Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-01-18
MYRA CLARK GAINES.
George Alfred Townsend's Sketch Of Mrs
Gaines, the Heroine Of the Greatest
Law Suit OF Modern Times.

in NEW AlIlEAnSs cut 10 "a eAAhAAs lAAH r
bright eyed woman, and she has Deeh lhe
heroine Of the very heroic law suit which
she has personally conducted, raising
monev for the purpose to the amount OF
half a million, recovering nearly million,
and with all the probabilities In her favor
of getting a million more. But, II she
were to get what she would receive under
other conditions than those OF democratic
public opinion, she would possess hall tue
city of New Orleans in its most valuable
part, and be a wealthier woman than
Miss Burdett-Coutts, whom Wellington
endeavored to marry out OF eovetousuess
TO her fortune.
The home of this lady Is in New York
citv bnt abe spends much of her time in
New Orleans. where she has strong friends
and strong enemies, almost equal in num-
her. Her suit has involved many OF her
intimate friends. FROM whom she has bor-
rowed money to pay lawyers fees and
court fees. Her second husband, General
Gaines, believed implicitly in the merits OF
her case, and gave her S2O0,OOO 10 hght II
out. She has been twice married, ana 70
excellent men both times and l was told
that the brother of her first husband had
helped her with nearly the whole oil ms
funds. There Is dash, piquance ana
nimbeness about this woman whlch dls'
tingnlsh her as one OF the queens of hel
sew She is SAID to be about 60 years Of
are. hut would pass for 40; and, while
her education Is defective, she is Iatura
authoress and lawyer, and can write
stinping brief, where sauce and justice art
mixed together.
She is lust the sort of woman to be lden
tilted with New Orleans ns-Provlneiallsn
, and Cosmopoltanism minglng in her al
amongst many OF these old hd6tdhs' ne
mother had married a French blgamlst
and. discovering the fact after she reached
( New Orleans. presumed to marry agall
Y the great Daniel Clarke, one Of the wealth
, lest men of the South. lie was one OF Tn
earliest property-hoiders in New OrIean.
and representcd that territory in Jefferson
Administration. Clark was smitten wit
q the beauty of the French lady, and cor
Il tracted a secret marriage With her-inad
B. secret in order TO anticipate divorce irol
q lis French predecessor. But, WINE
a was absent in Washington City, his rei'
l. tiyes and connections, who had eNpecte
n to ret his money, told him that his wi
" was uufnithiul, and hired her lawyer
n lteu her that her marriage with ClaU
Il wasnot legal Having "a n1tWal ailecti,
r. for man, the French lady pr posed To tai
.r a third husband. This Offended Clark
"A a,d IA seemed 10 confirm the lies whi
had been said against his lady and mea
limo his daughter was born-the prese
~ Goines-for whom he maintained
foetion. So that. while he let the wife III
d. he cave a very considerable sum OF mon
nd TO a man In Wilmington, Del, 10 be Us
lf- on5,,rlieJ In efucattue his daughter,
lt, ut her maturity, To present htr WI
OF H., urinriuaI Thus the bauks of I
re- Hr,udvNiue. where LAFAYETTE Thomi
a tIarrv NfeCnnh. and your humble corr
ed rnndcpt nassed their youth. became
cd ;l,voropnd of the future Mrs. Gaines.
I'd. ttcv md no penitertinry IN tie State a
Tor n.ver whipped white people ut the pc
to The cn-toliar of the baby saw no husin
ler reason WHY he should not squander
nd money. He did sQunnder il, and hist
ed has made no mention of the iunum ra
ac' Sried chickens. roast capons, aud devi
IA a,ah. ,yIicb this unflithful guardian
0p- ,.l,,,.d ont or Inc Inheritance of the b.
os- IN The woods. A Mr.. Croasdalc, who
,ha b'st ioprnalist in Delaware, some ii
',l collocted the story of Mrs. GaiI
cbildhood in Wilmington, and il was p
Iished over another name, in the Gal
>, ; : 'li,r' il,oagj,c
" IVhen The Guardian had squaudered
NJ NJ n,o nonsv and boHh his liver aud {
iity so,orce ,yer., disordered. some faint re
,ple lection of her childhood Inspired a arc
va va shedrconed that her father was anol
neu nai rerson % tHan the man she called fatt
.eut @ ,bat bo vac rich and lived in dis
State na amonest negroes, molasses and $
u ~, "a t otSsr tbings as children like. She q
y 'n,e Avn IN hrsok fast The next morning, VI
10 ~" tbe nnfaitbfnl Guardian was thinking,
.... ,',orose ,yav now f,rlunate il was for
'sel M thot The slate had no Peuitentiary,
NJ hoa, nnfcrtnnate that there were no O
nGu iit,Io iiV ,,irls io he lei ont with endowm,
.he W ifS,iV Is,,bo INV n,lawarean, For him no 10
,..t.t tho fried OvEtpr pnmbOlpd. or the chi