New-York tribune., 1909-03-02
CRUELTY TO CHILDREN
IN AMERICAN ACCUSED.
Swgent,s Wife in Paris SAID To Be
Ne5c Yorker's Daughter.

/ Paris. March 1.-The newspapers give much spa ce
! 10 the case Of the EngIishman Sargent and his
wife, said to be American. who arrested at
Asnleres, charged with the gross I'll treatment OF
four children, whom they had adopted, and say that
the developments indicate the proba biity of great
! scandal.
The chief efforts OF the authorities are being di-
rected TO tracing the parentage of the children
abandoned to the custody OF the Sargents They an
nounce that Mrs Sargent says that the child
who was so brutaly beaten that she is now in
hospital, IS named Mary Ann Edg7Forth, and that
she was born October IS, 1S99 in Newark, N ].
The authorities also say that the woman insists
that she Is the daughter OF a Frenchman named
Savin and American woman, who now live in
the United States and that they forward her each
year $500 as an allowance. She refused, however
10 give the maiden name Of her mother or the pres
ent residence of her parents.
Before examining magistrate the woman "a i'll
to-day that she had not msltreated the children
that she had only chastised them when punish
ment was necessary. She said she had adopted the
children because she loved them. There were vio-
lent scenes in the courtroom between the accused
couple and their servants the latter charging the
woman with being a monster Sargent collapsed
when the magistrate examining him
removed from the courtroom in a semi-conscious
condition.
The police say they have established the fact
mat the youngest child adopted by the Sargents
was born In November at the Holy Trinity Lodge.
an Anglo-American institution. the membership of
The official register gives the name of tine child as
Kenneth Edgminster OF Mabel Johnson. In
December, after having verified excellent refer
ences given by the Sargents, the lodge turnd over
this child 70 the couple.
Mrs Savin sister-in-law of Mrs. Sargent says
that Mr.. Sayin. the father of the accused woman
Is a hnancer, who lives in New York. She says
also that Mr.. and Mrs. Savin. the parents CT Mrs
Sargent. separated n number Of years ago. ana
that Mrs. Savia went with her daughter to London
where she died Savin afterward signed a deed
agreeing to pay his daughter $500 annually.
Referring 20 the Edgworth child. Mrs. Savin
said she the daughter OF a woman who
employed as q cook in Newark This woman al
ready had a son, and. detesting girls. she turned
over the female child to negress living in the
outskirts OF New York Mrs. Sargent became
quainted with the cook, who agreed to her having
the child provided the negress had no objection to
Mrs. Sargent taking IL. The negress, however. was
reluctant to part with her charge. but she finally
consented TO do so in consideration OF sum OF
money paid to her by the accused woman.
Some persons say that Mabel Johnson, the
mother of ths~bllnd baby, is still in Paris. and
that, although she said she American. she
spoke with the accent Of a cockney.
The deaconess of the lodge and the Rev. Mr..
Van 0inkIe vicar of the American church here,
both say that Mr.. Sargent appeared in every way
a respectable person. and that he was vouched
for by a London clergyman. who said that he had
been a captain in the Boer war and member Of
well known London club They could under
stand Sargent's having any Interior motive for
taking the child. he received no money for 50
doing.
A telegram TO The Tribune from Newark sad
that there was no record the City Clerks office
of the birth OF & Mary Anne Edgeworth or Edg-
worth and that tho Children's Aid Society had no
records the adoption referred 10 in the dispatch
from Paris There no Edgworths in the city