Estate of Beffa

This appeal is from a judgment and order admitting the instrument hereinafter set out to probate as the last will of Candido Beffa, deceased.

The appellant is a sister of the deceased and his sole heir at law. Her home is in the state of Missouri and she had not seen her brother for many years prior to his death, though they kept up a correspondence and he occasionally sent her money. The deceased was a native of Switzerland. He came to this country in 1899, at the age of seventeen years, and thereafter made his home with his aunt, Mrs. Teodora Rocchi, and her husband until the latter’s death, they residing on a farm in Calaveras County. Upon the death of Mr. Roechi, Beffa and his aunt took up their residence in San Andreas, where, in the language of the trial judge, “they practically lived in the relationship of mother and son” until the death of Beffa, she being the housekeeper and he being employed by others for a time and later engaging in business for himself in partnership with one Louis Queirola. Queirola, shortly before Beffa’s death, decided to withdraw from the partnership business and it seems to have been agreed that an effort would be made to sell the same. During…