Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-07-12
MYRA CLARK GAINES.

l see Myra Clark Gaines received short
time ago, another decision from the United
States Court compelling New Orleans to
levy tax of S2,O0O,00O to satisfy her last
Judgment, and that the City Council say
they will 60 to Jail before they will obey it.
For the last fifty-eight years this idomita-
BILE woman has fought for her rights in the
Courts of the United States. Her case is
one of the most remarkable ones on record.
1t involves the title to millions of dollars of
property in New Orleans, and will probably
not be finally settled as long as the city
can legally fight againstit. Itisnow eighty
two years since Daniel Clark, a handsome
polished young man who had been for
some years leading the life of an Indian
trader in Mississippi, came to Philadelphia
to spend the winter. Clark was gay fel-
low and took all the pleasures of the then
metropolis of America. In his rounds he
her. This woman's name was Zulime Char
rier, and at the time she was living with a
Frenchman, named La Grange, Clark met
her. Whether she was married to La
Grange or not is one Of the points in ques-
ton. The defendants claim she was his
legal wife. At any rate when Clark met
her in 1905 she left La Grange and went to
live with Clark The Supreme Court of the
United States has declared that she was
privately W OldTk dllu llldG Sllc
was merely La Oranges mistress.
In 1906, seventy-seven years ago, Myra
Clark was born. She was the only child
Zulime Charrer had by Daniel Clark.
At this time Clark sent Zulime to New
Orleans and acted as a bachelor. He en-
gagged himself in marriage and formed.
other connections producing other offspring.
He denied the fact that he had married
Zulime, and when she came back and push
ed the case in the Philadelphia Court, she
was unable to succeed. She finally took up
with DR.. Gardette and lived with him until
he died.
But while Clark would have nothing to do
with the mother, he took good care of the
child. ,Myra Clark was we'll educated by
him and was treated by him as daughter.
New Orleans and amassed great fortune.
In 1913, just seventy years ago, he died,
and will was produced showing that all
of his property was left to his mother and
the city Of New Orleans. Myra Clark, then
only seven years old, was apparently pen
niless and the executors took charge of the
estate.
When Myra grew up to the age of twenty
she married a Mr.. Whitney, and then she
began to contest the will. She claimed that
she was the only legitimate daughter Of
Daniel Clark, and that his property was
hers. The claim was at once hOtly contest
ed, and Mr.. Whitney died before it was
tried,
The widow continued to prosecute the
suit. Shortly afterward she married Gen
eral Gaines and he entered into the case as
warmly as herself. The case was tried at
New Orleans. 1t was lost. 1t was carried
to the Supreme Court at Washington. 1t
was again lost. In 1852 it seemed a hopeless
| fight and at this time General Gaines died.
But Myra Clark Gaines was not discOur-
aged, and shortly after this time she dis
covered will executed by her father GER
tifying that Myra was his only child and
creating her his sole heir. Upon this will
she again went before the Courts in New
Orleans. She again lost. She again appeal
ed to the Supreme court at Washington,
and here, in 1861, she obtained judgment
confirming this will and giving her the
property left her by her father and the rents
thereof for the past thirty years. Then the
war broke out and justice was again delayed.
Since then she has, / think, received some
thing from the city, but nothing in compar-
ison with her rights. She is now seventy
seven years of age and will be, perhaps,
the richest woman in the United States if
she ever comes into the property for which
she has so pluckily fought for lifetime.-
Washington Letter.