The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1853-11-09
Stlfftf1 Galf.
The Volunteer Council.
A TALE OF JOHN TAYLOR.

pro, A TALE OF JOHN TAYLOR.
aare John Taylor was licensed. when n VI
,sn.s OF twenty-one, to practice at the bar Of
~ Guy. lie was poor, but well educated, a
ring possessed extraordinary genius. The era
!; for OF MS person, combined with the superior
era OF his intellect, enabled him to win the hs
nj Of fashionable beauty. Twelve mon,
afterwards, the husband was employed b,
: Of wealthy tim Of the city to 90 on . mission
ely land agent to the west As heavy sala
was offered, Taylor bads farewell to his v
and infant son. He wrote back every wee
Out received not line in answer.
months elapsed, when the husband rece;v
a, letter from his employer that explained a
shortly after his departure for the wevt. ii
a. wfe and her father removed to Mississ;pr
: There she Immediately obtained divorce +
Q an act Of the Legislature, married sgai
g forthwith, and. to complete the cl;ma1 ,
cruelty and wrong, had the name Of TAYLOR
son changed to Marks-that of her secon
matrimonial partner. This perfdy nearl
drove Taylor insane. His career from tha
perlod became eccentric in the first des;ret
AT last fever carried him off at compara
lively early age.
AT an early hour on the 9th of April. ls4o
the courthouse in Clarksville, Texas. was
crowded to overf1Owing. Save in the wa,
times past, there has never been witnessed
such q gathering in Red River county.
while the strong feeling, apparent on every
flushed face, viii sufficiently explain the
! At the close Of 1889, George Hopkins one
Of TIE wealthiest planters, and most influential
men Of Soztdern Texas, offered a gross insult
to Mary Elistcn, the young and beautiful vile
OF his chief overseer. The husband threatened
to chastise him for the outrage; whereupon
Hopkins loaded his gun, went to Elliston's
house, and shot him in his own door. This
occurrence produced intense excitement, and
Hopkins, in order to turn the tide Of popular
opinion, or at least to mitigate the general
wrath which At first was 50 violent against
hlm, circulated reports infamously prejudicial
to the character Of the woman who had suf-
fered such cruel wrong at his hands. She
brought her suit for slander. And thus two
Gases, ons criminal and the other civil, and
g eota s's 81 e .ss same t1agsdz were pending
The interest naturally felt BY the commu-
nifty a to the issues, became far deeper, when
{ was known that Ashley and Pike, of Ia
Arkansas, and the celebrated s. s. Prentice, I
II New Orleans, each with enormous fses, Il
had been retained by Hopkins for his defence. Is
The trial for the Indictment Of murder end I
d on the sth Of April, with the acquital Of K
Hopkins. Such result might wen have
been foreseen by comparing the talents of IL
he counsel engaged on either side. The Ig
Texas lawyers were utterly overwhelmed by a
he arguments and eloquence Of their oppo- q
,ents. Il was fight Of dwarf against gi le
lnts.
The slsnder suit was set for the 9th, and s
he throng Of spectators grew in number as I
veil q excitement; and what may seem strange d
be current Of public sentiment now ran de- Il
idedly for Hopkins. His money had pro- n
nrsd pointed witnesses, who served most ct. Y
ec*ually his powerful advocates. Indeed, 80 Y
triumphant had been the success Of the pre-
ious day, that when the slander case was a
allied, Mary Eliston was left without an at p
orney-they had al withdrawn. The pigmy ii
'etthoggen dared not brave against the sharp Is,
ut Of Pike, and the scathing thunder Of v
,rentice. Id
Have you NO counssli r inquired Judge
fills, looking kindly at the plaintiff. II
"No Sir, they have ell deserted me, and / Al
m too poor to employ any more" replied the Il
aautifdl Mary, bursting into tears. p
In such case, win net some chivalrous Il
,ember Of the profession volunteer I" asked lie
Ae Judga glancing around the bar. llo
The thirty lawyers were silent - death. Il
Judge lilh repeated the question. IN
= 4 VII, your honos rid 4, soics from tAeIh1
,ioisnt pan u IL sld 1ttlIl bskai Il,
a. the tones q that yoios; many .t1.ted Il
Af from their seats and perhaps there was lsl
ot heart IN that immense throng which h
d not beat ssomething quicker-it was 70 Ist
aaasy, sweet Glen, ringing, and mourn lcu
The INT sensation, however, was changed
10 general laughtsr, when 8 tall gaunt, Ies
,eetsl fgsre, that nobody present remem- 20
NED 1FsF TO have seen before, elbowed his lin
y through the crowd, and placed himself q
thin the bar. 61s appearance Wa prob hi
n y psxsle thexhiax hersek Hs Mch, he
= brow, md asaL neryously twiteine fsce
esnsd alive MD - conceatratsd essence -
a cream q gsniss bnt then BIZ inAnsus q
uaAyas, h1r1ly yiaible bsnenth their maaaive Iec
clsesy loo1ed dim, d1eary, almost uncon- 6
icn; ard - - % shabby thatlH
: scslt hslisstA = lst ~ Cause proceed u
der hi management lof
= HM yom name bSea entered On lie rolls r.;
~ G1o q denanded thasJudGs stlapt ~
pusly. ia ii ss,7 -
~ + im1natsrial about my nsns bs -
IyoaEsols !" answered - stxangef. his thin, "a,
- - lips suzjihg spintae 6endilh sneer. lbs
! 10y "a ~ - app4as ones bysiAe III,
ns!e. & a ~. isllo !: ]: =, e, Ia III
ee !. - a = tribunal ii Amerieajo he
= sa = Jsd nm. :,,,.,.. q. ,.. s.