The Washington herald., 1921-09-03
DAUGHTER OF MAN
WHO KILLED PRIEST
TO ASK PROTECTION
Mrs. Gussman Charges
Plot in Birmingham
To frame Her.


I. BIRMINGHAM. Ala, Sept. ~
Mrs. Ruth stephenson- -Gussman. 49,
year-old central figure in what is fast
developing into one of the greatest
legal dramas in the south's history.
tomorrow will appear In Chancery
Court prepared to ask for>an injunc-
tion against alleged plots to kidnap
her. do her bodily injury or confine
her in an insane asylum.
Her appeal is the latest develop
ment in a series Of sensational Incl
dents following the killing of Father
James E. Coyle. priest Of st. Paul's
Cathedral here and dean of the Cath
olic Church in North Alabama. by her
father. Rev. Edwin B. Stephenson,
Methodist minister. "a.
Refused Police Aid.
The girl. whose testimony 'is
chiefly counted on by the State In
Its effort to send her father to the
gallows. has filed petition for in
junction and protection, charging
that her life is being threatened. that
her liberty is in jeopardy that a
plot is on foot to send her to an
asylum and that Birmingham police
have refused her protection.
Appearance of Mrs. Gussman In
court tomorrow will mark the second
scene in the legal fight following the
killing Of Father Coyie. Two weeks
ago at her fathers preliminary hear
ing, Mrs. Gussman gave testimony
which was chiefly responsible for his
being held to the grand jury without
bond and which the prosecution ex-
poets will prove that the killing of
the Catholic priest was a premeo-
itated. act
Church Wins Fight
This strange drama. in which a
minister OF one faith killed a priest
of another; in which the daughter
whose marriage precipitated the kill
Ing has become the prosecutions
principal witness; in which a strug-
gle between religious convictions and
the closest ties of blood have been
decided in favor Of the church and In
which the head OF the Catholic
Church in Alabama has formally
charged that the killing was inspired
by propaganda against his church.
has created interest and excitement
in Birmingham which promises to
make the Stephenson case rank with
the famous Leo Frank case in At
lanta in bitterness.
Reads Bible - Cell.
Calmly reading his Bible in his
cell, and refusing to see anyone ex-
cept attorneys and relatives,
Stephensol has apparently paid lit
tie attention to the series Of events
following his arrest.
Tho first of these came at the
solemn pontiflcal requiem mass
over the body of the slain priest.
conducted by a noble assembly of
Southern Catholic dignitaries
Bishop Edward p. Allen. of Mobile.
head of the Catholic Church in
Alabama. formally charged during
his sermon that Stephenson's deed
was the outcome of anti Catholic
propaganda and vigorously de-
nounced politicians an dsecret So
cieties. which he said. had fostered
hatred of the Catholic faith and in
stitutions in Birmingham.
The grand jury investigation of
the killing is still incomplete.
Arrest of GuSsman.
Following return of the minister
to Jail. Pedro Gussman. the Porto
Rican whose marriage precipitated
the tragedy. was suddenly arrested
at the request of Peoria. Ill. police.
on suspicion of having murdered
his wife there last Novmber.
After two days in Jail where his
father-in-law is confined, It was
discovered that the Pedro Gussman
accused of the Peoria crime was
another man.
Gussman walked from the jai,
to the office OF his wife's attorney.
where they Immediately drew up
the plea for court protection set
ting forth sensational charges. The
following day the attorney who
filed the bill for Mrs. Gussman Is
sued a public statement saying that
he had been threatened in an an
onymous letter for accepting the
case.