Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-01-05
THE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL.
TALE OF JOHN TAYLOR.

JUnn luNiOT was iiCtUScu W uCu outu
OF twenty one, to practice at the bar.
He was poor. but we'll educa ted, and pos
sessed extraordinary genius The graces
of his person. combined with the supsri-
ority Of his intellect. enabled him to win
the md of fashona bic beauty. Twelve
months afterwards. the husband was EN-
ployed by wealthy firm of the city TO
go on a mission as land agent 10 the west.
As heavy salary was offered. Taylor
bade farewell TO his wife and infant son.
lie wrote back every week. but received
not line in answer. Sax months eiaps-
ed when the husband received a letter
from his employers that explained all.
Shortly after his departure for the west,
the wife and her father removed TO Mis-
sissippi. There she Immediately obtain
ed O divorce by an act of the Legislature.
married forthwith. and to complete the
climax of cruelty and wrong. had the
name Of Taylor's son changed 10 Marks
that of her second matrimonial partner.
This perfidY nearly drove Taylor insane.
His career from that period became &C.
centric in the first degree metimes he
carried him of at comparatively early
age.
At an early hour on the 9th OK April.
1910, the court house in Clarksyill. Tex
as. was crowded to over9owing. Save
in the war time past. there had never
been witnessed such a gathering in Red
Io ho fosliny
parent on every flushed face will suiil-
ciently explain the matter.
About the close 1889. Geo. Hopkins.
one of the weaithiesf planters and most
influential men of northern Texas, offer
ed gross insult to Mary Eliiston. the
young and beautiful wife. of his chief
overseer. The husband threa tened to
chas.isc him for the Outrage; whereupon
Hopkins loaded his gun. went TO Ellis
toms house, and shot him in his own
door. The murderer was arrested and
bailed to answer the charge. This occur
renee produced intense excitement. and
Hopkins. in order to turn the tide of
popular opinion. or at least 10 mitigate
the general wrath which at first was vio-
ASH' nihoh htti' SitNuioACu tCpOitc
famously pre- judicial TO the character of
the woman who had suffered such cruel
wrong at his hands. She brought he r
suit for SANDER. And thus two cases
one criminal and the other civil--and
both out of the same tragedy. were pen
ding in the April Circuit Court for lS40,
The interest naturally felt by the com
In tho iccua hrra far u
er when il was known that Ashley and
Pike Of Arkansas. aud the celebrated
Prentiss of New Orleans. each with enoI-
nous fees, had been obtained by Hopkins
for his defence.
The trial for the Indictment OF muIde T
ended on the 8th Of April. with the ac-
quittal Of Hopkins. Such result night
have been forseen by comparing the tai
ents Of the counsel employed on either
side. The Texas lawyers were utterly
overwhelmed by the arguments and elo-
quence of their opponents. 1t was a fight
ola dwarf against giants.
The slander suit was set for the ninth,
and the throng of spectators grew in num-
Der as well as excitement; and what may
seem strange. the current of public senti-
men; now ran decidedly for Hopkins.
money had procured pointed witnes-
Sc. who served most efficiently his pow
erful advocates. Indeed. so triumphant
had been the success of the pre- vous day i.
that when the slander case was called,
Mary Elliston was left without al attor-
ney--they had all withdrawn. The pig
my pettifoggers dared not brave against
the sharp wit of Pike or the scathing
thunder Of Prcntiss
Have you no counsel?" inquired Judge
Mills looking kindly at the plaintiff.
mo sir, they have all deserted me, and
am too poor to employ any more." re-
piled The beautiful Msry, bursting into
tears.