Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1854-08-31
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THE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL.
ATALR oP JOIN TAYLOR.

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,aaH ATALE oP JOHN TAYLOR.
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.JoHN Taylor was licensed, when youth
Of twenty one to practice al The bar OF thls
city. He was poor but we'll educated and
moss essed extraordinary genius. The graceS
Of his person, combined with the superiority
ofhis intellect, enabled him TO win the hand
of fashionable beauty. Twelve months af-
,erwlrds the husband was employed by a
wealthy firm Of the city TO go on mission as
land agent 10 the West. As heavy salary
was ufIered, Taylor bade farewell TO his wife
and infant son. He wrote back every week
but received not o line IN answer. SiSmontls
elapsed, when he received letter, from his
employers that explained all. Shortly after
his departure for the West the wife and her
father removed to Mississippi. There she i'm
medately obtained divorce by an act Of the
Legislature, married again forthwith, and to
complete the climax of cruelty and wrong, had
the name Of Taylor's son changed 10 Marks,
thai Of her second matrimonial partner. This
perfdy nearly drove Taylor insane. His ca
reer from that period became eccentric in the
first degree At last fever carIisd him Off
at e comparatively early age.
At an early hour on the 9th Of April, lS4O,
the Court House in Clarksvile, Texas, was
crowded 10 overlooking. Save IN the war
times past, there had never been witnessed
such gathering in Red River County, while
the strong feeling apparen. on every flushed
face will Sufficiently explain the matter.
AT the close of 1899, George Hopkins, one
of the wealthiest planters and most influential
men OF Northern Texas offered gross insult
TO Mary Eliston, the young and beautiful wife
of his chief overseer, The husband threaten
ed to chastise him for the outrage, whereupon
Hopkins loaded his gun, went to Ellston's
house, and shot hv,n in his own door. The
murderer was arrested, and bailed TO answer
the charge. This occurrence produced intense
excitement, and Hopkins, in order TO turn the
tile of popular opinion, or at least TO mitigate
the general wrath which at first was violent
against him, circulated reports UNANIMOUSLY
preiudiciai 10 the character Of the woman who
had suffered such wrongs at his hands. She
brought her suit for slander. And thus, two
cases, enc criminal and the other civil, and
both oat Of the same tradegy, were pending IN
the April Circuit Courl for 1910.
The interest naturally felt by the community
MS to the issues, became far deeper when II
was known that Ashley and Pike, of Arkansas,
and the celeb ated 5. S. Prentice, of New Or
leans, each with enormous fees, had been re-
tanned by Hopkins for his defence.
The trial for The indictment ofmurder ended
on The Slh Of Apr! with the acquittal OF Hop.
kins. Such result might well have been
foreseen, by comparing the talents Of the
counsel engaged on either side. The Texas
lawyers were utterly overwhelmed by the ar
giinIentS and eloqnence Of their opponents. II
wasa fight of dwarf against giants.
The SANDER suit was set for the 9th, and the
ihrong OF spectators grew in number as well as
excitement and what may seem strange, the
current OF public sentiment now ran deciled'
ly for Hopkins. His mo ey had plrchaSe(
pointed witnesses, who served most efficiently
his powerful advocates, Indeed, so trium'
phant had been the success Of the previous
day, that when The SANDER case was called
Mary Ellistnn was left without an atorney-thel
bad all withdraw. The pigmy pe;tifogser
dared not brave against the wit Of Pike, ant
the Sca,hng thunder of Prentice.
"Have you no counsel7" inquired Judge
Mills. looking kindly al the plaintiff,
"No, sir, they have all deserted me, and
am too poor 10 employ anv more" replied the
beautiful Mary, bursting into tears.
ain such case will NOT some chiralrou
member OF The profession voluneer"
The thirty lawyers were silent as death.
Judge Mills re seated the question.
al will YOUR honor, said voice from tht
thickest part of The crowd, situated behin'
the bor
At the tones OF .+at voice many sarile,
half from their seats; and perhaps there wa
not 0 heart in that immense thrOng which dlt
not heat something quicker,-It was so I'm
earthly, sweet, clear, ringing and mournIul.
The first sensation, however, was change
into general laughter, when a tall, guam
spectral figure, that nobody prrsent remember
ed ever 10 have seen before, elbowed his wn
through The crowd, and placed himself With
the bar. His appearance was problem
puzzle sphinx himself. His high, pale brow
and small nervo sly iwitching eyes, hardl
visible beneath their massive arches, locke
dim, dreamy. almost unconscious and hi
clothing were so shabby that the court hesita
ted toilet the cause proceed under this man
agement.
"Has your name been entered on the roll
of the State Z" demanded the Judge, si,
pic;ously -
at is ilnmaierial about my name being o
your rolls" answered the stranger, his hi,
bloodIess lip curling up a ficndish sneer. !.
may be allowed 10 appear once by she conrtt
sy ofthe courl and bar Here is NY Iicens
from the highest tribunal in America y, an
he handed Judge mills bro ID parchment
Tie ipal Immediately went on.
IN the examination Of witnesses the strange
eviuced but little ingenuity, os was comnionl
thought. He suffered each one olell hisow
story wi.hont interruption, though, he contr
we'd to make each ope tell it over two or thr,