The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-03-27
LAWYERS AGREE
TO LIMIT THEIR
CLOSING TALKS
Estes Declared Couch Was
Driven 10 Act,
TESTIM MONy RlDICULED
Daughter Taught to Hate
Father He Says,

Featured by dramatic ut,eranees, Joe,
= Estes address to tho jury in the
Couch case--,he closing speech for the
defense began in Judge Clark's court
TIN, morning at II 70 O'Clock. When
court adjourned at noon the attorney
had just completed recitlng Hamlet's
,oIlpquy
Driven to Act, He Says.
Il expect to marshal the evidence and
show that at the time he killed Nellie
Dunn the defendant, was drive, on by
an irresistible impulse and didn't know
what he was doing" declared Mr.. Estes.
Mans mind is part OF God him.
self II is a mystery because il is a part
of the divinity" he, said.
There IS no question about John
Couoh's killing Nellie Dunn. the ques-
ton at issue is his mental condition
when the act was committed The state
must prove beyond a reasonable doubt
that the defendant was OF sound mind
at that time
Testimony Ridiculed.
testimony OF DR. ! +. Cray alienist
.ot saltwater. who testified for the state
Yesterday afternoon, was rdiouled by
the attorney
County Attorney Selby will make the
concluding speech IN the case. Il 10
likely that the case will be in the jury's
hands by 4 o'clock this afternoon.
Though not limited in presenting Tho
Arguments the attorneys have tenta.
lively agreed on three hours to a side.
Homer Hurst oi counsel for the de.
tense preceded Mr. Estes.
Letters Discussed.
With the letters in his hands which
the state introduced 10 prove threats
against the lives OF Miss Dunn and
Rowland d. Williams, Mr.. Hurst said:
III these letters had been found on
the street wlthou, knowledge of the
idea that prompted their writing any
person would say that the writer was
crazy, Tor no man unless OF unsound
mind would have written them. matters
not whether the contents are true or un-
true
Taking the letter introduced ye,ter.
day. written TO little Mary Couch by
the defendant, Mr. Hurst declared that
the passages showing parental love
were the writings oi a sane man and
the res, ol /, the wandering thoughts
OF an insane person
Taught TO Hate Father.
Little Mary Couch does not hate
her dad on her dads account. she has
been under influences ,ha, taught her
TO hate him, under normal influences
she would love him and not hate him
mo matter what he had DONE asserted
the attorney
Touching on the testimony OF the inc
sanity experts Mr.. Hurst called atten-
ton 10 the fact that Doctor West said
on the witness stand yesterday that only
insane people commit suicide, while a
momcn, later Dr. Gray took the posi-.
ton that only sane people take their
own lives.
Passing ~ the De Tar letters and
two unsigned notes written 10 the de.
icudant al Erie, Pa. with reference "a
the visits ot his little daughter 10 the
Williams studio. the attorney asked
III there was no apprehension on the
part ol the deicndan, that immoral prae.
uccs were being carried on at the studio
before he left here why then the let.
letters
v, doesn., matter whether such a con.
diilon existed. 1t is sufficient IL the de.
iendanl believed It did"
Answers Prosecutor.
llw defendants tears come from Q
wounded and torn soul and a diseased
mind they are not crocodile tears"
said The lawyer Judge Day had said
m his atsumen, that Couch's weeping
was plea for sympathy.
Mr. Hurst declared ,ha, /, WAS moi
il.r province Of jury 10 punish an
irresponsible person
God alone mus, punish them" were
his words
u hont blame Mrs Couch for hss
tccc,,sssa en reg rvs)