The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-06-27
SOME FACTS ABOUT THE DECEASED.

h'i hiot hhoboh's, Nlllltln NullncN, Vi
Philadelphia. lie resided here up to the
time of the WA, and always bore the name
of his stepfatacr, Gen. Gaines until few
years ago, when on account of some family
troubles q dropped the name of his step
father a'id assumed that of his own paternal
ancestor. He was always known as Will
Gaines here until his return from the war,
and to the day of his death his old friends
always addressed him as Gaines. He always
signed his name MS William Gaines until
the past few years.
Immediately upon the secession of South
Carolina he-then u resident of this city,
and a clerk in the Treasury Department
decided to cast his lot with the South
and, resigning his position, crossed the line
He served with distinction in Maryland
(Confcderate) battery. His mother, Mrs.
Myra Clark Gaines, and his sister, Miss
Rhoda Whitney, whose first husband was
DIR. Strothcr, of Kentucky, from whom she
was divorced and aftcrward married Christ
mas, were subjected to much harsh treat
mcnt by the Union forces, and through or
ders from Secretary Seward compelled to
leave Washington in the dead cold of win
ter and conveyed across the lines to tho
South.
The deceased was u man of much mag
netism of nature and always bore the
''''''NN iNI"'N W ICING ~ tiuc a. iiiNhN 40
ever existed. His heart and his purse was
ever ready at Il call from a friend.
From youth to his death no had been u
subject of epileptc fits, and this weakness,
added to u lifelong excessive use of tobacco,
rendered him nervous and at times uncon-
trollablc. The day previous to the homicide
he was seized with fcarfully violent at
tack of epilepsy.
Mr.. Whitney was a native of Philadelphia,
but, after the marriage of his mother to
Gen. Gaines, the family removed to Lousi-
ana and he was reared in tho South.
A STRANGE COINCIDENCE,
associated with this homicide, is the fact
that many years ago, previous to the war,
the father of Mr.. Christmas shot and killed
a free negro in North Carolina, and was tried
and hanged for the crime. A cousin of
Christmas was also hanged for murder.
MRS. MYRA CLARK GAINES.
Mrs. Gaines was fully cognizant of the
unfortunate difficulty existing between her
son and son-in-law, and acted as mediator
between them, in order to bring about "a
restoration of their former amicable rela-
tiOns but never dreamed that there could
arise from their Misunderstanding any seri-
Gus difficulty whichwould result so fatally.
She had advised Mr.. Christmas not to take
any notice of her son, who, when he became
excited from his Affections of epilepsy, was
not responsible. The peculiar relations of
Mrs. Gaines to the parties make her posi-
ton most painfully distressing, and we learn
this sudden blow has utterly Frustrated
her.
The statement in this mornings Post that
among the baskets Containing solids and
fruits" sent to Mr.. Christmas on Saturday
night last, was one from Mrs Gaines, we
are authorized to say, is wholly untrue and
unfounded; also the assertion of the Sunday
Herald that Mrs. Gaines had sent a messcn-
ger to Mr.. Christmas ON that night is mis-
take and is not true. These statements
would go to implicate Mrs. Gaines rs lean
ing in favor of the accused, which do her
the greatest injustice, and are repungant to
the noble nature of a woman of the high
souled principles of Mrs. Gaines, who, since
the homicide, has taken no part whatever,
for or against Mr.. Christmas, leaving it the
courts to develop and decide the facts.
CHRISTMAS CASE TO DE SENT TO THE
GRAND JURY.
The case of James Y. Christmas, who
killed w. j. Whitney on Saturday evening
last, will DO presented to the grand jury to-
morrow, as it is thought the ends of the
law and the rights of parties will be best
established by n prompt examination of the
charges.
THE REMAINS OF WHITNEY
were taken to the undertaking establish
mcnt of X. w. Barker, to be encoiiined.
They will not be taken to the house of the
deceased, but will be transferred ut ; o'clock
this afternoon by the undertaken direct to
Oak Hill Cemetery, where short religious
services will be held at the chapel connected
with the cemetery, and the remains will be
placed in the ccmetery's vault, and arrange
ments made for final intcrment.
The funeral will be perfectly quiet, no
formal pail bearers, nor any funeral process
sion. The family will meet the remains at
the cemetery, and with few friends at
tend the final ceremonies.