Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-06-30
ale a.EN -U.4.oE Ge,s.ES.
her Character and FClunes-.-Har Resi-
deace IN Memphis Gen. Gaines
and the Fortunes OF Memphis.

Inc name Of Aiyra Clark Gaines will be
remembered while WOma1Iv heroism
tlreless energy, Uufaltering e0nndeuce fn
the divinity that shapes or ends. are
LcnOred among men. Amid all the vary
ing fortunes incident to her extraordinary
life, there was never a breath of calumuv
that affected her fame. Her wOmanlv
worth, paipable in every act, in every day
QemGanOr, in her Intercourse with jurists
and statesmen, has ever been confessed.
Those who have lost most by her steady
toll, while she was helpless and penniless,
save as she was rich in the e~xhaustless
resources OF tireless energy and intieXible
purpose, have been her staunchesJ friends
and asserted most persistentlv her exalted
wOmanly worth. We have seen her un-
der circumstances that tested every quail
ity of her head aud heart. The writer
watched her nNed, resOlute expression
Of face when the supreme Court of the
United States was prOnOuucing its DDin-
ion IN the winter Of 1861. bv which rbp
object of a lifetime of anxiety and toni
was attained. She was as true to herself
TO her fame, to her strength of. character
i'm that final, decisive hour, when MANY
millions OF Health hung upon the breath
of fancy, IS when, a few hours before.
she was the gayesy of a social circle in a
fashionable hotel. Her conduct at Rich
mond in the winter Of 1868 / was worthy
Of her fame. She refused to do more than
demand her legal rights, and that these
should be CxpOUnded in accordance with
the same principles that defined those Of
other citizens Of the COnt8deracy. 4
Louisiana Confederate court had refused
TO recognize the decision of the supreme
judicial authority of the United States.
Mrs. Gaines was dauuted by no danger.
she sLrank from no responsibility, and
detied all opposition. Long ago her in
yincIDle spirit was illustrated IN
a ]THRILLISG SPEECH,
in her W case made by Mrs. Gaines
herself. In the early part of its progress,
a question was before the court which it
was very Important to Mrs. Games, should
il be decilediu her favor. But upon some
grounds, 10y a ruling Of the court, the
Judge refused to hear any argument from
her lawyers. General Gaines appealed to
the cour 10 allow him TO speak to the
point involved. But no, the court would
not hear even General Gaines. Finally,
provoked TO evaporation at what she
conceived to be the injustice of the arbi-
trary ruling of the court, she demanded
The privilege of defending her ease, and for
n hour and a half, with UGH truth
and ]elOquence, brought before the pa.
such an array of facts and law that the
court, the bar and spectators were ali
halmed. She VIGOROUSLY carried
point.
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION.
Many years ago, two attempts were
made to take her life; one by shooting at
her while she vas standing on the veran-
iah Of her clearinghouse on Canal street.
another time she was violently as
while walking with some lady
friends in a garden in New Orleans.
InELa nfTluEl VErava made nRu. affair tina
commencement of her suit, and not long
after the death Of her first husband, Mr.,
VIM, Whitney.
A PROPHET AND GENERAL.
The interest manifested in behalf Of
Mrs. Gaines IN her effort to secure her es-
arises in part from a lively recOllec-
eCIiOu by our Oldest citizens of the Yir-
.ues and goodness OF her excellent hus-
)and, aud the remembrance of the deep
interest he ever manifested in Memphis
md the welfare Of her people during his
-esidence here in 1881 80. This city
then his military headquarters, and
lis residence was at the big spring Two
niles east of Memphis. OF all the good
md great men who have worked for the
-rOwth and advancement Of Memphis, no
is more entitled to the gratitude and
praise of this people than General E +.
