The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-01-21
MRS. MYRA CLARK GAINES.
Her Lifelong Battle for Hcr Night
"A Romance of Love and Law.

y
years beena prominent figure in society
at Washington and New Orleans. She
was the most famous litigant that ever
lived in this country, and in the course
Of the fifty years Of litigation in which
she was engaged such men as Daniel
Webster, Caleb Gushing, ChaS. O'Conor.
Judah =. Benjamin and others Of the
ablest lawyers Of the age were employed
in the cases.
The story of Mrs. Gaincs's career reads
like a romance. Her mother was a beau
tiful Creole, who, at the age of fourteen,
married a brilliant young Trenchman
named NJ. de Grange, but learning that
he had n wife already living, she left him
and married Daniel Clark, an Influential
freshman, owning large estates in Louisi-
ana and much property in Philadelphia.
phia about 1903. hut he never acknow-
lodged his wife publicly. Myra was the
second child Of this union. She was
born in New Orleans. Clark persuaded
h mother to give up the child and
placed it. with n friend in Philadelphia,
who promised faithfully to care for her.
Not long after this Clark waa sent to
Washington as the first Louisiana Dele
gate to Congress. and his wife learning
that he was unfaithful, separated from
him.
With domestic trouble came business
disasters which made Clark think he
would loose all his property, and he
therefore conveyed to his friend, the
guardian Of Myra. 100000 in trust for
the child, and made Il will which gave
the rest Of his estate to his mother. He
had previously made a will leaving the
bulk OF his property to charitable insti-
t~utions, and naming as his executor and
administrator his business partner, who
was also his confidential friend. Rccov-
ering from his losses, and finding himself
still amassing wealth, he made another
will, making his daughter sole hciress Of
all he possessed. He soon after died
under circumstances which led to the be-
lief that he had been poisoned.
Clark's first will was recorded by his
partner the day after his death. The will
leaving his wealth to Myra was never
found, but an aged negro in Clark's SER
vice testified that he had seen his
partner open his secretary after his
death and take from it a sealed docu-
ment and burn it. When, some years In
ter. the partner was told that Myra had
. declared in open court that her father
had made this will anil it had been
destroyed by an interested party, he OK
claimed ,"Good God! did she say that Ply
and throwing up his arms, fell dead from
~apoplexy
AS q child, Myra was kept in igno-
rance and seclusion, her guardian, it is
alleged, hoping thereby to obtain COM
plete control Of the $7OO,OOO which he
held for her. At twenty he selected for
her a husband who was likely to further
his aims, but she had already fallen in
love with William Whitney. the son of
a wealthy Philadclph;an. When there.
fore, Whitney spoke to the guardian
about marrying Myra, there was a scene,
from which Myra learned for the first
time that she was not her guariian,s
daughter, but nothing was s1ii about
the $7OO,UO. AS the wife Of William
Whitney, Myra had a luxurious home, IL
kInd husband and intelligent friends.
From a Southern gentleman she learned
Of her rights and of her just title to
property even then worth millions of
dollars. She also learned That her
mother still lived, and that her rood
name had remained all these Years under
a dark cloud. TO see her mother and
prove her marriage to her father was
Mrs. Whitncy's first thought. The beau
rtul homcwas abandoned, and a few
weeks later Mr.. and Mrs. Whitney were
living in New Orleans, and had taken
the first plunge into the litigation,
This was about 1892,
She was at first successful. but bo,
husband died Of yellow fever, leaving
her with three small children to fight out
the contest. TO legal opposition were
added SANDERS about the character of the
beautiful young widow, and even at
tempted assassination For the sake OF
her children and her own name she
pressed her suits with viyor. But her
means ran low.
When she had finally reached n dcs-
peratc strait, and was exposed to insult
and poverty in New Orleans. she was be-
ir'ondrd by General T.. j. Gaines, the
hero of Fort Erie, and IN old friend of
her father. He was her gallant protcc-
tor. and she at length became his wife.
fh" thereafter had a respectful hearing.
lhe SUIT was carried to tho United States
Supreme Court three times on questions