The San Francisco call., 1905-05-27
TELLS OF HER
LONG SORROW
Mrs. Bessie Paxton Talks
While Aiding Children in
Fight for Maintenance
FATHER rs CAPITALIST
Refuses to Pay for Medical
Attendance on Blind Son
and an Invalid Daughter

Mrs. Bessie Paxton, formerly the wife
OF Biitz w. Paxton. the Sonoma banker
ana capitalist, appeared in Judge Gra-
mans court yesterday to aid her chill
dren, John A. and Roma, in their fight
for maintenance out of the riches their
rather enjoys. Holding her mother tight
ly by the hand was the daughter Roma.
an invalid through an accident in youth,
and behind the daughter holding her by
the hand. came the son. totally blind, the
result of fall when years of age.
Though still comparatively young wo-
man. tragedy has been written in the
life or Mrs. Paxton since her son was a
babe In arms. AS she told the story Of
how the ideals she had builded when a
girl crumbled one by one before her eyes
ana woe pressed ever closer, 1T was in q
tone of one full of resentment that her
cup had ben filled so full of bitterness.
1t is terrible" she said, "to think that
the happy life 1 had planned for myself
has been SO ruthlessly destroyed and
through no fault of mine. When 1 mar
ried Mr.. Paxton l was but slip of a
girl and quite naturally l adored him.
But one day, when this poor blind
boy was babe in my arms and 1
still in delicate condition through the
birth of our daughter, he took $4,000
from the bank and went to Europe. His
folks did not like me and / am sure that
1t was their interference that caused him
to abandon me then, and eight years
passed before he laid eyes on the little
girl that was ours.
When my boy was years of age he
fell and his sight was destroyed forever,
and later my little girl met injury that
destroyed her health. I was compelled
to sue for a divorce and out Of the 81
a month allowed me by the court | had
to pay for the medical attention neces-
sary to save these children from the
grave. When the little ones were i'll /
asked my lawyer If Mr.. Paxton would not
pay these bills SO we could live COM
fortably on my allowance. He told me
that he was sure Mr.. Paxton would pay
the physicians that cared for his own
flesh and blood, but when we communi-
Gated with him he absolutely refused to
pay a dollar. He said he would take the
case to the highest court in the land be-
fore he would meet these bills, and he is
keeping his word.
ut is past my comprehension why a
father should refuse to care for his own.
l never did Mr.. Paxton an injury in my
life and it was only the interference OF
outsiders that broke uD our home. How
ever these children need attention and
/ will give 1t to them so far as my linn
should compel Mr. Paxton to respect the
obligation he brought upon himself as a
citizen when he brought these children
into the world
AS Mrs Paxton concluded the attorneys
began the argument on the petition of
the children for maintenance pending the
hearing of their case. Paxton's counsei
raised the point that Judge Graham had
no jurisdiction to hear their petition for
maintenance pendente lite until such time
as he determined the merits of the de-
fendant's petition for a change of venue
to Sonoma County Judge Graham ruled
against them on this point. however, and
ordered that the motion for maintenance
be argued Attorney Charles F. Hanlon
presented the case on behalf of the chill
dren and the motion was them ordered
under submission on briefs.