The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-03
ATTEMPTS TO SELL THE WILL.
The Plots of Those Accused of Steal
ing It TO Be Shown Up.
Mrs. YesIer Does Not Make Common
Cause With the Two Doctors-Her
Meetings With Jordan-Ihe Nurse
Gives Strong Evidence That = Will
Existed.


the hearing OF Mira. Minnie Yesler yesterday
reve.ed IN VIVA, they consider luxury most Of
the afternoon. The morning was occupied
Chiefly with the fhras5ing over of Old straw in
the oross-examlnatlon Of :. l. Crawford and the
eorroboraton OF his testimony by that of Mrs.
Z. W. sackman and Mrs. W. T. Bentley in rela-
tioa TO their interview with Mr. Yesier on the
subjec. Of the gft TO tie Sarah b. Yesler. Al
the opening Of the afternoon session came the
testimony OF Mrs. William Loxman in regard 20
tse frequent meetings OF Mrs. Yesler and her
mother with Dr.. Jordan Ct Mrs. eagles house.
Mr.. white made n hard hghI against the adrnis-
sion OF this testimony and, when his legal argG-
menis failed to cause the prosecution to yield,
he made statement which every listening ear
drank in eagerly. He laid bare the outlines of
the whole complicated case, showed the con-
fIctng interests at stake and exposed
the oyertures made by Junius Rochester To the
city snd gave st TO be understood that Mrs. Yes
Ter was fighting her own battle without regard
70 those accused with her. Col Carr replied in
6 speech confirming ia the main what NJ.
White had said, but am pifying il and revealing
the means by which ths evidence hat been OBJ
tanned against the two DOCTORS taking occasion
70 cbarscierl1e the proposal made BY Mr.
Rochester to the cits Ia the strongest terms
Then came Mrs. Fay, the nurse, who gave the
most direct evidence yet given az 10 the exist
enee of will az the time Of SIR. Yesler's death,
bu, which was broken down on some minor
psints under the searching cross-e@aInina.ion
OF Mr.. White and wiz have 20 meet the assault
OF Mis- questions again tais morning.
Samuel j. Crawford vas recalled and further
cross-exsmined by Nj. White, and testified as
follows:
@ Mr. Crawford, In regard 20 tho will that you
say Mr Iesier destroyed ia front OF the Boston
beck, your opinion tnnt that his Will was
derived from what h. said, was II not? A. He
said IL Was bis will, and from the appearance Of
tho document. thought it was. did not ex-
anime IT, All tbat ] saw OF IL was In his hand
writing. IN which / was familiar. The Ian
Cnage, as near 81. ! can recollect, was: Al hereby
give ami bequeath to the city OF Seattle The
block which my new residence is located on"
He wanted bic pace used for city purposes, he
sAid. After saying this he tore up the will in
my presence. No one else was present with Us.
Mr.. White moved to strike out all Of SIR. Craw-
ford's testimony because ii was heresay and re-
lated 10 conversations which occurred long be-
fore the events alleged in the complaint. The
court said that secondary evidence as To the loss
Of or destruction of 4 viii was admissible. Col.
Carr said the state was simply establishing the
fact that the will was In existence, not seeking
~ establish the contents OF lost will. The
evidence was admitted and exceptions taken.
Dir. White announced that general exception
would he taken TO all heresay evidence Mr.
Crawford then proceeded under redirect exami-
nation by Col Carr, saying in substance:
At the time of the conversation with Mr Yes
tie city, but he afterwards became reconciiei,
probably year or more before his Death
Mr.. White then took the witness and asked:
just before Mr.. Yesler's death, three months
ago, wasn't no indignant at the treatment lie
received from the city7 A. He blamed inGi-
vdnais rather than the CITY, He didn't like the
manner in which they graded Fourth street in
front oil his property. Before he died however
he had friendly feeling towards the city, but
was angry at certain individuals. These were
odi oi Office. however.
