Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-05-11
STRANGER THAN FICTION.
Myra Clark Gaines Gets Judge menr
Axafnst New Orleans.

lhANULh 1nAN
Myra Clark Gaines Gets Judge menr
Against New Orleans.
The report of the master In chancery |
in the case of Myra Clark Gaines
against New Orleans was confirmed
last week. With the interest the Judge
ment in Mrs. Gaines favor amounts to
81 925. 667. The case is filled with
strange and romatic events of absorbing
interests, and on the whole is one of
the most remarkable in the history of
American courts. My first recollection
Of Mrs. Gaines is when she blszed out
as the leader of st. Louis society. the
wife Of the good old general. She is now
" years of age. For thirty-one years
she has fought the battle in which she
is now the victor. This she has done
alone under opposition, insult and dis
coufagements of every description,
which would have overcome any other
man or woman. Her mother was be-
trsyed at the age of IA, after which she
went to New Orleans and met and mar
ried her second husband, Daniel Clark.
Clark was a proud, sensitive man, and
he did not have the courage to acknowl-
edge his beautiful Zllim to the world,
but kept her in seclusion on one of his
plantations.
When Myra was born she was st Mt
TO one of his Philadelphia friends TO
educate, and he placed in the hands of
the child's guardian and reputed father
500 600 in trust for his daug hter. He
then made will leaving the rest of his
estate to his mother. Previously be
had made will leaving the bulk of his
property to charitable institutions, and
naming as his executor and admins
tor his business partner, who was lso
his confidential friend. Recovering
from his losses and finding himself still
accommodating wealth, he made another
will making his daughter sole heiress of
all he possessed. Clark died soon after
under circumstances which led to the
belief that he had been poisoned, and
his friend played the traitor, filing the
first will, and not the last one which
made Myra his sole heir. The friend
thus g4ined control of the vast estate,
when he sold from time to time to the
city of New Orleans Years after the
traitor met his fate. He was informed
that Myra, Mrs. Whitney as she was
then, had declared in open court her
belief that she could prove that her
father had made later will which was
destroyed by an interested person, he
exclaimed. GOOD God! did she say
thar and throwing up his arms fell
dead at his informer's feet.
At this time, Myra was growing up
under the care of another treacherous
friend, who kept her from getting an
education or any advantages whatever.
In time she fell in love with William
Whitney, son of wealthy Philadel
phian, in spite of the protests of the
false friend, her supposed father. They
were married and removed TO New
York hamlet where they lived quietly
and happy, each helping 10 bear the
others burdens. Soon after southern
gentleman visited them and informed
them of the vast fortune that rightfully
belonged to her. Then was it that the
long litigation commenced, which is
to-day at an end, unless the case is APP
pealed.
Her husband died, four attempts
were made to assassinate her, and every
conceivable SANDER was circulated
against her, but she went on getting the
records of her mothers marriage and
other facts to show she was the lawful
heir. Her means were soon exhausted,
ard then paper was forged in Which
it was declared that she was not Daniel
Ciark's child at all. She pswned her
Jewels for $1,000. paid her debts and
started fer New Orleans, reaching there
with SO cents in her pocket. Then she
heard tina case was to come before a
Judge who was opposed to her, but,
strangely enough, he died on the day be-
fore the trial. Her enemies then went
to elect bis successor. She printed cir
culars giving the history of the disreput-
able man and beat him at the polls.
Soon after she married Gen. Gaines,
and she was never insulted when with
the big soldier. He was once talked of
as Il candidate for the presidency, The
war interrupted her work, but she
resumed it after the contest was over,
with the result already statod.