A ROMANCE OF THE COURTS
A ROMANCE OF THE COURTS BY A. D. YOUNG THE strange turns of life disclosed through court proceedings, must ever be a subject of deep interest to all persons not wholly lacking in sentiment, nor idly indifferent to each day's repeated wonders. The doings of every juridical day through out the realms of jurisprudence are but cumulative proof that truth is stranger, if not always stronger, than fiction. The cases of civil nature in which the more romantic phases of litigation are displayed more often and forcibly are such as involve the settle ment of estates of deceased persons. In this too, the subject of wills — as relating to the testamentary disposition of property — holds a distinctively important place. Myra Clark Gaines, born in 1805, dying in 1885, one of the most remarkable women of this country, is a stalwart figure in the annals ' of its courts. For more than fifty years of her long life this woman inspired and pressed a continuous litigation, pre eminent among notable exhibitions of blended reality and romance. She was the daughter of Daniel Clark, who died at the city of New Orleans, in the year 1813. During half a century and over, in the Probate Court, in the Supreme Court of her native Louisiana, in the Federal Circuit 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. Clark was a native of Ireland, County of Sligo, educated in England, at Eton, emigrating to Louisiana when quite a young man. His parents followed a few years later, settling in Pennsylvania. Clark's attainments and business connec tions conspired to give him conspicuous standing in social as well as business and political circles. Exercising the office of American Consul at New Orleans for many vears, until this country acquired Louisiana
Territory, his aid and influence were potent in the consummation of that gigantic realestate deal. He was the first representative in Congress from Louisiana. His wealth in money, slaves, and land was great, as the times went. Directly after his death, a will was found among his papers, sealed up in a package, inscribed: "This is my olographic will, New Orleans, 2oth May, 1811. (Signed) Daniel Clark." A few hours later, allegationsTwere made by a friend of Clark that a later will had been made by him; a petition was pre sented to the Court of Probate asking that the different notaries of the city be cited to appear and certify whether any such in strument had been lodged with them by Clark, but none such was produced, and the will of May 20, 1811, was-duly admitted. It was brief, devising all his property tohis mother, Mary Clark, then living near Philadelphia. His surviving partners in business were named as executors. They qualified and took control of the estate. Purporting to act by authority of this will, and a power of attorney from Mary Clark, the mother, these executors disposed of a large portion of the estate;. but no final report of their conduct of the trust had been presented to the Court of Probate up to the year 1834. Clark numbered among his intimate friends at New Orleans,, a man known as Colonel Davis, who removed to Philadelphia, and presently to Wilmington, Delaware, in 1812. One of the members of his family was a young girl named Myra, who passed as his daughter — natural daughter as gen erally supposed. She was born at New Orleans, in 1805, and placed in Davis' family a few days after her birth. In 1832, she was married to Mr. William W. Whitney, as the daughter of Colonel Davis. Presently afterwards, in looking over some
