Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-08-12
THE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL.
A TALE OF JOHN TAYLOR.


the hand of fashionable beauty. Twelve months
afterwards, the husband employed by wealthy
firm of the city, to go mission as land agent 10
the West. As heavy salary was oitered, 1ayIor
bade farewell to his wife and infant son. lie wrote
back every waek, but received not line IN answer.
Six months elapsed, when he received letter from
his employers which explained all. Shortly after MS
teparure for the West the wife and her father re-
moved to Mississippi. There she Immediately OBJ
tanned divorce by an act of the Legislature, mar
ried again forthwith, and to complete the climax OF
base cruelty and wrong had the name OF Taylor
changed to MarkS-that OF her second nsalr
NAL partner
This perfidy nearly rendered Taylor insane His
career from that period became eccentric iii the first
degree. AT last fever carried hlm OH at q conPar
atiVely early age. ~
At an carly hour on the 9th of April, 1910, the
Court House in GAINESVILLE Texas was filled to over
flowing. Save in the war times past, there had new
er been such gathering in the Red River country,
while the strong feeling apparent on every flushed
face will sufficiently explain the matter
At the close of 1889, George Hopkins, one OF the
weathiest planters and most influential men in North
ern Texas, offered gross insult, to Mary EMISSION,
the Young and beautiful wife of his chief oyerseer
The husband threatened to chastise him for the out
rage; whereupon the planter loaded ms gun, went
to EIliston's house and shot him IN his own door.
The murderer was arrested and baied to answer the
charge.
This occurrence produced immense excitement, and
the murderer, in order to turn the TIDE OF popular
opinion, to mitigate the general wrath that was
preiudicial to the character of the woman who had
suffered such cruel wrong at his hands, She brought
a suit for SANDER. Thus two cases, one CRIMINAL
and the other CIVIL and both out OF the same TRACE
dy were pending in the April Circuit Court for
1910.
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 celebra-
ted Prentiss, of New Orleans, each with enormous
fees had been retained by Hopkins for his defence
The trial for the Indictment of murder ended on
the 9Th of April, with the acqulttal OF Hopkins
Such result might have been foresecn, by compar-
ing the talents of the counsel engaged on either
side The Texas lawyers utterly overwhelmed
by the arguments and superior eoquence OF their
distinguished opponents 1t was fight as ola dwarf
with giants.
The SANDER suit was set for the 9th and the
throng of spectators grew in numbers as well as
element. And what may seem strange, the current
of public sentiment ran decidedly for Hopkins.
His money had purchased pointed witnesses, who
served most efficiently his powerful advocates. In
deed so triumphant had been the success ofthe pre-
vous day, that when the SANDER suit was called,
Mary Ellliston was left without an attorney-they
had all withdrawn. The pigmy pettifoggers dare
brave again the sharp wit of Pike and sthe
thing thunder of Prentss.
'Have you no counsel ?" inquired Judge Mills of
the plaintiff.
"No sir, they have all deserted me, and am too
poor to employ any more said Mary, bursting into
tears.
"In such case, will there not some chivalrous
member OF the procession volunteer! inc
Judge, gancing anxously around the bar.
Judge M. repeated the question.
II will, your honor" exclaimed voice from the |
thickest part of the crowd-situated behind the |
bar.
at the tones of that voice many started half from
their seats; and not heart in that immense crowd
but which beat something quicker was so I'M !
earthly, sweet, clear, ringing soft and mournful.
The first sensation, however, was changed to
general laughter, when TALL gaun1, spectral figure,
that nobody present remembered having be- |
fore, ebowed his way through the crowd and placed
himself within the bar. His appearance pro-
blem to the sphynx himself His high, pale brow,
and small nervousy twitchng face seemed alive with
the concentrated essence and cream Of genius; but
then his nfantile blue eyes, hardly visible beneath
their massive arches, looked DIM dreary, almost I'M
conscious, and his clothing shabby that the
court hesitated to let the proceed under his
elias your name been entered upon the rolls Of
he State?" demanded Judge Mills suspiciously.
&c 1t is immaterial about my name being upon |
your rolls answered the stranger, his thin lips
ing up into fiendish sheer. - may be allowed to
appear once by the courtesy of the court and bar
Here is my license from the highest tribunal in {
America" handing Judge Mills broad parchment. c
Nhe trial Immediately went
In the examination of the witnesses, the stranger
WINGED but little ingenuity, as was commonly /
bought. He suffered each to tell his story with
nut interruption, though he contrived to make each
ell it two three times. He put few cross a
uestions, which with keen witnesses only serve to t
OrrecC mistakes, ana ne MADE no notes, Which IN
nightly memories always tend to cmbarrass. The
Examination being ended, counsel for plaintiff he
ad right to the opening speech as well the S
lose but, to the establishment of every one, he de-
lined the former and allowed the defense to lead off
hen shadow might have been observed to fit O
cross the features of Pike, and to darken the
right eye of Prentiss. They saw that they had a
caught Tartar )" but who it was, or how it hap e
ened, was impossible to conjecture. G;
Col Ashley spoke first. lie dealt the jury dish tt
that close, dry logic, which years after rendered tt
i'm famous in the Senate of the Union. IL
The poet Albert Pike followed with rich vein ri
witt and a hail torrent of ridicule in which you lie
ay be sure neither the plaintiff the plaintiffs I'll
gged attorney, either forgotten or spared. st
The great P-entiss concluded for the defendant eli
it'll glow of gorgeous words, brilliant as a shower a
falling stars, and with final burst of oratory th
at brought the house down with applause in which ar
9 sworn jury themselves joined, notwithstanding OF
e stern "order of the Bench. Thus wonderfully or
sceptble are the Southwestern people to impas- tn
,ned eloquence av
1t was then the strangers turn. He had remain so
apparently distracted during all the previous
eeches STILL and straight and motionless in his or
his pale smooth forehead shooting up high like or
mountain cone of snow but for that eternal M,
itch that came and went perpetually in his saow
eeks, you would have taken him for mere man be
marble, or human form carved in ice Even his SUI
dreamy eyes were invisible beneath those gray m;
aggy eyebrows.
But now, at last he rises before the barrailine an
behind-and SO near the wondering iury that RAJ
might have touched the foreman with his long ioj
ny finger. With eyes still half shut and stand gc
rigid pillar of iron his lips in measureless Sn
rn slightly apart and the voice comes forth At is