The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-12-07
Boulder Dam and Post Office Bill Promise Congress Fights

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She had retired to her room before
Oliver Webb returned but she recog.
nized his voice when he arrived
About $3.50 she said she heard Potter
60 to the Telephone, call a number
and ask If MARY was there" He
then laughed. Connolly objected
to an attempt to get her to describe
the laugh and. the court sustained
the objection.
Put Typewriter Away
About 1910 she came downstairs
from her room to put her typewriter
away. She said she believed the
house was empty except for herself
ut that time. She returned to her
room and retired about 1O:4O.
Some time later she heard Mrs.
Potter enter her bedroom and put
something under her bed. Mrs.
Potter then called Henry and he
went downstairs. Miss Balm said
that Henry said my. Cod three
times when he arrived downstairs.
Mrs. Potter then said, Ray, you
know that / didn't do that" She
testified that Ray Potter then said,
u don't care if ! do have to go to
jail"
The witness then looked under the
bed, she said, and found a shotgun.
The prosecutors then produced a
gun and Miss Balm testified that
the gun was the one she found and
left under her bed where Mrs. Pot
ter had placed it. After she had
found the gun, Miss Balm said that
Webb's automobile was started on
the street. She said she recognized
the car when it started because the
doors were opened in the house. She
testified she recognized the sound
Of the starter and motor. Connolly
attempted to break down this testi-
mony by getting her to describe the
sound Of the car starting. She could
not describe the sound but said it
was characteristic of Webb's car.
Telephone Rang Again
After the car had gone, the tele-
phone rang and Potter answered
it, she said. Potter told someone
that the party has been called off
and / want to go to bed" She also
testified that someone had knocked
at the door shortly after the tele-
phone call and that Potter answered
the door. She said that some strang-
er then used the Telephone, which is
located on landing about half way
upstairs.
Connolly tried to break down her
testimony while cross examining
her, attempting to confuse her in
her testimony on the gun, the car.
and the voices she said she had
heard.
She said that she went back to bed
shortly before 1870 a. m. but stayed
awake the rest of the night. She
heard the policemen enter the house.
About 8 a. m. Mrs. Potter came to
her room and told her to come with
the Potter family over to the Scott
Cameron residence. She then dressed
and went to the Cameron home
where she spent the night. She said
that the Potter family, with the ex-
ception of the youngest boy, spent
the night at Cameron's.
Miss Balm admitted that she told
Mrs. Della Kruger, sister-in-law of
the defendant, that she had slept
"all night and didn't know Of any
thing that had happened"
She said that she had made this
statement to Mrs. Kruger the morn
ing after the shooting because she
was afraid she would lose her re-
Gently acquired position in the Pot
ter home if she didn't plead ignor-
ance at that time.
Finlay Baker, who accompanied
the policeman to the Potter residence
after the shooting, was called to the
stand and he said that he could def
initely establish the gun in the court
room as the one which was found at
the Potter residence after the inves-
tigation. McCurdy then exhibited
the gun as Exhibit c and passed it
to the jurors for inspection. Defense
attorneys did not object. Baker
said the gun was an 1897 model IL
gauge shotgun with a hammer.
Snyder Tells Story
Donald Snyder was then called to
the stand. He said that Oliver Webb
and Susie Balm had called for them
shortly after 8 o'clock. He and Mrs.
Snyder accompanied them to the
Potter residence. He agreed with
Miss Balm that Webb had taken the
two women down town, returning a
few minutes later with Mrs. Snyder.
Webb then took Snyder and his wife
to their apartment. While at the
Potter home, Snyder said, Potter had
taken his gun out and declared that
it was dirty and in poor working
condition. Snyder then told Potter
that he could use his gun if he cared
to. Potter said that he would like
to use it.
After arriving home with Mrs.
Snyder and Webb, Snyder said that
he and Webb put their two guns,
hunting boots, robes and other hunt
ing equipment in the Webb automo-
bile. Webb said that he was tired
and didn't think he would 60 on the
hunting trip. Snyder told him that
he had better call Potter or 60 and
see him to tell him of his plans.
Snyder said that the three Of them
had been hunting together several
times, but that he was not planning
to 60 on this particular trip because
he had injured his arm.
Webb left the Snyder apartment
at 9:15 p. m. by the Snyder clock,
the witness testified. He did not see
Webb alive again.
Judge Coffey declared the court
in recess until 10 a. m. today after
Snyder had testified.
Several incidents brought filters
to the court and spectators yester-
day afternoon and brought periods
Of relief to persons crowded in the
court room.
States Attorney McCurdy at one
time brought the shotgun alleged to
have been used by Potter in the
shooting Of Webb to witness. As
the witness waved the gun about the
ro,,rt room. Sevnral. cni1rt officials