Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-02-01
Mrs. Bella Davis Guilty as Charged But in a
Lesser Degree. Says the Jury After
Twelve Hours Deiiberation.
CASES BEING RAPIDLY DISPOSED OF.
The Court is Disposing of Cases With Great Rapidity and it is
Now Thought the One Hundred Eleven Cases Can
be Cared For at This Term.

while he was making his way around
through the cows heard his daughter
say to Alberts, There is nothing in the
house to shoot with, l have taken care
of them" Knowing then he would
find nothing in the house to shoot with,
he turned and went toward the barn.
As he passed the clothes line he grabbed
"A towel and a baby's dress which he
wrapped about his wrist. At The barn
ne quietly hitched up a team and then
started for Andover. AS he drove by
the barn yard he heard Alberts say, ''if
be comes back here again, I'll fix him.
He must never show up around this
place again. If the sheriff ONE out
here he'll get the rest of these cart
ridges" He and his daughter had had
several talks over his money affairs. She
wanted to know if he had fixed things
up III her interest, He had told her if
he died that day she was taken care of
as he had promised and she would get
everything he had. There was $1G5 in
the house on the day of the shooting
He wanted to take it TO Pierpont and
put II in the bank that day. Bella
Davis insisted on his waiting until the
next morning before it was. put in the
bank and he finally consented to her
plan He noticed Bella Davis and Charles
alberts Jolly gagging around from the
time she came. One evening he found
Bella Davis sitting on Alberts lap and
ne o them that monkey business must
stop. He told the man that he was
running the reputation of the whole
family and to get off the place and stav
OF. he told the woman that she was
married and would have to chow some
respect for her husband and child. In
the morning Alberts left the place and
Bryant did not see him about the house
again until the night of the shooting.
but knows he was back and forth sew
eral times from Andover. After Bry.
ant reached Andover on the night of
the shooting he was assisted to the hotel
by E.. @. Toy and Attorney Elwood, the
latter gentleman assisting the Groton
doctor, who was telegraphed for, in the
dressing of Bryant's wounds. Bella
Davis talked to him three or four times
after she came about his property and
wanted to know if had willed it all to
her. She wanted it done right away
because he had heart trouble and she
was afraid that he might drop off sud-
denly and his legitimate children would
come in and take everything he left.
Dissemination of Bryant.
Bryant stated that Bella Davis was
his daughter, raj never married to her
mother. Met her mother in 1876, and
knew her about two years. Was in the
store and lumber business in Michigan
at that time. Was not in the counter
feiting business at that time. He had
been convicted and sent to the work
house in Detroit once. Was sent from
Grand Rapids. At that time he was
living with this daughters mother, her
name was Nettie Avery. First saw
Alberts about the first of August at his
farm e Andover. Alberts stayed at
his house about three weeks and worked
four days in the field except what time
he was monkeying with the girl around
the house. Alberts would not do any
thug until the girl came. Bella Davis
did the house work, sometimes drove a
load of wheat to Pierpont and often
helped at~ther things She was a good
girl to work. He gave her money at
different times to keep for him amount
ing in all to $165. Saw Alberts 60 by
while he was working in the field four
or five days before the shooting, saw
him 60 towards the house in the morn
ing and back again at night. Did not
know what his daughter was doing on
the morning Of the shooting. She was
helping him build . granary in the after
noon. First heard Charles Alberts
speak to him on the night Of the shoot
ing while he was milking a:.cow. After
the shooting he lodged around among
the COWS and reached the barn. He
hitched up the team himself. Az he
went to Andover he passed the defend
ants within eight or ten feet. Drove
: slow 20 he could hear what they had to