Amador ledger., 1903-08-07
CONTEST OVER r. c. SARGENT
ESTATE.
Miss Bertha Freshman Claims One-half
Interest.

Interest
Ross G. Sargent, wealthy land
owner of San Joaquin, died recently in
Stockton, leaving an estate valued at
over million dollars. 1t was reported
that he left no will At least the rela-
tives aud attorneys having charge of
the estate have failed to find one. De-
ceased is brother of a. J. Sargent. an
Old settler of Middle Bar, and an uncle
OF j. l.. Sargent, both of whom are at
present managing a portion of the es-
tate. On August l document was
filed in the recorders office of San
Joaquin, which indicates that there is
likely to be bitter contest over the
division of the estate The fair con-
testant is Miss Bertha Freshman. a
former resident of Stock ton, and
daughter of DR.. B, T. Freshman, a
practicing physician of Amador City.
Sheis Is years and months old. The
document filed for record is a power of
attorney to Myer Jacobs, an attorney
at law in San Francisco, to collect bv
suit at law. compromise or otherwise,
any and all claims against said estate,
and giving the attorney one-haf in
terest in any sum which NAV be rea-
lized from the estate after paying all
expenses.
Attorney Myer Jacobs says: The
move made today is only preliminary
to a sensation which will shake Stock
ton and reveal romance in the life of
the late r. G. Sargent, whose death
occurred in June of this year. Bertha
Freshman is the daughter of a poor
man, and her home is in Amador City.
Sargent, who was so years of age at the
time of his death, had known her from
childhood. Just what first attracted
the old mans interest is not known,
but he always displayed warm affec-
tion for her. Several years ago he
took her education in hand and placed
her in ST. Agnes convent in Stockton,
where he paid her tuition and visited
her frequently. Later the girl was
sent to St. Gertrude's Academy at Rio
Vista at Sargent's expense. The
fatherly affection he lavished Oh her in
time lost its paternal quality, and quite
undisturbed by the disparity in their
ages the elderly Sargent determined to
marry his protege when she became of
age. Miss Freshman was Is in MAY of
this year, but her eighty -year-old
suitor's health had failed, and in June
he passed away.
There is every reason to believe that
he made will providing generously for
her, but it is not in Miss Freshman's
possession, and we do not know where
it is. If it cannot be located we will
proceed without it on the supposition
that the will exists.
A. L. Levinsky, who is attorney for
the Sargent estate, says that no will
was made by r. G.. Sargent, and that
any attempt to foist one on the estate
will cause trouble for the sponsors. He
also denies that Mr.. Sargent paid for
the education of Miss Freshman at anv
convent, but admits that owing to his
generosity he may have given money
to some one to pay for the schooling of
a son or daughter. Mr.. Levinsky as
serts positively that there will be no
compromise, and says that he is not in
the least worried over the outcome of
the case.
Miss Freshman has lived with her
mother for number of years, as Mrs.
Freshman left her husband and secured
a divorce. For some time they resided
in Stockton and Miss Freshman attend
ed st. Agnes convent.
While in that school Mr.. Sargent is
said to have visited her quite frequent
ly and taken great interest in her.
Music was one of the studies that he
was particularly interested in, and he
is credited with urging her to give
especial attention to it. After a time
Miss Freshman and her mother moved
to San Francisco, and later she became
a student at ST. Gertrude's Convent,
Rio Vista, but Mrs. Freshman is said
to have made her home in San Fran
cisco, where she at present resides. =
Independent.