The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1861-03-29
The Victory of Mrs. Gaines.

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fession, but tue eyes of the world. These
cases are singularly suggestive, and pecu~
liarlv Illustrative of certain phases of Am
erican society, and as such possess other
Interests than those of a merely pecuniary
character. Each has reached after pro-
tracteo struggles, a decision, the one adj
verse to and the other in favor of the
claimant,-the one loses all SIZE deemed
worth living for while the other gains not
only fortune of fabulous amount. but es-
tablishes forever the honor of her mother.
Had the Imperial Court been more kind,
the American claimant of kinglv hand
would now be in possession of vast estate,
with hei sons legitimacy acknowledged
before the world, while, as it is, these are
denied her, and perhaps forever.
In view, then, OF the interest of the eel
ebrated cause which yesterday was decided
in favor of Mrs. Gaines, by full bench
of the Supreme Court of the United States,
brief resume o. its material facts will not
be misplaced.
Daniel Clark, who was one Of the early
settlers in the colony of Louisiana, was a
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 char
acter, aud agreeable manners afforded him
a similar position in the social circle. In
1902 he became acquainted in Philadel-
phia with lady of extraordinary beauty,
named Zulime Carriere She was born in
the old French colony of Biloxi, and her
parents we're emigrants from the land of
poetry and romance-Provence-the fay
orite home of the Troubadours
When Clark first met her, she had been
living in wedlock with a swindler named
! Jerome De Grange, who, having dazzled
| her with glittering eoronet, married her,
aud then disclosed the astounding facts
J that he was a confectioner and bigamist
Zulime appealed for protection to Clark,
who being warm hearted and chivalrous,
at once espoused her cause, after becoming
convinced that De Grange had another
wife living, espoused herself The mar
rage was kept secret, and in 1906 Myra.
now Mrs. Gaines, was born. Being natu
rally DESTROYS of having her connection
with Clark publicly acknowledged one,
Zulime went to New Orleans to obtain lie
gal proofs of her fist husbands rascaIitv.
While she was gone, Clark, who had
grown into an influential politician became
enamored Of Miss Cation, grand daughter
of Charles Carroll, with whom he con
tracted an engagement, though when re-
ports were brought TO Miss Cation, al!egi O
her lovers marriage to Zuime, she at
once insisted on a release from the en-
gagement, and she subsequently became
the Marchioness Of Wellesley.
In the meantime Zulime had returned to
Philadelphia, and sought to obtain proofs
of her marriage with Clark, who had, with
singular treachery, destroyed all that lie
could discover. Finding herself helpless,
in a strange country, and with child de-
pendent upon her, in her desttution, driv
en- almost to despair, she accepted the
| hand of DR.. Gardetie, who, with kindness
and generosity, united his fortune with
hers. Clark, in the meantime, bad become
penitent, but on Fastening to find his for
mer love, ascertaned that he was the wife
Of another. He took the child Myra,
placed her under the care of friend, and
had her most literally educated. Zuime
lived for a long time after that attained
the age Of rs years, and died at New Or
leans but few years since.
Clark, whose business talent was pro.
verbal, amassed an immense fortune in
Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, and
Maryland, which he bequcathed by will,
in 1873, to his mother, Mary Clark, ma
ming Beverly Chew and Richard Relf.
bankers Of New Orleans, as executors
Charges have been preferred against the
executors of bad faith ard mismanage>
ment, but however that may be, Myra-
then Mrs. Whitney having discovered
at maturity that her mother had been the
wife Of the deceased millionaire, with an
impulse of honorable affection for which
she cannot be too highly praised, deter
mined to assert her right, as the legiti
mate heir and consequent heiress, to the
entire property.
That she met with opposition and OBJ
stacles of all sorts may we'll be imagined,
but she battled for her mothers honor,
and evinced the most commendable spirit
and perseverance, IN spite of most fearful
odds. Her husband died, but she rema,>
ried, and in so doing enlisted a powerful
auxiliary in the person of Gen. Gaines
who believed in her legitima cy, and aided
her with all bis might. 1t would be wea-
risome merely to index the various legal
struggles, the attempted social ostracisms
the treacheries, the sorrows, The hopes
and fears experienced by Mrs. Gaines in
this work of her lifetime. She sued in
numerous courts, and with varied success
until her fortune was gone, her friends
convinced Of the uselessness of further
trial, and all but her own indomitable
spirit fled. She still struggled on, and,
as las. resort, brought the case, in its
amplitude and its labyrinths of legal tech
nicalities, to the Supreme Court of the
| land.
There, after long and patient hearing
she has obtained her victory. The Court
has unanimously decided that Mrs Clark
Gaines is the only legitimate child of
Daniel Clark, and that, as such, she is en-
titled to all the property left by him
J Nor are the years and energies Of the