The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-01-27
LETTER |SSEAT
T0PROSECUTOR;
RAPS MARSHAL
Former Wife Has Fear for
Herself, Letter Says.
HEARING AT 3 O'CLOCK
Attorney Hurst Says Informa-
tionS Have Defects,

Implying that II her former husband.
John ~ Couch. ever is released from
the custody OF officers. that he will
murder her as he is alleged TO have
murdered her sister, Nellie Dunn. and
Rowland d Williams. local musician.
Mrs Mary Couch wrote a letter to
County Attorney Charles B. Selby thi,
morning in which she indirectly asks
that he attempt to have Couch sentenced
TO death
Asks Extreme Penalty.
t u only appeal to you as weak
woman can only appeal to all officer ct
the law" said part OF Mrs Couch's let
ter, TO see that in this case the law il
fully vindioated, AND IT CAN ONLY
BE INDICATED BY Mr.. COUCH
SUFFERING THE EXTREME PEN
ATTY OF THE LAW"
Her letter in full follows,
"My Dear Mr. SelbyA-I feel so dis.
tressed in this the darkest hour Of my
life want to say something to you
but ! hardly know what TO tay. IL
seems as though | am laboring betwecn
doubt and fear, but after conference
with loved oneS-I mean by this. a
family and friends. want to make this
suggestion on accoun, OF advice that I
have received
Would Waive. Report.
Some have told me that Mr. Couch
| 81 ...I
testimony would be preserved and that
he would then throw himself upon the
I mercy Of tm court and enter . vaes -
guilty and try to secure a sentence OF
life imprisonment thereby escaping tho
full penalty of the law
Now Mr. Selby, appeal to YOU not
to pcrmi, a thing of this kind in this
case. and another thing, Mr. Selby. nv
friends tell me that unless have some
one 10 assist you in this matter that
the Judge nigh: be misled and that
when Mr.. Couch pleads guilty he might
find some mitigation and accept Mr..
COUGHS plea and give him life IN the
penl,entiary.
Means Death. She Sav.
"Now. Mr Sclby, do not want to
offend you, but | am appealing 20 you
as | appealed to United States Marshal
Newell, his deputies and Mr.. Fain. the
United States district attorney, before
my sister was shot to death. ! know,
Mr.. Selby, that you may take the same
view OF this letter that Mr. Fain and
the Uni,edy yStates marshals took when
was appealing to them; but il John
Couch is permitted to 60 unwhipped ot
Justice BY accepting life sentence with
all the probabilities OF escape do not
mean by escaping from his guards. but
escaping by virtue OF influential friends
after he has been IN prison a short
time, il means death to the rest OF us.
II only appeal TO you as weak
woman can only appeal to all officer
OF the law. to see tina, in this case the
law is fully INDICATED, and |, can only
he yindlca,ed by Mr. Couch suffering
the extreme penalty OF the law.
Conference With Friends.
When Mr. Pru,et Withdrew from
the case had a conference with my
friends and relatives and after confer
ing with YOU | had your word that the
assistance of Mr. Ben +. Williams
would he absolutely acceptable to rep
resent my interests. have just been
informed by Mr.. Williams that his
services are not agreeable TO you.
"Mt. Selby, do not want to impuan
your motives bu, your eonduc, in this
case is beyond my ken Why you
should pcrmi, your friendship for Mr..
Fain and United States Marshal Newell
to drive every lawyer out OF the case
,ha, | suggeS, is something | cannot
understand, Now | appeal to you. Mr..
Selby, to le, Mom}n Pruiett, Ben Y.
J Williams. Judge Jean p Day, or Hon.
| J. u. Lydick Shawnee, TO represent me
in this prosecution You may turn Q
deaf ear TO my appeal as Marshal New
ell and Mr. Fam did. and treat II a. q
poor weak. suffering womans whin,
bu, hope and pray. Mr. Selby. that
you will prof, by their mistakes. lot |
say tn YOU that II Il is made possible
for this man TO escape the full penalty
oi the law his destruction Of life has
only started; for. Mr. Selby | know
the man better than any one. -
Asks for Answer
Il shalt no, call on you in persoN.
Nj Selby. for the reason that you have
an evasive answer for every direct
!, question I ask you. hope and pray
? ,ha, God may direct you In answssia9
th, letter and answer II In . wy tlus
. will satisfy the loved ones. Justice end
! the law.
- Respectfully.
MARY D. COUGH
/, Motion Of Homer S. Hurst, attorney
4 for John N. Couch, 10 qussh two ".
= formations against his client ehegeInD
Thin with the murder Of hiss = =