him with Miss Dunn's death. end tbet!
place him in the county jail and guafd
q him with heavily armed deputies, os
. take him unostentatiously to the stet(
penitentiary At MeAlestes Tor sale
keeping. until time for his trial hAl
come. .n
y Confsssioa Dsaisl.
s Rumors from Guthrie reaching hes(
~ this morning were TO the effect th<l
|e Couch had confessed To the murder d
II Miss Dunn. Owing to lhe federal cen
" sorship on the prison. however, thii -
T. port could not be .coaiisasd.
,e United States Masshal Newell ~
., phcned again to ths jailos q lhe feAs(o
ly sil and Impressed upoa him he ~
se necessity oi nst ellp&bag visitors 10 -
the prisoner - ~ - V kMcwe Cso9!
o. has not evea 'foe>ooe4 ~ Attorney. -
is 10 qno,ed - soyjet 70 lsIlow pEieoo9s
&c that Ne dM ~ )l5nk ~ sesviess q
y 'T,s. Ever p,' .;ss: 3:esA - ~ cs,l,
y, chs ufieur ios ~ kee- H1ehIap ~ ~
&, cry line. ensaos1 \ ~ 0n1 ~ -
:. muddy eosstsy rSpA sn q