The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-11-06
'UNWR|TTEN
LAW To Be
HER DEFENSE.
Killed the Man Who Had
Wronged Her in Irresist-
IDLE Impulse of PrimevaI
Womanhood.

AUBURN. Cal. Nov. g.
When court adjourned to-day
after three days os the trial on
Alma Sell, net . slnale juror
had been accepted finally.
The feeling In tire case 10
bitter and almost every man
called has most decided
opinion.
The pale. ehlidfseed De.
fenesnt sat quietly through the
session thls morning. spcar.
entity not realizing the fuli sle.
rificsnce Of tire proceedings.
AUBURN. Cal. Nov. g The
plea ~ wTonEed yonng American
womsnhood and the unwrittsn law
are 10 b. placed on trial before
California Jury here The defense
o. simple. wlasnme Alma Bca 81
that % deceived feminine trust. a
pistol and the deeelver paying the
penalty with hia life.
When Alma Bell shot Joe Armea.
her lover. nhe did not argue wlth
hcr conscience. She obeyed the II.
rrAlAtiblr Impulse ~ primrvai
woman. killed. and expected 10 cnd
her nwu life
The prosecution Ia making a h49
ter fight 30 bring about conviction.
Armea relatives ara wealthy ard
they have hired one 81 the best
lawyers Of the community TO assist
IN avenging the young mans
death.
They have framed a Hypothetical
question which they put 10 each
Juror II runs something like this
- Would Xiii Him"
Suppose a man had loved and
led Astray a girl under promise u
marriage aud refused 10 keep that
promise. Put yourself In place 81
that girl. What would you do
under those conditional"
Three Of the taiesmsn examined
yesterday. sturdy Americans. one
Tenreasecan. In their turn
promptly replied with emphasis.
II wopld kili HIM
They we're as promptly excused
for rausc by Judge Arn0tt
Joe Armea. aged ~, was the son
Of wealthy rancher Alma. barely
20. Is poor girl with a widowed
mother In her declining years. The
mother lives three miles from
Auburn with the one sister and
the four brothers Of Alma.
The Old, Old story.
She had known Joe Armea since
childhood To use her words last
evening. she had gone with joe
for tour years. She had trusted
him implicitly He tooR her 10 ali
the dances and parties She says
they were engaged. She still wears
the rims which she says he gave
her.
Last February Joe Armes' father
died Then Alma vent 20 live With
his family Many times she says
she had asked Joe when he In
tended 10 acknowledge her as his
wife. He always promised her Il
would not be long. she says
Al last marriage became a neccs.
sity II she were 20 keep herself re-
spected and her good standing. Joe
made his promises again.
Then Another Came.
The climax came a few days be-
fore the killing. the night OF Juno 3.
with only the moon and stars as
mute witnesses A beautiful Rirl
came 10 visit the Armes family
Joe showed this newcomer some at
tentlon and Aima's torture became
acute. On Decoration Day, Joe
took the rival to the events OF the
day. II had formerly been his Gus.
tom TO devote all his time TO Alma.
Shortly after this. II Is declared
that Joe and his brothers went 70
live IN a cabin on some OF their
land. On the night Of June 3 she
went TO the oaDln. and, after
scene Ia which her lover tried 70
make her leave. he finally went
with her.
The Killing.
A shot was heard. then another.
when the sheriff found Armes'
body, shot through the heart, the
girl was crouched In the bushes
nearby. She said she had intended
to kill herself, and appeared dazed
STILL A MYSTERY.
NJ. trona ~ tho hodv Of tho man