The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-10-13
SHE SIGNS and signs.
Mrs. Sterritt Regrets Her
Agreement.
NO CONTEST In THE ESTATE.
The Daughter Of Newton Booth States That
Her Poverty Made Her Sign Away
Her Birthright.
no CONTEST IN THE ESTATE.

There will be no contest over the distribu-
ton of the estate of the late Newton Booth.
Mrs. Emma Sterritt, the daughter of the
deceased ex-senator. has agreed not to
make any contest, and will abide by the
terms OF her de lad fathers will.
AS conSe Quence of her bettered circum-
stances. she has purchased the residence in
Alameda formerly occupied by w. w.
Danes. at the junction of Central and Ala
media avenues and Benton street.
Mrs. Sterritt admits that she will make
no contest in the probatng of her late
fathers will.
She says that she has not got the money
TO carry on legal fight.
You know that after my fathers DEATH"
she said. 'ihe remittances stopped and
was left in almost a destitute condition.
when l saw what pttance had been
left me in comparison to what l ought TO
have got determined to contest the will.
"The only reason l can assign for being
so poorly remembered in my fathers Will is
that some one must have exercised undue
influence over him.
He was q strange man and frequently
when he thought of my unfortunate mar
riage. which was made against his wishes, he
became very moTOSe.
Time and time again he importuned me
to allow him to publicly acknowledge me as
his daughter, but l fooliShly refused the
preferred honor"
Mrs. Sterritt sadly shook her head and
then continued:
ut was after George c. Gorham In a
political speech taxed my father with hav-
ing a daughter that he refused to publicly
acknowledge that he wanted to publicly ad-
NIT was his daughter.
That attack OF GOrham's touched him TO
the heart and as he was man who was very
amenable to public OpiGi0n he wanted to
make reparation for the wrong he had done
me.
81 was young then, Just from school, and
was being courted by my first husband.
II thought Of the sensation in which l
would figure. and being unused to the ways
of the world l was afraid everybody would
keep alOof from me and regard me with alb
hOrence.
"He was very sad and cast down when l
impl0red him not TO bring such disgrace
upon me.
II reproached him somewhat bitterly for
the cloud he had cast upon me, and begged
him not TO drag me into any more misery.
my poor mother conceded with me. Oh
course, now l know why she did so. She
was afraid that If | was known as and pub
icly admitted TO be Senator Booths daugh-
ter would go and live with him.
''She was always cast down at the very
thought that We were ever TO part.
,
and plenty Of elegant dresses, would you 20
away from me?' she would often ask, as
sad look came into her eyes.
OBJ, no, dear mother, | will never leave
you for the whole world, was my inyar-
able response, which always brought back
contented glow to poor mothers face, and
she would wipe away her tears.
Oh, tell you | had a sad life Of Ii. /
shrank from the publicity which | knew
must follow if my father was to admit that
I fa - Aary
would look SO sad, for she knew that it
would result in my being taken away from
her.
That father had a deep ffection for me
| am certain. He never allowed me to
want for a thing, and l had unlimited credit
at several large stores.
Before he went on to Washington TO
take his seat as Senator from California he
gave me 5000 in coin and remarked that
whenever / wanted anything 10 80 10
Mammie Pleasant.
why he should have left me so little is
due 10 Influences lnimical to me.
"Oh. am sorry did not contest the viii.
! am entitled to more !2fter all / have
undergone for him.
why did | do it? Oh. guess l was not
In my right mind. Bills were pressing me,
and had no one TO turn 10.
Il was worked upon and cajoled into
throwing away my oirthrIght Why should
L not get more when l went through so
much?
"Oh. l must have been crazy when l
signed those papers.
''Mammie Pheasant is disguised with me,
and so are my children, because Of my fool
ism act.
But I was poor and had TO have money,
II could not get a cent advanced me from
any one. If / would abide by the terms of
the Will. l was promised money and credit.
'Oh, | had to do what dbl The poor
must always suffer"
1t may be that the end is not yet in the
Booth estate. 1t can be reOpened, and
fight may yet shadow the probating OF the
will.