Was Alexander Graham Bell, of telephone fame, related to Joseph Bell, who was teacher to Arthur Conan Doyle and inspired Sherlock Holmes?

At least one person claimed the two were related, but it's only anecdotal, and there doesn't seem to be any firm evidence to prove the claim. There is an article from "The Winnipeg Tribune" (April 23, 1938) by a man named Cuthbert Smith, who wrote that his father was the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's character of Dr. Watson, and added that Alexander Graham Bell and Joseph Bell were second cousins. This reference (to the article's claim) is also noted in the book "Dr. Joe Bell: Model for Sherlock Holmes" by Ely Liebow.

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/37423044/