The San Francisco call., 1909-11-22
AFFINITY" TO
OPPOSE SLAYER
OF JOE ARMIES
Joe Ruth, Who Took Alma Bell
Buggy Riding, to Appear
for State
Girl Will Tell Her Story and
Richardson May Be Ar
rested for Perjury
BY ARTHUR L. PRICE
{ Special Dispaich 10 The Call

Special Dispotch 10 The Gall
AUBURN, Nov 21-Prosecution for
perjury may develop out Of the case of
Alma Bell the mountain girl on trial
for the murder OF Joe Armes, her lover.
on the night Of June last The first
witness called in the defense of the
girl, j. E. Richardson of PlacervilIe, al
present a student in the Western nor
NAL school at stockton, testified that
between the first and fifteenth DAYS OF
MAY, about month before the killing
Of Armes he met Armes, in Auburn.
and the young man told him that he
was going to marry Miss Bell of Rock
creek
As consequence Of that testimony
Attorney George W. Hamilton. special
u prosecutor in the case with District
Attorney Charles A. Tuttle, announced
This afternoon that testimony will be
adduced not only TO show that Armes
was not in Auburn at the time stated.
hut that Richardson did not leave
Placerville. in Eldorado county, during
The fortnight in which he said he met
Armes
1t is probable that Richardson will
he arrested for perjury tomorrow even
ing" said Hamilton this afternoon.
GIRLS AFFINITY" TO TESTIFY
A new sensation in the case also
broke today when one of Alma Belrs
"afinities" was brought TO town un-
der subpoena from the district attorney
10 testify against the girl. The new
witness is Joe Ruth.
Ruth is 4 tall, dark country boy, who
was reputed 10 have carried on an
intrigue with Alma Bell while she was
supposed to be infatuated with Joe
Armes- On the Thursday preceding the
killing Of Armes he drove TO the
Armes ranch, where Alma was staying
and the girl drove away with him in
buggy. telling the Armes family that
her mother was i'll and that she was
called 10 her bedside. The theory of
the prosecution is that Ruth took the
girl for a buggy ride.
Shortly before the Bell trial bega n
Ruth disappeared from Auburn, but
he was located yesterday.
ALMA TO TESTIFY TODAY
Alma Bell is TO be a witness in her
own behalf tomorrow. On her story
largely depends the success of her case.
Alma has neither tempera mental nor
1ramatic talent TO aid her at this crit
al moment in her history She has
temper, as her mother tersely testi-
led when she said yesterday. did you
ever see Z child - years old who had
not ever shown any temper"
Alma may show her temper on the
stand. II she becomes excited. and
9 r-.eHr- IL
Il viii be difficult for her attorneys to
eNtricate her She devoted today to
-est and correspondence. having ac-
cumulated many letters and checks
rom sympathizing friends.
Alma's story will be a pathetic one.
She was in love with Joe Armes as
strongly as a wayward girl OF her type
can be in love. and she must retell the
story OF that love and Of how she killed
her lover. Her word alone, since Rich
srdson may be refuted. is all there will
be TO show that there was an under
standing that she was to marry Joe
Armes.
PHYSICIANS OFFER ADVICE
After Alma's story is told her attor-
ney. Lee L. Chamberlain, will call as
witnesses a number of physicians to
testify that under the circumstances
Of her birth and parental influences
has received many letters from physi-
clans in various parts of the state who
have advised him gratuitously on i'm
portant medical points which he viii
bring out from his expert witnesses
IL is in the rebuttal that the hardest
blows viii be struck against the de-
fendant. and particularly in the attack
10 be made on Richardson's testimony.
Richa rdson's appearance was a surprise
10 the defendants counsel. He wrote
10 Alma Bell through the medium of
Judge n D. Arnot, whom he knew in
PlacerviIle, that he had information of
advantage 10 her. Then he came with
The story that he met Joe Armes in
Auburn and Armes had told him of his
engagement.
LETTERS WRITTEN BY GIRL
strong point which may be pressed
against Alma Bell in rebuttal will be
based on a number Of letters and post
cards addressed by the girl to Joe
} Armes. The prosecution viii fight for
their admission. These letters and
cards put the girl in anything but the
light Of an unsophisticated country
maiden. guileless and innocent and
soft victim Of the tempter.
II the letters are admitted in court
there viii be a fresh shame for the
aged. broken mother. shame such as
she never before felt.
The defense hopes to conclude its
case tomorrow. 1t is possible that
Judge Arnot will insist that night ses-
sions be held so that the case may be
concluded by Thanksgiving day.