Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1850-12-17
From the New YoEk Sunday Timeb
The Volunteer Counsel.
REAL Il irE TALE OF 5oas rAY1od

I the court house in Clafksvllle, Texas, wa
II Crowded TO oyerfowjng. Save in thd wa
Itimes past there had never been seen sue
Ia gathering ip Red River county, whae III
leeling apparen mt in the assembly betokene
some great occasion. A concise narrative {
tfacts will sufficiently explain the maiidr
| Aboutihe close of 1888, George Hopkins
one OF the wealthiest and most lnfulhtia
planters of northern Texas. offered a grobs in
suit TO Mary Elliston the young and beahhfu
wife of his overseer. The hEband Areat
ened to chastise him for the outrage, where
upon. Hopkins loaded his gun. went 10 Ellis
tens house, and shot him in his own loor
! The murderer was arrested and balled ib an
swer fhe charge. This occurrence cause IN
tense excitement; and Hopkins. in ordhr te
iurn the tide of popular opinion, Oh at leas
70 mitigate the general wrath, which, al frs
vas violent against HIM, circulated REPORTS
llntsmPusly pfe5udicial 10 The character Of The
womah who had already suffered sucn ruel
wrong a, his hands. She brought her suit
for SID ndef. And thus The awo cases. one
GRIMM al and the other civil, aud both o9t Of
the sal ine tragedy, were pending al the a priI
sircLit court for 1910.
The interest naturally felt BY The com snu
nifty az 10 the issue became far deeper wh hen it
was khowu that Ashly and Pike of ArkaHsas,
and tde celebrated S. S. Prentlss OF New
Ofeads, each with enormous fees. had been
retained by Hopkins for his defence.
The inaI'on the odietment for murder end
ed on ItheSlh Of April with The acq cquiuAI of
Hopklns. Such result might have been fore
seen, BY comparing the talents of tn couh uhse /
engaged on eIher side. The Texan lawyers
were puehy ove,ivhelmed by The rgumen
and e!oquence Of their opponents. Ii wbs a
tight Of dwarfs against giants.
I The slsadersul wasset for the 9th. and the
shrong of spectators grew in numbers as well
as excitement; ardwhat may seem strange, the
current of public opinion now ran decidddly
Tor Hopkins. His money had procured point
ed witnesses, who served most efficieh htly
his powerfsl advocales. Indeed, so triunl PHI
aaiy had been the success of the previous
day that when the slaader case was caIIfd--
Mary Elliston was left without an atoiney
they had all Withdrawn. The pig my pet
,ifoggers dare not brave again the sharp wit
81 Pike and the scathiHg thunder of Prem lss.
..EIave you no couHssla' esquired fudge
Mills. looking kindly at the plaialiff. /
mo, sir; they have all deserted me, and |
am TOO poor to- employ any mose,'' replied |
he beautiful Mary, bursting INTO tears.
"In such case will no, some chivalrpus
member of the profession solunteer?" ask led |
he Judge gancihg around the bar. |
The thirty lawyers were sllelt as deaht
Judge Mills repeated the question. II
Il will, your honor, said voice from tbe
hickest part Of the crowd situated behind The
BAR At The tones Of that voice many starred
naIf from their seats; and perhaps :here ras
lot heart in the immense throng which Hidi
lol beat something quickel;i, vas 50 uneat,h- |
y sweet. clear, ringing, and mouraful.
The sensation, however, was changed hto /
,eneral laughter when tail, gannt spectral
igure. that nobody present remembered dyer
} have seer before, elbowed his way lhro4gh
he crowd, and placed himself within the, par. !
His appearance was problem 10 puzzle lihe
phinx herself. His high. pale brow. and
mall, nervousiy ,witching face seemed alive
With the concentrated essence and erFam
If genius: but then his ihfanune eyes, hardly |
,isible beneath their massive arches, losked /
Inn, dreamy; almost unconscious; and his
,iothing was so exceedingly shabby hiatt tie
,ourt hesiiaied TO lei the case proceed under
lis management.
4 HAS your name been entered on the rolls I
i the State2 . demanded The Judge, stspi- I
ionsiy.
-sia IS imnaterial about my nafssss isihg
N go,ss rolls" answered the stranger. hIsl.hih
ips curling up inso fiendish sneer1 Il
nay be allowed 10 appear once by The fouf-
esy saf the court and bar. Here is my 'ldensie
rom ihe highest tribunal in AmeTicap ada he +
landed Judge M,iis broad parchment. The
ria iaIl,nmediateiy went on. i
10 the examination IF witnesses the sfant |
,er evinced bu, iitlle ingenuity. as was bon.
aonEv ,hought. He suffered each one d tsll
rs own story without interruption, uPush I
lie conttived TO make eaei one tell = oveH TYP
y three times. He put few cross quesdpas,
which, with keen. witnesses, only seffe W
orrect mistakes, and be made np 1o'ss'
which, in mighty memories. always 'eqds 70
The examinalion beiak edded, !
: coonsel for the plaintiff he had a Eeht 10
bs open,pp speech, as vel as The cIosk; bus
: ,ba as,oaishme n. Of every oae he declined
be fdrmer and allowed Tie defence to lead /
A. Tten shadow might have beeu OBJ /
a,ve5 10 Al, across the tiae features Of Pike,
nd d d tarken esen the bright Eyes of Preb'isstl