Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1851-01-31
. MISCELLANY.
THE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL,
A TALE OF JOHN TAYLOR.

Wecopy the following from the New York
Sunday Times. The subject Of it, John Tay.
Tor, was licensed, when a youth Of twenty
one, to practice at the bar Of this city He
was poor, tut well educated, aud possessed:
extraordinary genius. The gr.ces of his
person, combined with the superiorityof his
intellect. enabled him to win the hand of
fashionable beauty Twelve months after
4 wards the husband was employed by veal
thy firm of the city to 60 on mission as
land agent to the West As heavy salary
was offered Taylor babe farewell 10 his wife
and infant son He wrote back every week,
but received not line in answer. Six
months elapsed, when the husband received
q letter from his employers that explained
all Shortly after his departure to the West
the wife and her father removed to Missis
sippi There she Immediately obtained a
divorce by an act of the Legislature, married
again forthwith and to complete the eli
max Of cruelty and wrong, had the name Of
second matrimonial partner This perfiy
nearly drove Taylor insane. His career,
last degree sometimes 6e preached, some
times he pleaded at the bar until, at last a
feyer carried him off at q comparatively ear
~ age - PHILADELPHIA Bulltttn
Atan early hour on the 9Th Of April, $40,
the Court House III GAINESVILLE. Texas. was
crowded to overlooking Save in the times
past, there had never been witnessed such a
gathering in Red River county while the
strong feeling, apparent. on every flushed
face throughout'the assembly betokcued some
great occasion. & concise narrative of facts
will sufficiently explain the matter
About the close of 1882 George Hopkins
one Of the wealthiest planters and most in.
fuental men of Northern Texas. offered a
gross insult to Mary Elliston, the young and
beautiful wife Of his chef oyerscer The
husband threatened to chastise him for the
outrage, whereupon Hopkins loaded his gun,
went to Elliston's house aud shot him in his
own door The murderer was arrested, and
bailedto answer the charge This occurrence
produced intense excitement and Hopkins
in, order to turn the tide of popular opinion,
at least to mitigate the general wrath, which
at FIRST was violent against him, circulated
reports UNANIMOUSLY prejudicialto the charac-
ter Of the woman who had already suffered
such cruel wrong at his hands She brought
her suit for SANDER And thus two causes,
one criminal and the other civil, and both
out Of the same tragedy, were pending in the
April Circuit Court, for 1910.
| The interest naturally felt by the commu-
nifty as to the issues, became far deeper when
it was known that Ashley and Pike, of Ar
kansas and the celebrated S. S. Prentiss, of
New Orleans, each with enormous fees, had
been retained by Hopkins for his defence
The trial, on the Indictment for murder,
III II. OK .c A - Al a.. 4
Of Hopkins. Such result might well have
been foreseen by comparing the talents Of
the counsel on either side. The Texas law
yers were utterly overwhelmed by the argu-
ment aud eloquence of their opponents 1t
was a fight of dwarfs against giants,
The SANDER suit was set for the 9th, and
the throng Of spectators grew in numbers as
| well as excitement and what may seem
strange, the current Of public excitement
now ran decidedly for Hopkins His money
had procured pointed witnesses, who served
most efficiently his powerful advocates In.
\ deed, so triumphant had been the success Of
/ the previous day, that when the SANDER
\ case was called, Mary Ellistonwas left with
out an attorney-thsy had all withdrawn,
The pigmy pettifoggers dare not brave again
the SHdEp VII Vi Il 1AC anQ tue SCaI1lDg
thunder Of Prentiss.
/" Have you 10 counsel ~ inquired Judge
Mills, looking kindly at the plaintiff
4 No, sirs they have all deserted me, aud
am too poor 70 employ any more,n replied
the beautiful Mary, buEting into tears
4 = In such case will not some chivalrou.
member Of the profession volunteer asked
the Judge, CHANGING around the bar
The thirty lawyers were silent as death
al viii, your honor, said voice from
the thickest part Of the crowd, situated be
hind the bar.
4 At the tones of that voice many startled
halfway from their seats aud perhaps ther,
was not heart IN the immense throne
which did not beat something quicker
was 50 unearthIy sweet, clear ringing, an,
mcurnful
| The first sensation, however, was changes
into general laughter when tall, guani
spectral figure thai nobody present remem
bered ever to have seen, elbowed his wa,
through the crowd and placed himself with
in the bar. His appearances was problem
10 puzzle the sphinx herself His high pal
brow, and small, lersousIy twitching FACE
seemed alive with the concentrated essenc
and cream Of genius, but then bis infaatin
blue eyes, hardly visible beneath their ma.
u siva arches Locked dim draas, - pis,aaf m