Andrew Bell III

Andrew Bell III
Gameplay
Game	Red Dead Redemption 2
Biography
Nationality	American
Gender	Male
Location	City of Saint Denis in Bayou Nwa, State of Lemoyne
Family	Andrew Bell I (grandfather) Andrew Bell II (father)
Occupation	Professor Inventor
Additional info
Actor	Matt Ballard

Andrew Bell III is a minor character featured in Red Dead Redemption 2. He is the subject of the Stranger side-mission "The Mercies of Knowledge".

History

Background

Andrew Bell III is a professor and inventor. He owns a laboratory in northern Saint Denis. Given his name, he was born to Andrew Bell II, as well as being the grandson of Andrew Bell I.

Events of Red Dead Redemption 2

First Encounter

When Arthur Morgan is passing by his laboratory, Bell calls out him and asks where he may be able to find some Moonshine. After chatting for a few minutes, Bell reveals that he is in need of an astronomical one hundred gallons of Moonshine, which stuns Arthur. After being asked what the colossal amount of alcohol is for, Bell explains that he is currently constructing a machine that requires Moonshine to operate, and begs Arthur to bring him the spirits. After reluctantly agreeing, Arthur figures that Alden Carruthers is the best person to help him find a wagon of Moonshine, and heads to the train station in Rhodes to find him.

Second Encounter

When the wagon of Moonshine is brought to Bell, he thanks Arthur for completing his request and proceeds to introduce himself. He then details the machine he is inventing, explaining how it is a much more humane way to execute criminals than public hangings. He calls his invention the electric chair and explains how it is a chair that uses high quantities of electricity to peacefully kill criminals. Towards the end of the encounter, he requests Arthur to ask the Police Chief of Saint Denis Police Department for a permit to publicly demonstrate his machine on a law-breaker.

Third Encounter

When Arthur returns to Bell, he explains that the professor is allowed to demonstrate his contraption as long as he has a suitable candidate. Bell takes a nearby poster and suggests that Arthur brings a wanted man named Wilson J. McDaniels to him.

Fourth Encounter

When Arthur brings McDaniels to Bell, he firmly demands a payment. The professor promises that he will pay Arthur once the law buys his machine, and will therefore have to wait until after the demonstration. Lastly, he requests that Arthur comes and watches the execution.

Fifth Encounter

By the gallows in northern Saint Denis, Bell can be seen preparing the electric chair by checking the straps are tied correctly. He begins to speak when McDaniels loudly cries in fear, although, as he has a strap in his mouth, all that can be heard are muffled yells. Bell, intending to quieten McDaniels, reassures him and the audience how humane, safe and peaceful his death will be, before telling him to take deep breaths.

However, when Bell pulls the lever to start the contraption, McDaniels does not die, but rather continues to scream and cry in agony. Bell attempts to reassure the audience of the humanity of his machine, stating McDaniels is nearly dead. He flicks the switch again, but McDaniels proceeds to squeal in pain again. Bell pulls the lever one last time, only to be struck by a blast of electricity. He is thrown back, twitching and turning, as electric sparks shoot through his body, killing him. McDaniels spits out the strap in his mouth and asks to be shot by somebody as he is in so much pain, before slowly lowering his head and dying himself. Members of the crowd leave left and right, with two of them conversing about how ironic it is that the machine is anything but humane.

Character

Personality

Professor Bell is, while certainly a bit crazy, a brilliant inventor in some aspects. Despite his machine failing (and killing its creator, ironically) at being more humane than execution by a noose, it is still a technological marvel. Bell seems to have his heart set somewhere in the right place, attempting to give the state a better way to execute criminals that wasn't so savage. Though, when his machine didn't work as intended in front of a live audience, he irrationally tried to shut it down prematurely, only to die to the same electricity supposed to bring his name to fame.

Appearance

Andrew Bell is almost clean shaven with messy brown hair, some of which has fallen out. He wears spectacles and when testing or using his machine, a pair of goggles. He also wears a white shirt with a red vest and green bowtie under a dirty leather apron, which has several pockets containing his working tools.

Mission appearances

Red Dead Redemption 2

• "The Mercies of Knowledge I"
• "The Mercies of Knowledge III"
• "The Mercies of Knowledge IV"
• "The Mercies of Knowledge V"
• "The Mercies of Knowledge Vl
• "The Mercies of Knowledge VII"

Missable Items

• Electric Chair Blueprint

Murders Committed

• Wilson J. McDaniels - Executed via the demonstration of the electric chair; accidentally electrocuted himself to death in the process.

Trivia

• If Bell's body is looted, the player can obtain the blueprints to his electric chair, although this will result in a loss of honor.
• Andrew Bell III shares the same surname and suffix with Micah Bell III.
• Despite being implied to be the inventor of the electric chair, a cigarette card shows that real-life electrical engineers, H.P. Brown and A. Kennelly were the inventors of the electrical execution apparatus.
• The invention of the electric chair is likely inspired by Alfred P. Southwick. Andrew Bell III is depicted as inventing the electric chair in 1899 while Alfred created it in 1881 after a series of botched executions by hanging; and both thought that executing a criminal with an electric chair was a humane way. However, this method was slowly declining in the 20th century, as the US Government is now in favor of lethal injection in modern times as a more humane way in form of capital punishment.