Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-03-31
VERMONT PHOENIX.
BrattIeboro, Friday, March 81, 1913.
Editorial Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, Feb, isas.
Mrs Gcincs-Her Parentage and History.


/ promised in a former letter, TO give you q
narrative of the fortunes Of Mrs Gen. Gaines,
who, by n recent decision Of the u. S. Supreme
Court In her favor, is said to have become cnti-
tied to an immense estate.
Mrs Gaines is the daughter of Daniel CLARK,
an Irislman BY birth, and a man Of education
and extraordinary talents, who settled in New
Orleans about the year 1883, as a merchant
About the year 1903, he became acquainted
with one zuiiemc DE Carrierc, a very beautiful
Creole lady Of Louisiana, who in the year 1894
had married one Jerome De Grange but who
subsequently discovered, that he then had an
other wife living in New York. Dc Grange was
prosecuted for bigany, and imprisoned he cs-
capped, however, and was never again heard of.
Under these circumstances, Mr. CLARK became
acquainted with the lady, and the fact of DE
Oranges bigamy being clearly established, Mr.
Clark accompanied Miss Dc Carrierc to Phila-
dclphia in 1908, where he was married to her.
The secret of the marriage was preserved by the
parties and witnesses. Mr. CLARK and his wife
returned to New Orleans, and about the year
1906, Mrs Gaines was born. The marriage did
not prove a happy one, and about the year 1908
Mrs Clark left her husband and returned to Phil.
~adelphia. In order probably to keep the secret
of the marriage, the child, soon after her birth,
was placed with Saml. d. Davis and wife, where
she continued until her marriage. Mr. Davis,
about the time of the death of Mr. CLARK in 1918,
removed to Wilmington, Delaware, and brought
up the clid as his own daughter, calling her
Myra Davis.
In 1911, Mr. Clark, who had accumulated a
large estate, conveyed 100000 to trustees for
her benefit, and made a will, bequeathing his
estate to bis mother, and appointing Mcssrs
Richard Relf and Beverly Chew his executors
lie expressed much anxiety for his daughter
Myra, and declared his purpose to make her his
heiress. Being a man Of eccentric character, it
is supposed he was of uneasy temperament, aud
a rowing disposition-so much 70, tina, he took
no charge of his child.
In 1918, he made another will, in which he
bequeathed all his property to his daughter
Myra, acknowledged her as his legitimate child.
and spoke Of it to his friends. lie died in 1918,
and Pierre Baron Birsfoniaine, one of the wit
ucsscs, thus speaks of what took place just pre-
vious thereto:
About fifteen days before his death, witness
was Mt his house, and saw him take from n small
black case, a scaled packet, which he handed TO
Chevalicr de Ia Croix Gan executor named in
it is in this sealed packet, with valuable papers.
A. Yo,, cnnaantoI I have nala xuu if II futnr
to my daughter. If any misfortune happens to
me, will you do for her all you promised me-
VIII YOU take her at once from Mr. Davis? ]
have given her all my estate in my will, except
an annuity to my mother. and some legacies 10
friends. You, Pilot and Bellechaisc are the ex-
ecutors.' About two hours before his death, MIR
Clark showed strong feelings for Myra, and told
me that he wished his will to be taken to Cheva-
lier de Ia Croix, as he was her tutor, as well rs
one Of the Executors in II; and Just afterwards,
Mr. Clark told Lubin, his confidential servant, to
be sure us soon as he died, to carry his little
black case 10 Chcyalicr de Ia Croix. After this,
and n short time before Mr. Clark died, | saw Mr.
Relf take a bundle of keys from Mr. Clark's ar
NOR, one Of which | believe opened the little
black case. / had seen Mr. Clark open it ofcn.
After taking these keys from the armoir, Mr.
Relf wen, below. When l went below, ! did
not see Mr. Tielf, and the Office room door was
shut. Lubin told me that when Relf went Town
with the KEYS, he followed, and saw him 60 into
the Office and lock the door"
This was n portion of the evidence TO prove
that Ref distracted the will of 1918, for the pur-
pose of substituting that of 1871, in which he
was named executor; for the will of 1918 was
not found, and Relf and Chew, acting under the
will Of 1871, took possession of tho estate, and
have appropriated most of it to their own use.
Myra Davis, as she was called, was brought
up in entire ignorance of her birth or parentagc,
and supposed herself the daughter of Mr. Davis.
1t is said-with what truth / do not know-that
Mr. Davis kept her in ignorance, in order that
when grown up, he might undeeeive her, and
induce her to marry him. Such is the general
belief of the people of Wilmington, and such l
think is the belief of Mrs Gaines.
Myra Davis had her suspicious first aroused
by a letter she accidentally found addressed to
Mr. Davis, in which she was called Myra Clark
and with suspicious once excited, her woman's
wit soon discovered other evidence, showing
that there was some mystery connected with her
change of name. She questioned Mr. Davis, but
could gain no information from him. On the
contrary, though he admitted she was not his
daughter, he sought to make her believe she was
an adopted daughter, and dependent upon him.
His explanation did not satisfy the quick and
%rcsolutc mind of Myra Clark.
About this time, she became acquainted with
William w. Whitney, of Binghamton, N, Y. A