Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-08-11
The Volunteer Counsel.
a TALE OF TEXAS.


was licensed. when a youth of twenty one, to pras
tiee at the bar of Philadelphia He was poor, bu
TelieducAted, and possessed extraordinary genius
The graees of his person, combined with the supe
riority Of his intellect enabled him to win the hanr
OF a fashionable beauty. Twelve months after
wards, the husband was employed by a wealthy
hrm OF the city to go a mission as land agent ID
the west. As a heavy salary was offered. Taylor
1 bid farewell to his wife and infant son. He wrote
back every week, but received not line in answer
Six months elapsed, when the husband received a
letter from his employers, that explained ALL Short
y after his departure for the west, the wife and
/ her father removed to Mississippi There she i'm
mediately obtained divorce by an act Of the Ieg-
isature, married again forthwith, and, to complete
the climax of cruelty and wrong, had the name Of
Taylor's son changed to Mark-that of her second
matrimonial partner! The peridy nearly drove
Taylor insane His career, from that period be-
came eccentric in the last degree; sometimes he
preached sometimes he plead at the bar; until at
last fever carried him OF at comparatively ear
/ lyage. .'a1 4af s5 s'faT 3
At an early hour, the 9th Of April, ls40, the
court house in ClarbsEille, Texas, was crowded to
Overlooking. 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 throughout the Assembly, betokened
some great occasion 4 concise narrative of the
1 facts will sufficiently explain the matter.
About the close Of 1889, George Hopkins, one of
the weathiest planters and most influential men Of
Northern Texas, offered gross insult to Mary Eli
son, the young and beautiful wife of the chief over
seer The husband threatened to chastise him for
the outrage, whereupon Hopkins loaded his gun.
! went to EllisonS house and shot him in his own
door, The murderer was arrested and bailed to
answer the charge The occurrence produced in
tense excitement and Hopkins in order to turn the
tide of popular opinion or at least to mitigate the
general wrath, which at first was violent against
HIM, circulated reports UNANIMOUSLY prejudica to the
woman who had already suffered such cruel wrong
at his hands She brought here 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 l84O
The interest naturally felt by the community as
to the issues, became far deeper when it was known
that Ashley and Pike, of Arkansas, and the cele-
brated s. s. Prentiss of New Orleans, each with
enormous fees, had been retained by Hopkins, for
his defence. - --,s- tf
The trial on the indictment for murder, ended on
the 9Th of April, with the acquittal of Hopkins
Such results might have been foreseen by compar-
ing the talents of the counsel engaged on either
side. The Texan lawyers were utterly overwhelm-
ed by the argument and eloquence of their oppo-
nents. 1t was fight of dwarfs against giants.
The slander 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 sentiment now ran decidedly for Hopkins
His money had procured perjured witnesses, who
served most efficiently his powerful advocates In
deed, so triumphant had been the success of the
previous day. that when the slander case was called
! Mary Ellison was left without an attorney-they
had all Withdrawn. The pigmy- -pettifoggers dare
not brave the sharp wit of Pike, and the scathing
thunder of Prentiss. .-.5i. +. ~. 81
"Have you no eOunsel?T inquired Judge Mills,
looking kindly at the Plaintiff ...--c.
No, sir; they have all deserted me, and am too
poor to employ any more" replied the beautiful
bufStillS lHJO ltarS. .
"In such case, viii not some chivalrous member
of the profession volunteer" asked the judge CLAN
cling around the bar. s -
The thirty lawyers were silent as death So
Judge Mills repeated the question. ss ,e
4 Il will, your Honor, said voice from the thick
est part of the crowd situated behind the bar AT
the tones of that voice many started half away from
! thar nd L. IN
4 that immensely large assembly that did not beat
something quicker it was so unearthly sweet clear,
I ringing and mOurnful.
The first sensation, however was changed into
general laughter when tall gslunt spectre figure
that Hobody present remembered ever TO have seen
\ before, elbowed his way through the crowd, and
/ placed himself within the bar His appearance
! was problem to puzzle the Sphinx herself. His
high pale brow, and small nervously twtching face,
seemed alive with the concentrated essence and
cream of genius; but then his infantie blue eyes,
hardly visible beneath their massive arches, looked
dim, dreamy, almost unconscious, and bis clothing
was so exceedingly shabby, that the court hesita-
ted to let the case proceed under his management.
4 @Has your name been entered on the rolls Of the
State!" demanded the Judge, suspiciously.
at is immaterial about my name being on your
rolls answered the stranger, his thin blOodless lip:
curling up Yith fendish sneer. Il may be allowed
appear by the courtesy Of the court and bar
Here is my license from the highest tribunal in A
mcrica" and he handed Jvdge Mills a broad parelF
ment. The trial immediately went on
In the examination Of the witnesses, the strah-
ger eyinced but little ingenuity, as was commonly
thought He suffered each to tell his own story
without interruption, though he contriyed to make
each one tell it over two or three times, he put
ra cross auestions, which with keen witnesses only
6 servo IN correct Mistakes and he made no notes
0 which. in mighty memories, always tend to embar
: rass. The examination being ended as counsel fo
the plaintiff he had right to the opening speech
as well as the close; but TO the astonshment of ev
cry one be declined the former and allowed the de
fence to lead off. Then shadow might have beel
observed to fit across the fine features of Pike AM
darkeu even the bright eyes Of Preutiss. They say