Norwich bulletin., 1914-12-08
FAMOUS TRIALS
THe GAINES WILL TRIAL.

rne most remarkable will case ever
 brought before the United States
 court was the litigation started by tune left by her father, from the city
 Of New Orleans and from other
 sources For more, than 50 years this
 woman fought the case for what she
 held was her rights and died with the result of her laborT still in doubt. Myra Clark wAs born in 1895 and of the 80 years of her life she had inspired and pursued a continuous lit-
 igation. She was the daughter Of Dan-
 tel Clark. who died in the city of New
 Orleans in the year lS13- During half Court in the Supreme Court of her native Louisiana, in the Federal Cir
 cult Court and in the Supreme Court Of the United States, she prosecuted a score of suits to establish her right to the enormous estate left by her father. Daniel Clark emigrated to Louisiana
 from Ireland when quite a young man. He was American consul at New Or- leans for many years until this coun- | try acquired the Louisiana territory. Ills wealth in money. slaves and land was great as the times went. Direct | ly after his death a will was found among his -apers dated May 20, 1911, | in which he left his fortune to his mother, Mary Clark ct the time hv- l ing in Philadelphia
 A few years later allegations were
 made by a friend of Clark that a I later will had been made, and ped- I ton was presented to the Court of Probate asking that the different mo- | taries of the city be cited to appear end certify whether any such instru-
 ment had been lodged with them by duced. the will of May 20, was pro- ] hated. CIark's surviving partners 1 were named as executors, but no final | report of their conduct of the trust l had been presented to the court up to | the year 1894.
 One of the members of Clark.s fami- Il ly was young girl named Myra. who Il 1t was presumed, was his daughter Il and later 1t was found that this was I the case. She had been born in New
 Orleans in 1905. shortly after which she was placed In the family of g
 Efriend. Col Davis of Philadelphia. Tn I 1882, MyTa was married to William w Il Whitney. Shortly after her marriage as she was going over some old family letters, her pArentage was revealed te ed letter in which it was stated . that Clark had left a will executed just before his death, by which ht acknowledged Myra to be his Hgiti-
 mate daughter, and made her sole de. visee. saving an annuity to his mother '
 in death Myra stroye for the vindi cation of her legal rights.
 In September, 1884, tract of iant
 of 115 acres owned by Clark at hi death was sold to the city of New Orleans by the men to whom it hat , been conveyed by CIarke.s executors In June, 1884. Myra. with her husband |, made her first formal appearance il the courts, when she filed a petition
 praying that the will be annulled ant the executors be required to surren der to her possession of the estate. MI 7 Whitney died while this litigation wa in progress. Two years later, in 1888
 she was married to Edward Gaines S who died in 1S4T.
 eI Mrs. Gaines first direct action wa : against the city of New Orleans, am } was commenced in 1888. Other suit ? were instituted against individual
 who had obtained property iron 7 C1ark's executors. Appeals in many } if not all, of these actions were car
 ried to the Supreme. Court of Louisi 3 ana and the United States Suprem
 Court Down to the year 1855, noth k | ing substantial had been accomplishe | but the rulings and intimations of th : Supreme Court of the United State ] had given degree of encourage l. ment.
 ei Tn that year Mrs. Gaines filed t petition in the Probate Court of Nel si Orleans praying leave to make earl proof of the last will of her father