MRS. YARDE-BULLER IN SAN FRANCISCO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11872, 25 January 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

MRS. YARDE-BULLER IN SAN FRANCISCO.

A SINGULAR CASE. In San Francisco, on December 10, Mrs. Mario Leila Delilah Kirltham Blair YardeBuller was in Judge Hebbard's Court. There in the strange capacity of prosecutor of a. claim against herself to force W. B. Greenbaum, guardian of her estate, to pay a note for SOOOdols. (£600) which she had given a year ago to A. A. Baroteau, known as " the Parisian Baron." The baron had assigned a quarter interest in his claim to Jake Rauer, a professional bill collector, whose hand appeared behind the prosecution, represented by Attorneys Soto and Fisher Ames. Attorneys R. M. Fitzgerald, Wright, Campbell, Abbott, and Fowler appeared for the defence.

Baron Baroteafi on. the stand stated that tho note had been given him in payment for a year's services as a sort of major-domo and bodyguard for the eccentric lady, escorting her to the theatres, to the park, the stores and cafes, to Mill Valley, the cemeteries, and other places of recreation, and for seeing that she got safely home after foregathering with convivial friends. These and other arduous duties he felt to be cheap at lOOdols. per month. He had acted as a friend of the family, travelling all over Europe with her, and had known her since she was ten years old.

Mrs. Yarde-Buller, all in black, cheerful, full of bitter scorn for the opposing lawyers, dominated the Courtroom all day, interrupting each witness and demanding all sorts of irrelevant and immaterial things of everybody. Then she-took the stand. " I wouldn't do what the baron lias done for me for a million dollars," she declared, with majestic dignity. "He has more than earned his salary, and now these lawyers are living on the money they have robbed me of, and trying to have mo stand in the gutter, and refusing to pay this poor man. Infame! I demand damages from these attorneys!" Her two sons testified to their disbelief in the good character of the baron, and told how they had threatened to thrash him if he did not stay away from their mother's home. They testified that the lady was of unsound mind, which allegation the mother combated with emphasis. " I object !" she cried, < striding lip and down before the Bench. "You have 110 right to make a child testify against his mother. Don't you dare me too much, judge. I appeal to tho English law." After five or six hours of this sort of thingJudge Hebbard was .compelled to order Mrs. Yarde-Buller's removal from the room by the bailiff. Slio went, saying, " Judge, I hope to meet you in heaven. Is this ray case or yours? May I not listen over the telephone?' The judge rendered an ex-cathedra decision, to the effect that Mrs. Yarde-Buller, not being of sound mind, was incapacitated from signing contracts, but that white Baroteau had no legal right. to any money he seemed to have a. moral right to reimbursement, and recommended a compromise, meanwhile withholding judgment.