Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-01

stances to collect any bills for the firm. One
cause of bad feeling between the two men
appears to have been a jealous feeling enter
tanned by Whitney regarding the attention of
Mrs. Gaines to Christmas and his motherless
children, and it is stated that Whitney fire.
quently accused his brother-in-law Of attempt
ing to defraud the lady. Whitney had been
subject to epileptic fits, and it was considered
by gentlemen residing - the house with him
that his mind had been affected There we're
frequent outbreaks of temper on his part, and
he was so abusive that the servants stood in
great dread of him. It appears also that
Whitney had been further indaned of late by
drinking The Whitney family, Of which Mrs.
Gaines first husband was . member, came
from the vicinity Of Binghamton, N. Y.
"As stated above, the shooting occurred on
the steps leading to the basement floor. The
house, which is an old-fashioned double house,
is divided on the main floor by wide hall.
At the end OF this hall are the stairs leading
to the upper floors and a narrow flight of
stairs leading to the basement.
The body Of Whitney soon after the shoot
ing was taken to Barker'S undertaking eStab-
Nshment on Eleventh street, where it was pre-
pared for burial Saturday night a jury Of
inquest was summoned and was composed of
william Dickson, Michael Combs, j. L.
Reward, j. j. Knowles, L. c. Studer and
Matthew Goddard. DR.. j. F. Hartigan made
q poSt-mortem examination of the body, and
yesterday morning the inquest was held about
IL o'clock in the parlor of the house on I
street. Assistant District Attorney Coyle
was present The prisoner, Mr. Christmas who
was taken to the house by Sergt. Johnson was
an attentive listener to part Of the testimony
having arrived late, and occasionally made sug-
gestiOnS to the coroner as to questions - be
put to witnesses"
Christmas was tried and acquitted on March
q. 1882.
The other interesting phase Of this ease,
though not part Of it by any means is
suggested by the relationship Of the principals
to Mrs Myra Clark Gaines. she being whitney's
mother and Christmas mother-in-Iaw and be-
sides. one Of the most prominent women Of
her day. particularly because Of her long and
continued effort to establish in the courts her
legal right to large part Of the city Of
New Orleans; first having the United States
Supreme Court deny her legitimacy, only Later
to have It reverse itself and sustain her con-
tention upon the presentation Of additional
and new evidence that she was the rightful
heir to the immense fortune Of Daniel Clark
native Of Ireland and . delegate in Con-
gress from the Territory of Orleans from 1906
to 1909.
In looking up this case the writer found
several different versions, all of which seemed
TO be colored to make more attractive what
was already good reading
Myra Clark Gaines LEFT Washington shortly
after the tragic death of her son and went
TO New Orleans to reside and there she passed
away on January 9, 1885. It occurred to the
writer that reliable sketch of this remark
able woman would follow her death, and If so.
1t could be found in one of the New Orleans
newspapers. The following sketch e taken
from the TimeS-Democrat Of January TO- 1895:
"rhe death Of Mrs. Myra Clark Gaines is an
important event in the history Of this State
and of Jurisprudence
=
"SHE was born according to the most aIt-
thentic records, In this city in 1906,
Whether her parentage was legitimate, and
her father was the celebrated Daniel Clark
have been problems upon which all our State
and Federal courts have boen assiduousIy ems
ployed for half century.
Various and conflicting have been the de-
cisions of courts on these questions. The State
sIr.'}qs Continued on TsUenttstlb Page 49,