The San Francisco call., 1909-11-20


A UBURN, Nov. 1o.-On the
~ sins of her father Alma Bell
would walk to freedom. The
defense of the mountain girl charged
with the murder of her lover, Joe
Armes, as outlined today in court
by her attorney. Lee L. Chamberlain,
IS that she is a neurotic, having in
herited wild and lawless disposition
from her father, Pike Bell, the ia
nous pocket miner of Placer county,
and that the parental influences sur
rounding her were such as to have
affected her mind and made her ire
sponsible.
Tomorrow morning the wanton
spirit of old "Pike" Bell will be in
voked by the girls aged mother, and
Ibsen's terrible drama, Ghosts"
will be enacted in the crowded court
room before rude audience of NOR
bid spectators.
Tragic Story Promised
For just as the desperate mother in
the last awful act of Ibsen's play
clutches her son and pours into his
ears the fearful story of his fathers
sins and the faint with which those
grievous wrongs have contaminated
his blood, so tomorrow morning that
tragic figure from Rock Creek will
raise her hand, take the oath of the
court and before the faces of her ac-
cused daughter and her four stalwart
sons will give to the world the horri-
BILE story of her married life
1t will be fearful thing TO listen to.
The old mother has kept locked within
her heart. under the faded calico, the
tale of evil and sin and shame. the tale
of her husbands conduct But she
must break the silence tomorrow In or
der that her daughter may be saved
from the impending doom which. in
the theory of her defense. has been
visited upon her for the sins Of her
father.
Ordeal Causes Weeping
Mrs. Bell wept when she was in
formed that she must go on the stand
the little mountain ranch four miles
from here. Her eyes were red as Cham
berlain talked and Alma. weeping her.
self. comforted her mother.
What the story will be Chamberlain
outlined this afternoon when he made
his opening address TO the jury prior
to beginning the introduction OF tes-
timony for the defense.
The people closed at noon after hav-
ing produced testimony from Mamie
Armes. sister of the dead man. to
support the states theory that Alma
Bell premeditated the murder OF Joe
Armes
Chamberlain opened with a pre-
liminary remark and then the simple
statement that Alma Bell was born at
Rock creek. the daughter of Pike" and
Mary Bell, the tenth of IL children, on
May 1. 1885,
Fathers Record Quoted
ssWe will prove to you," he suddenly
hurled at the jury, ssthat her father,
Pike Bell, wns a dissipated, gambling.
drinking carousing man. That he
stayed away from home on debauehes
lasting 10 days at a time. We will
prove that by the girls aged mother,
who sits there In the courtroom before
you.
"we VIII show that when he came
to town with money he would stay
until he had spent 1t all for liquor, and
would become drunk and quarrelsome
But when he came TO town broke he
would go home sober.
1--WE will show that the mother was
a good. honest. hard working mother.
doing the work for the large family
and taking outside work many times in
order to contribute to the support of
the home We will show that there
often was not enough to eat in. the
house.
Gentlemen, it was under those con-
ditions, which we viii prove. Alma Bell
was born. A short time previous to her
birth the mother buried four children.
who died within months time OF diph-
theria.s
Mrs. Bell wept bitterly at the recol-
lection of her motherly sorrow.
Doctors will come on the stand"