Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-23
RECITES STORY
OF FATR LOVE
ALMA BELL TAKES WITNESS
STAND AT TRIAL
District Attorney at Auburn May
Attempt to Break Down Girl
sIayer's Claim She Was
Engaged
[By Associated Press ]

AUBURN, Cal, Nov. 22.-Alma Bell
took the stand in her own behalf TINS
morning in her trial for the murder
of Joe Armes. She told of her rela-
tions with Armes covering a period OF
two years and denied the story told
by Frank Armes that she carried
revolver in a holster strapped to her
leg and that she threatened the life
of Joe Armes.
She also explained how Manuel Neves
started to tell stories about her that
finally resulted in Armes cutting her
She says her engagement with Armes
was never broken. She says Armes
repeatedly put off the promised mar
riage ceremony.
The questions put to her on direct
examination indicated that the attor-
neys will endeavor to break down the
story that she was engaged to Armes.
The threatened prosecution of a wit
ness, j. Z. Richardson, for perjury by
District Attorney Tuttle was one of
the sensations of the morning. Rich
ardson testified that Armes had told
him he was engaged to Alma. 1t is
contended that several witnesses Will
appear to impeach this testimony.
There was nothing sensational in Al
mas testimony, and she told her story
without a break and without the ex-
hibition of emotion.
Marriage Postponed
On cross examination she said she
was engaged to Joe Armes in August,
1906, and their marriage had been set
for the following December, but Joe
had postponed 1t then and a number
of times later.
The prosecution attempted to intro
duce letters said to have been written
to Joe Armes by Alma, declaring that
they were merely perfunctory epistles
and showed that no engagement ex-
listed. An objection by Attorney Ross
of the defense, who said that such let
ters should be introduced in rebuttal,
was sustained by the court.
Alma said in response to questions
that her intimate relations with Joe
Armes had extended from a few
months after their engagement up to
the time of the homicide.
The defendant gave her testimony in
a clear voice, which at times grew
shrill as she tried to speak loudly and
convincingly. Her expression scarcely
changed as she related the secrets of
her life.
Her manner was positive, and at no
time did she hesitate for an answer.
When she was asked to locate various
rooms on the charts of her home and
the Armes cottage she arose calmly
and pointed them out in the manner
of a teacher of geography before a
class.
Experts Favor Girl
Expert testimony introduced at the
afternoon session favored Alma Bell,
four to one. OF five physicians called
to answer hypothetical question tend
ing to bear out the defense's con-
tention that the girl was temporarily
insane when she shot and killed Armes,
four answered that the circumstances
were such as might tend to produce
temporary insanity.
The question was whether a young
woman who believed that she was
about to become a mother and who,
after repeatedly asking her fiance to
marry her according to his promise,
found herself cast off and rejected,
would not have become so wrought up
as to lose her reason temporarily and
in such a state of mind might shoot
her lover.
Doctors c. H. Fay, ~ Couture, ].