Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-12-03
THE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL
A TALE OF JOHN TAYLOR.

oohh LAY loi was llCelSeu, Wnen q
youth of twenty.One, to practice at the
bar of this city. He was poor but well
educated, and possessed extraordinary
genius. The graces of his person COM
blned with the superiority of his intellect,
enabled him to win the hand of fashion,
able beauty. Twelve months afterwards
the husband was employed by wealthy
firm of the city to &c OH mission as land
agent to the West. As heavy salary
was offered, Taylor bade farewell to his
wife and infant son. He wrote back
every week, but received not line in
answer. Six months elapsed, when he
received letter from his employers that
explained all. Shortly after his depar.
tnre for the West, the wife and her father
removed to Mississippi. There, she i'm
mediately obtained a divorce by an act
of the Legislature, married again forth
with, and, to complete the climax of
cruelty and wrong, had the name of Tay-
lor's son changed to Marks-that of her
second matrimonial partner. This
pertidy nearl ly drove Taylor insane. His
career from that period became eccentric
In the first degree. At last fever carried
him off at a comparatively early age.
At an early hour on the 9th of April,
1910, the courthouse in Clarksville,
Texas, was crowded to overfowing.-
Save in the war times past, there had
never been witnessed such gathering in
Red River county, while the strong
feeling apparent on every flushed face
will sufficiently explain the matter.
At the close of 1889, George Hopkins,
one of the wealthiest planters and most
influential men of Northern Texas, effer-
ed gross insult to Mary Elliston, the
young and beautiful wife of his chief over
seer. The husband threatened to chastise
him for the outrage, whereupon Hopkins
loaded his gun, went to Elliston's house.
and shot him i'll his own door. The mur.
derer was arrested, and bailed to answer
the charge. This occurrence produced in.
tense excitement. and Hopkins, in orde,
to turn the tide of popular opinion, or at
least to mitigate the general wrath which
at first was violent against him, circula-
ted reports UNANIMOUSLY Preiudicial to the
character of the woman who had suffer.
ed such cruel wrong at his hands. She
brought her suit for SANDER. And thus,
two cases, 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 COM
munity as to the issues became far deep-
er when it was known that Ashley and
Pike of Arkansas, and the celebrated S.
S. Prentice, of New Orleans, each with
enormous fees. had been retained by Hon.
kins for his defence.
The trial for the indictment of murder
ended on the Sth of April. with the ac.
quittal of Hopkins. Such a result might
we'll have been foreseen by comparing the
talents of the counsel engaged on either
side. The Texas lawyers were utterly
overwhelmed by the arguments and elo-
quence of their opponents. 1t was a fight
of dwarf against giants.
The SANDER suit was set for the 9th,
and the throng of spectators grew in
number as well as excitement and what
may seem strange, the current of public
sentiment now ran decidedly for Hop.
kins. His money had purchased pointed
witnesses, who served most efficiently his
powerful advocates. Indeed, so triumph.
ant had been the success of the previous
day, that when the slander case was
called, Mary Elliston was left without an
attorney-they had all withdrawn. The
pigmy pettifoggers dared not brave against
the sharp wit of Pike, and the seathine
thunder of nrentice.
'Have u no counsel 2" inquired
Judge Mill. looking kindly at the plain
tiff.
"No sir, they have all deserted me,
and | am too poor to employ any more, y
replied the beautiful Mary bursting into
tears. ..-
In such case will not some chival-
rous member of the profession volun-
tcer?" asked the Judge, glancins around
the bar.
The thirty lawyers were silent as
death. f. .E .
Judge Mills repeated the question.
Il will, your honor, said voice from
the thickest part of the crowd, situated
behind the bar.
At the tones of that voice many star
tied half from their seats; and perhaps
there was not heart in that immense
throng which did not beat something
quicker-it was so unearthly, sweet,
clear, ringing, and mournful.
The first sensation, however, was
changed into general laughter, when a
tall, gaunt, spectral figure, that nobody
present remembered ever to have seen be-
fore, elbowed his way through the crowd,
and placed himself within the bar. His
appearance was a problem to puzzle the
sphinx himself. His high, pale brow,
and small, nervously twitching face seemed
alive with the concentrated essence and
cream of genius; but then his infantile
blue eyes, hardly visible beneath their
massive arches, looked dim, dreary, al
most unconscious and his clothing was
so shabby that the court hesitated to let
the cause proceed under his management.
Has your name been catered on the
rolls of the State 2" demanded the Judge