The San Francisco call., 1913-07-18
Mrs. De Vale in Oakland
Cell Confesses Numbering
Her Husband, Irvington
Rancher, as He Slept in
State of Stupor-Farn-
hand Exonerated of Crime
ASSERTS WRONGS
PROMPTED DEED
Declares Spouse Drove Her
From Home and Forced
Her to Sleep in Haystacks
Aroused by Cruelty, She
Crept Back and Shot Him
Isre-l,l nisr.teh te n. c.ul

Ispe-isi Dispstch TO The csr>
OAKLAND. July 17.-Mrs Mary de
Vale. arrested today, confessed in the
county jail tonight that she had mur-
dsred her husband. Manuel E de Vale.
SIS he lay asleep in his ranch house a
mile from IrYington al o'clock yes
terday morning.
The confession was wrung from her
after several hours questioning by
District Attorney Hynes and Deputy
District Attorney Smith. Mrs.. de
Vale gave as her motive the fact that
her husband had abused her tor a long
period and had turned her out OF the
house to sleep in hay.tacks within the
last week
She said she crept Into the house
and committed the crime alone. and
this clears the cloud of suspicion that
hung over Joseph souza. young ranch
hand who was suspected OF completely
in. the affair
souza was taken with her to the
and Wales. but will be released to-
morrow, according to Smith. He was
friendly with Mrs. de Vale and was
the cause OF much trouble between
her: and her husband. the police say.
but is not thought to have had any
part IN. ths murder
wTFE's STORY OF DEED
Between fits OF hysteria Mrs de
Valie told the following story OF her
husba nd's death by her own hand in
the lonely ranch house:
Il am SIS years old and have three
ehHdren. For many years have had
serious trouble with my husband. In
June I sued him for divorce and later
returned TO. 1--WE with him.
Lately our trouble has grown worse
ard several times have been elected
from the house with my children.
can show black and blue spots ali
over nay. body where he has beaten
mr. He often threatened TO kill me
and had become afraid TO live with
him. but had no place else TO go. so
always came back TO the house.
Sunday night VIC had a violent
scene and I was put out Of the mouse
while he MAS in a drunken rage Ny
arm was injured IL that encounter.
went ont along. the country roads, hut
could find no place 20 sta. and was
forced 70 sleep in haystacks close By
the ranch
Tuesday night was Sleeping in
the haystack not far from the ranch
'T had not had my clothes off for
-wo nights and was nearly dead with
cold and fatigue shortly before :
o'clock I got up and decided that 1
would go 10 the house and sleep. even
+ he .did kin me.
ISEs ADMIRERS PISTOL
7 had a revolver given 10 me by
Joseph souza in San Jose month ago
1t was hidden under the house. 1
found It and took it with me for pro
lection and went IN dy husband was
sleeping or a lounge and was mutter-
ing TO himself in half drunken man
ner After striking a light I became
30 ihfuriated with what I had suf-
fered that I pointed the gun at his
ear and fred.
Then I went into the next room
and obtained an old revolver OF his
This ] placed beside him in the hope
OF making 1t look like suicide. I put
out the light. returned the gun to the
place under the house and went away.
4 decided that / would ask John
Smith to go and find out II my hus-
band had returned home, and Smith
came back and told me that he was
lead. J killed him because he abused
me
Both souza and the woman admitted
that they had lived together for time
iii san Jose. Al this time souza told
her that he. intended to kin her and
Shoot himself If she returned to her
husband souza was arrested at
Mountain View. where he was working
on a hay press
ROW WITH HUSBAND OVER WIFE
souza and De Vale had a row sun
day over Mrs de Vale. De Vale
caused Souza's arrest for battery Tues
lay
An inquest will be held in Irving
ton next Thursday