The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1884-10-25
TI,e CeIehrnted case.
STORY or THE MOST DISTINGUISHED LITIdANT
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
Exchange.

Exchange.
This is Myra Clark Gaines, whose
claim to millions of dollars worth Of
property in New Orleans was decided
in her favor by lower court and is
now awaiting action in this court.
The Importance of this case will be
recognized whom it is understood that
it has been in litigation by this very
woman for over half q century, and
that now, at the age of 7s, she is still
fighting it.
The records of the lower court, in
which she was successful, lie in the
office of the Clerk of the Supreme
Court now, They make a volume
larger than one man can lift, two feet
long, ls inches wide and fully two
feet ip thickness, with nearly 10000
pages of written record.
Mrs. Gaines lives in Washington,
She has obtained some money on her
claim at various times, but it has all
been swallowed up by the half CEN
tury Of litigation, and, but for the
fact that she draws pensson as the
widow of Gen. Gaines, she would Of
ten find difficulty in obtaining the
requirements of comfortable subsist-
ence. Her old little figure, with red
hair, a shaky walk, but determined
manner, are often to be seen about the
court room.
She keeps an intelligent watch over
her case, knowing every legal point in
it, and at one time, in the absence of
her lawyer, appeared as her own at
torney with great aud marked sue
cess, making for herself the reputation
Of being the first woman to argue q
case in any court in the United States.
1t is now so 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 a gay
fellow, and he took in all the pleas
nres of the then Metropolis of Ame-
RIGA. In his rounds he met French
beauty and fell in love with her. This
woman's name was Zulime Carrier,
and at the time she was living with q
Frenchman named LAGRANGE, Wheth-
er she was married TO LAGRANGE or
not is one Of the points in question.
The defendants claim that she was his
legal wife. At any rate, when Clark
met her in 1905 she left LaGTange
and went to live with Clark. The
Supreme Court of the United States
has declared that she was privately
married to Clark, and that she was
merely LaGrange's mistress,
In 1906, 7s years ago, MyTs Clark
was born. She was the only child
Zulime Carrier had by Daniel CLARK.
At this time Clark sent Zulime away,
and acted as a bachelor, He engaged
himself in marriage and formed other
connections, producing other off
spring, He denied the fact that he
had married Zulime, and when she
came back and pushed the case in the
Philadelphia courts, she was unable to
succeed. She finally took up with a
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 well educated by him and
was treated by him as a daughter.
He went again into Indian trading al
New Orleans and amassed an immense
fortune,
In 1918 be died, and will was
produced showing that all his prop
erty was loft to his mother and the
city of New Orleans, Myra CLARK, |
then only II years old, was apparently |
and the executors took |
charge of the estate. When Myra
grew to the age Of 80 she married
Mr, Whitney, and then she began to
contest the will. She claimed she |
was the only Legitimate daughter OF
Daniel CLARK and that the property |
was hers. Her claim was at once holly |
contested, and Mr.. Whitney died be,
fore il was tried, The widow con
tiBued 10 prosecute the snits Shortly |
afterwards she married Gen, Gaines, /
ina he entered into the case % warmly |
% herself. The case was tried IN New
Orleans Il was lost. II was carried |
to the Supreme Court Al Washington.
II was again lost. til 1852 1t seemed |
4 hopeless Gghl, ana Al this time Gen.
Gaines died,
n..t 49, .rnn ,.aa diannrirnn.aa - |