Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-08-27

er being a private letter, has not been
SAINT 10 US for publications.
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| An IMPORTANT AND INTERESTING Law
Sur, -Some time since, we observed in
some OF our city papers, brief notice of
an important libel suit, tried al new Or.
leans, and which had just terminated in
favor Of the defendant. The case was ti
ed in the Judicial District Court Of Lou.
I isiana, and the parties were Richard ReIf
versus Richard Raynab kecne; the dam
ages claimed being twenty thousand dol
lars. The issue involved in the suit gave
TO il an extraordinary interest, inasmuch
as The alleged libel was nothing less than
the charge Of having destroyed or sup
pressed. a last viii. BY which means a Tor.
mer one was brought into effect, and the
infant child of the lcsiatur drfranded. IL ii
said, OF property 10 the amount OF several
millions Of dollars. The defendant relied
for bis defence upon proving the truth of
the accusation, and he obtained verdict
We have lately learned several Of the facts
in relation TO this suit, and as they are Of
a very uncommon character. wa give be
low. few of the leading ones.
The late Daniel CLARK. Esq Of Louisi
ana, who had formerly been a iicpresen
tative in Congress from that State, died as
we arc informed, several years since, lea.
wing an only child. an infant daughter,
then but a few months old. and possessing |
attic time Of his death, a vast amount of
real and other property 10 the city OF New I
Orleans and its vicinity, worth now. ~ we
are told, some millions Of dollars.
Miss CLARK was brought up in ignorance |
Of her right TO the splendid Inheritance |
left her BY her father. until after her mar.
rage, short iime since, with u MIR. Whit |
ney son ofone Of our most respectable cit
liens in the western part of this State -
Mr. Whitney Immediately upon his mar
rage, With most crcditable perseverance,
and energy, adopted measures for assert
ing the rights OF bio vie, and commenced
The necessary legal proceedings for the re.
covery OF her fathers estate. The ground
upon which he claims 10 recover Is the nj
legged fact 10 which we have above refer
red, that the executors OF DIR, Clark had
destroyed or suppressed bis last will, which
contained q devise Of nearly all his i'm
mcnse fortune 20 bis infant. now Mrs. w.
by which destruction or suppression. for
~
the estate. was made operative.
These proceedings have necessarily eau
sed considerable interest and excitement |
in New Orleans. as Mr, Clark's executors
had teen men Of high staining. The pro-
ceedings are still pending, and out Of them
the libel Just above mentioned has grown. |
Mr. Relf, the plaintiff, fwho IS one Of the
execntors) having prosecuted Mr. keene,
the lawyer retained BY MI. Whitney, for
an alleged libel in charging him (kclf) |
with mai administration oil tho estate, aud
The suppression or destruction of the last
will OF MIR Clark. Mr.. Kecnc's plea, asve
have said, was justification, aud The jury !
found verdict for him.
The grave matter involved 10 the issue /
made in this cause by the defendants ha.
wing justified, as it is termed 10 legal /
phrase. or, ia other. words, having relied |
ior his defence upon Lis ability TO produce !
judicial proof Of the truth oil bis accusation |
and the Jury having given vefslct Tor
him upon that proof, reuder this tiis; one |
of The most extraordinary on record. In
England, the destruction, or forgery OF a
last will has sometimes been tbe subject OF |
judicial investigation. bnt no instance oil
The kind. Of any note, has, we believe, MIN
erto occurred in the United States.
All the circumstances, too, attendant
upon this case, inves, il with with re-
rnarkabie interest. The vast estate winch |
Is charged TO have been plundered--thc
character Of the individuals who are so |
openly charged with the rsnine-and then
the treacherous despoiling Of an orphan
child Of her patrimony by the very men
10 whom dying parent had entrusted the
protection her rights are all, all OF them
startling circumstances, calculated 10 a.
waken attention IN the most eminent de
gree. We have heard many Of the de
tails OF this most extraordinary matter but
as tie whole is in a train of cgaf inyesti-
gstien, which will thoroughly expose TO
the light ofday whatever foul work there
has been in it, we iorbear at present ma
king further comment---G n Star.
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