The constitutional union., 1861-04-05
NUMBER 2b
MRS. MIRA CLARK GAINES.
Who Here Ter Ancestors o,sd How She Con,e in Co3ot-Aterestjag Particulars of

The annals of litigation furnish no two more intesting or peculiar cases than thoss of Madame Patterson Bonaparte and of Mrs. Myra Clark Gaines, both of which have for many years occupied prominent positions be- fore not only the legal profession, but the eyes of thc'whole world. These cases arc singu- larly suggestive and peculiarly illustrative of certain phases of American society, and as such possess other interests than those of a merely pecuniary character. Each has, after protracted struggles, reached a decision, tho one adverse to, and the other in favor of the claimant-thc one loses all she deemed worth living for, while the other gains not only for tune of fabulous amount, but establishes for ever the honor of her father Had the inn l pcrial court been more kind, the American claimant of kingly hand would now be in l possession of $ kingly estate, with her sons legitimacy acknowledged before the world, while, as 1t IS, these arc denied her, and per haps forever.
 In view then of theinterest of the eelobra- ted cause which has been decided in favor of Mrs Gaines, by full bench of the Supreme Court of the United States, brief resume of its material facts will not be misplaced 197 F
 Daniel Clark, who was one of the early set tiers of tho colony of Louisiana was very remarkable person. His sagacity, prudence and business tact soon placed him at the head of its monetary world, while his beauty of person, popular character, and agreeble man- ner, afforded him similar position iu the sdl cial circle. In 1892 he became acquainted in Philadelphia, with a lady of extraordinary personal beauty, named Zulime Carefre. She was born In the old Frenth colony of Biloxi;. her parents were emigrants from the land of poetry, flowers and romance-Provcnce- the tayoritc home of the Troubadours When Clark first met her. she had been living in wed= lock with man by the name of Jerome De-. Grange, swindler, who having dazzled her with glittering coronet, married her, and then disclosed the astounding fact that he was contectioncr and biganist. Zulime appeal ed for protection to Clark, who at once espous- ed her cause, and after being convinced that DeJrange had another wife living, espoused her himself. The marriage was kept secret, and in 1896 Myra was born. Being natural y desirious of having her connection with Clark a publicly acknowledged one, Zulime, went to New Orleans to obtain legal proofs of her first husbsnds rascality While she was gone, Clark, who had grown into an inhuen- tlal politician, became enamored of. Miss Ca- ton, granddaughter of Charles Carroll, with whom he contracted an engagement, though,i when reports were brought to Miss Caton, al leging her lovers marriage to Zulime, she at once insisted on release from the engage mNat and subsequently, became the Marchoi- ros. Of WelosF
 Tu Il meantime Zalimo had returned te Psilde}r hio, aud sought pfaots vf her marriage ..b "ark Bto bed, Ei,l siee 4lai trescherys mlth child deper ler8 QRA Eff. was - sly at a loss hat to M a3 h hsr des- tltutlo-1. driven a.mJ. h du accept- ed the hand of Mr. t,otaoOta, lo Nith kind- ness and generosity, united his fortune with hers Clark, in tho meantime had become penitent but, on hastening to find his for mer love. ascertained that she was the wife of anorhcr. He took the child Myra, placed her under the care of friend, and had her most liberally educated Zulime lived a long time after that, attained the age of seventy years, and died few years since in New Orleans.
 Clark, whose business tact was proverblal, amassed an immense fortune in Louisiana. Missouri. Kentucky and Maryland which he bequeathcd by will, in 1913, to his mother, Mary Clark, naming Beverly Chew and Rich- ard Relf. bankers of New Orleans, as ex- ecutors Charges have been preferred aoainst them of bad faith and mismanage7 ment, but however that may be, Myra-then Mrs Whitney-having discovered at maturi- tv that her mother had been the wife of the deceased millionaire, with the impulse of hon. orable affection. for which she cannot be too highly praised, determined to assert her right, as the legitimate child and consequent heir ess to the entire property. . |
 That she met with opposition and obstacles of all sorts may well he imagined, but she bat tied bravely for her mothers honor, and evino ed the most commendable spirit and persever- ence, in spite of most fearful odds. Her hus- band died, but shere- married General Gaines, and in doing so, enlisted powerful auxiliary who believed in her legitimacy, and aided her with all his might It would be wearisome to ] index the various legal struggles, the attempt- ed social ostracisms, the sorrows, the hopes, the fears experienced by Mrs. Gaines in this work of her lifetime. She sued in various courts. and with varied success, until her for
 tune was gone, her friends convinced of the uselessness of further trial, and all but her
 indomitable spirit fled. She still struggled on, and, as a last resort, brought the case, in ann plitude and its labyrinth of legal technicali- ties, to the Supreme Court of the land. There, after long and patient hearing, she has ob- tained her victory. The court has decided unanimously, that Myra Clark Gaines is the
 only legitimate child of Daniel Clark, and as
 such, she is entitled to all the property left by him. Nor are the years and energies of the courageous woman too far spent to prevent her enjoyment of her vast wealth. Mrs.
 Gaines, though now in her fifty fifth year, is represented as being an agreeable specimen of what old people delight in calling ''ladies oi , the old school" She is in good health, and an abundant flow Of animal spirits, which
 have buoyed her up for over thirty years, un-
 der circumstances of an unusually trying naI
 ture. ...s.r
 Mir. Justice Wayne, in closing the decision of the court seems to have placed particular emphasis on the words that the Supreme
 Court would see that the provisions of thC decisions were carried into ehect--a statemep of more than ordinary importance wbtet. " :.
 reflect that possibly tho State eP lloulsi;i1 ,s n r,o,sdalIino tn take eooniZap9ts cf, or De pound