New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-13
THE SUPREME COURTS LAST DAY
THE JUSTICES READY FOR THEIR SUMNER
VACATION.
IMPORTANT DECISIONS EXPECTED TcsDAY-AN
OTHER PHASE OF THE MYRA CLARK
GAINES CASE.

Washington, May 12 (specaD.-The last day Of
the session OF the Supreme Court Of the United
States before the vacation IS Tomorrow, and
decisions will be made in number OF important
cases. One Of these Is the Of Cbae Chang Ping,
suit Instituted in the courts OF California 70 test
tho consttutonallty Of the Scott Chinese Exclusion
act. The complainant was resident of California
and in accordance with the terms Of the law then in
force ho obtained from tho Collector Of the Port Of
San Francisco certificate permitting him to visit
China and return 10 tho United States In his absence
the Scott law enacted, and whom Chae Chang Ping
presented himself at tho port OF san Francisco he
told that he could not land. Suit was brought
10 compel the Collector to honor the certificate which
he had given, but In the lower courts the law WAS
sustained. The brought to the Supreme
Court OF tho United States on a question OF the
stitutionalIty OF the law, and argued by dis
unguished counsel both sides. The decision
pocted tomorrow viii probably sustain the decisions
OF the lower courts and establish the validity Of the
law.
Another celebrated case which will be decided TO-
morrow is one branch OF the Myra Clark Gaines ldga
ton This IS one OF the most famous cases in tho
annals OF American Jurisprudence. Mrs. Gaines
brought suit in 1886 in tho Supreme Court OF the
United States from the city OF NewOreans
valuable property in NewOrleans inherited from her
father, Daniel Clark Mrs Gaines never knew her
father, and she became aware OF her identity and her
She was born IN New Orleans in 1905. her mother
being q young Fronch woman Of remarkable beauty,
Zulime Des Oranges At the time Of her birth her
mother had another husband, or at least reputed
husband, who absent in Europe. Myra was
taken to the house OF friend Of her father, Colonel
Davis was nursed by Mrs. Harper, and In 1912
went with tho Davis family TO Philadelphia. She
known at this time as Myra Davis. In $780,
looking through Colonel Dayis's papers, Myra dis
covered the story OF her birth Two years later she
married W. ". whitney Of NewIork, who followed
up this discovery and found among the papers OF
Colonel Davis letter with account OF viii made
by Clark IN 1873 Just before his death, willing his
Myrs and acknowledging her as his legitimate
daughter In the meantime, the property had passed
under a Will Of 1911 TO Clarks mother, Mrs Mary
CLARK Laocr It passed into the possession Of the city
OF New-OreanS During the prosecution OF the IN
vcatigauon Of this viii Mr. Whitney died. and his
widow married General +. =. Gaines. General Gaines
also died before the matter was in any way settled
Finally, IN 1886, on the testimony OF several VIII
ncsscs TO whom Clark had read the will, it was ad-
mitted 10 probate Then the question Of Mrs. Ganess
legitimacy was raised for under the Law Of Louisiana
property could not be willed an lllcgitmae child.
Il was proved on trial that Zume Des Oranges
had secretly married Clark, having first learned
that her leputed husband had married some
one else who living the time he married her, and
that her first marriage was therefore iegiumste tHo
Intervention Of the war delayed the decision ot LS M
Gaines suit. The United statos supreme court @ GIu
acknowledge her legitimacy, but until the war was
over She could not recover on her suit against the
olty Cor the real ostAts heC father han lefI -
In the December term o7 the court, 1857, she ootad
final judgment for property whose value was
estimated In 1851 at s35,OOOOOO OF this property
she obtained only part as she steadily reiGsea 70
evlct the people in possession OF H. and depended Tor
redress on the responsibility Of tho city. she was
rich at the time Of her second husbands deaf u IN
lA0 but she spent the whole OF her fortune to free
her mothers namn from stain; She was for long
trne a familiar figure In Washington. She died hero
I'm January 1888 At that time there was pending
suit for nearly a. 900 900, with more than 100000
interest the income the property received by the
CITY oG HowOrleAns. This is tho suit which Is TO be
decided by tho Supreme Court tO- morrow. There are
several heirs who win divide the property II decision
is rendered I'm their favor. Among them Is the
Christmas family, OF this city. one Of the SaddcSt
features Of tho history Of the Gaines case the
kullpg OF Mrs Ganes's son by Of the Christmas
family, her son-in-law. He was acquitted Oh &ac
Oh the plea Of seideience