The San Francisco call., 1905-03-02
YOELL'S VALET.
SIGNS CHARGES
Statement in Evidence Has
Bearing Upon Stories OF
Plotting Against Life
EXCERPTS FROM DIARY
Pioneers Journal of Events
Throws Light Upon Settle
ment With His Wife

1t has become a question whether or
not a son of James Alexander Yoell
sought his fathers life by suggesting
that Chinese cook place poison in
coffee Attorney Delmas yesterday put
letter of John Kay who was Yoelps
valet. The statement in question was
in YoelPs handwriting and bore Kay,s
signature. 1t follows: -.
On Thursday. January o. isss. at the resi-
dence of J. Alexander Yoell. on the Alameda
Cal. heard William A. !Yoell SON of j. All
exander Yoell. say to All Kim. Chinese cook cook
msanias iad Mr. Yosb Ssap
Why don't you put poison in his coffee p Mr..
Yoell was always called the old. man BY
the Chinaman and the children of the fam
on the 2sth of January, 1888, the above words.
Of his his son, Willie Yoell; am ready to swear
statement to5 such use as Mr. 92slis inter
San Jose. .April 90 1s9s
Besides the statement there was a
letter from Kay in the exhibit, in which
the valet said he was Yoelrs friend.
EXTRACTS FROM DIARY.
In addition to this documentary evil
dence, Mr.. Delmas offered extracts
from the dead attorneys diary There
was some trouble over the admission of
this evidence, inasmuch as Mr.. Delmas
held that the journal was sacred and
the parts not offered in evidence should
be sealed. Mr.. Hoeffler objected to this
idea and it was finally agreed that the
attorney for the contestants should
read the unoffered entries but not
make them public.
From the quoted excerpt from the
diary it was shown that Yoell had re-
Rquested his son, Willie, not to enter
his room without Knocking. On ac-
count of this request the son went TO
the mother with abuse of his father.
Yoell reproached his son for his COM
plaint at the breakfast table, but Will
liam ignored the fact that his father
was speaking. Thereupon, according to
the diary, Yoell slapped William lightly
in the face and William, first trying to
strike with his fist and then swinging
a chair at his father, said Il will kill
you for this. The diary entry states
that Yoell replied, Yes, | know you
would like to kill me- You told Kim
to poison my coffee. 1 know. all about
that
Another of the old mans entries told
the story of his parting from his sec
ond wife, the mother of the contest
ants of the will. He says they went to
: Oakland to fix the matter of the
divorce and the settlement of 100000
worth of property upon her. The night
before she had kissed him and the next
morning greeted him pleasantly. They
rode together to the city his arm over
the back of her seat. Arm in arm they
walked in Oakland and lunched to-
gether.
DAUGHTERS GLAD.
After the settlement was arranged
they returned to the home in San Jose
and, meeting two of the daughters on
the porch, told them that all was
fixed whereupon the daughters ex-
pressed their gladness The family
tined together and wife and husband
exchanged ain affectionate good night.
Next morning, before he was out OF
bed, Mrs. Yoel asked for money to
tide her over until she. could. realize
ON the property given to her in the
settlement and he wrote her a check.
Later, upon his leaving for San Fran
cisco, they kissed and kissed for the