Mira susan daddoeAs was the next witness
for the prosecution, and ia substance gave the
following testimony:
! have lived in Seattle nearly thirty years and
have Euowa Henry l. Yesier ever since came
here. became acquainted with the present
Nrs. 1esler about four years ago. ] called on
them often had conversation with Mr.. Yes
Ter short time before his death, in which ne
spoke OF his property and how he goiug 10
leave IL can cal! TO mind Two coIyersatlons--
one was while we were in Yellowstone park IN
August. think. Subsequently we had con-
yersation regarding the Will he lett after the
death of hts first wife. On the occasion of the
second conversation nv sister and called on
Mr.. fesier October !, 1892, think. Mr. Yesler
spoke of the present Mrs. Yeslcr's talen, for
painting, and said he wanted her TO go on with
Il. ] said: ali that is the case, you must !eaya
her 80 she can" lie said that was his iuieu
iion, ana said ali do not make Will she is
fixed anyway as she viii get half" This is, in
effect, the same language he Used AT Yellowstone
PARK. never asked hi.n II be had made Il WILL
] sa!d bored he had done the right thing by
Minnie. The only will know OF !, TIE ono ha
EpoKe Of after the first Mrs. fcsler's death II
was during u trip in California. We met Mr
lesIer il san Francisco ana he went south with
he. he told me thHt that Will was NOT right,
aad afterwards he said he had changed IL
Under eross-examination by Mr. White. she
testified:
have known Mr.. Ycsler since 1863 Oar fam
lily were very intimate with Mr.. ies ere family.
BE told me that the present Mrs. Iesler's
mother and nc were cousins: that would mate
with Mr.. Lowman ABOUT u wees after Ms Ies-
ler's Icath. IN september or Octooer, l@s7 He
Was - meet as IN san franclscG, which ne did.
NJ. les4er, Ats. Gag and William +. smith, OF
Il ntou, went kaSt Just Before the marriage OF
the present Mr.. Aefler. The day after ha re-
turned he tod my husband tina. he was mar.
zieds said ho " ~ marTiet in Pal adelphia by a
frs-hy ter an minister. II was net kJrtri.c 10
me. ba susc / taougBt he iuten!ed 10 marry
Their home. We wen: to Yellowstone with
taem last year IA August NJ. Yrs.er's treat
meat o. Ms Wl.e - Tar as my observation weat
MAS very nice had some conversation with
Mr.. Yc=ier H. Yellowstone. lie spn A. about Mrs
icsigrs tirs.rine To 60 - Europa ana said he
ciiA't think lie would be able 20 go. bu: tina;
she would DC seii 80 enc coa4d 80 after 10 was
gone
Ia reply 10 Col. Carr. Mrs.. Naadocks denied
having told him on one occasion, soon after the
frat Mrs. Yeslel's death. when they me: on tho
strcct that sire had askoi M Yesler whether he
hal made vii, and that he replied he hal
NJ. J., " sack tHal te~t,1eI thai She called
en- Nr Yeslcr WIKI Mr.. Crawford and Mrs.
Bentley Al hss residence III regard - til, cif. IN
the sarah u. Weller about June. She c0ndrr,ed
Mr.. C:awtord's testimony as 10 the interview.
Mrs. u. r. Ben ley, ptesiden; OF the WoTaeu's
Uoue Society also told the story of the l,3ter.
view. bat said It took place Ia August, while
Mrs ~ackaau had said June. Yes.er said his
affaifs were in such shape that II would Ike all
tlg1g to 50 CA and contract tho debts and have
The biis made our in his uAme.
Mira "a AUasn was recalled and corr0bo.a ted
thc state meat IN reCGTt 10 Mr.. leslers author
lang flc contracting az the debts
lite arst witness ol tac afternoon session WAS
Ms. William Icwman. ana the opening Il her
toattmony gave prom Of some iuteresftrs
,t4tcmeuts being brought out, but il was eat
Snort by soeecaes OF counsel which surpassed III
character anything which she wss ike y To have
tolA. Sae testlBed that she hsd lived 81 I'll
Ycsag aycuae. usxt door - the GaEe family.
and had teen IN seattle two and one-aa.i years.
She weHt on:
lam acquainted with Dr. Jorisn slightly l
have seen Mrs. gle. Mrs. Yesler AID DF Jar-
Gan At tee house often east remember how
many times. but very often. D.. Jordan would
sometimes GENE tao or three days IN sueees-
sion sad theu aga!n Tot tor "a week Sometimes
they wGgIi stay Two Or three hours 0oe day
they weye there from noou until , - A. other
times did uut pay much attention.
Nj Fairfield asked the witness: How long
before Mr.. lesles died Gid you notice these
rsrt4es at tho house taSGthcFF' when NF. y lite
objected - The admission OF testimony which
would aSperse Ays, fes!er's character - III
direction before jhe pgos ecatlon had even es-
- h..T "a rAfarea tsf a "A L ftr rura