lanes. lie was the first 10 direct public
.yteutiDu to Memphis as the best point in
be Mississippi valley for a great rail
Dad center. In 1888 he made a
nap of this and the adjacent
states, pointing out the best and most
practicable routes for notwithstanding
ug at Memphis. His map was printed
nd extensively circulated at the time, a
copy of which may now be found in the
possession of one of our old citizens, and
10 inspection OF il will show how thor
he had studied in advance of all
Jher men the subject of railroads, n
heir relative Importance and bearing
Upon the prosperity Of Memphis. Nearly
very road and projected road in the
Southwest is indicated on Gen. Gaines
nap, made in Memphis, nearly forty
ears ago. AT Oue time he owned a large
mount OF real estate in this county and
iJy. and had ne lived a few years longer, !
would perhaps have made his permanent
e-Ideuce here. He died at his military
.eadguartCrs, il the ST. Charles Hotel, |
Jew Orleans, in 1919. The purity of his
lle, the generous impulses and the uni
Jrm courtesy and kindness that Charac-
cried his intercourse with citizens and
0ldIers, won for him the utmost conf
.ence and respect of all classes olJhe com
Iunity. There are not many of his CO.
empOIaries now living. Gr5enlaw, |
,ewsou, Charles Mclean, w. Park, A.
3. Holt, Eugene Magevney, Cobb, LOT
and, DR.. Frayser, r. TOpp and T.. Titus
re among the few remaining who were
OF Memphis whom Gen. Gaines
made this city his home.
MRS. GAINES FORTUNES.
The above remarks have been suggested
" the newspaper accounts of the late de-
isiUu iu favor of Mrs. Gaines by the Uni
"a States Circuit Court in New Orleans, |
Justice Bradley presiding. This decision
Iaces her Ina possession of all The property /
warded her by the Supreme Court of
be United States in 1867. The delay
D enforcing the decree was owing
Judge Durell, the resident Judge, eN-
using himself from enforcing the decree, /
n the ground that he was a party inter
sted, having been made a defendant in
ne Of the bills filed by Mrs. Gaines. This
6cisiOu is all she expected or asked Of
be- court, and is to her a satisfactory
that she Will sJou recover her
nyirs estate; the property involved in
his suit being a portion Of one hundred
nd thirty acres in the city of New Or
cans. the remainder being il the poses
of parties who were not embraced in
le suit Just decided.
The decree is full and ample, as will be
3en 10y the following paragraph:
And the court doth further order, and
liudge. and decree. hat the complain
.I. MNra Clark Gaines, as the Legitimate
nd only child Of the said Daniel Clark,
nd universal legateo under his last will
nd testament, is justly and lawfully en-
tied to the property aforesaid, so claimed
held by the defendant Laymeyor, to-
ether with All the yearly rents and pro-
aCcruing from the same, since the
came into the said defendants pos
sssi0n, tO-wil: on the 3OJh of Ssptem-
1870, and tor which the defendant is
sreby adjudged, ordered and decreed 20
to the said Myra Clark Gaiues.'
The same decree is entered against the
ty Of New Orleans and the other de-
.ndauts in the cases then before the
The Court peremptOrily orders the
to be placed in her possession,
declaring that she has AT last, after
lirty-seven years of effort, toll, perpleX-
les and privstious, such as few
.dividuaIs rave ever endured, succeeded
securing her rights by order of the
.-hest judicial authority in the United
.ates,
WHAT MIGHT BE DONE.
1t has been said that in the hands of a
3mpeteut writer a volume Of great in
.rast could be produced giving a his
Of the litigation of Mrs. Gaines, from
ply. 1886, the date of d filing OF her first
u. to the final conclusion of the Su-
-emo Court of the United States, i'm 1867,
her case against the city Of New or
She was born in New Orleans, the exact
is not clearly proved, but it was IN
.e year 1904 or 1905, and at the house of
rs. Harriet Smith. When she was six
eight days old she was put in the
large of Mrs r. NJ. Davis, and remained
jth her until the date of the marriage
Myra to Mr.. Whitney. She was
up by the family of Col. s. b. ,
avis, and was considered the daughter
Mrs. Davis. A very short time pre-
GUS to her marriage with Whitney, Ms.
made known 10 her the true his