Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-05-30
VOLUNTEER COUNSEL.
TALE OF JOHN TAYLOR.


the superioritv of his intellect enabled him to win
the hand Of Il fashionable beauty. Twelve months
afterwards the husband was employed by veal
thy firm of the city TO go on mission as land
agent to the West. As heavy salary was Of
fered. Taylcr babe farewell to his wife and in
FAINT sou. lie wrote back every week but received
net line in answer. Six months elapsed when
ne received letter from his employers that ex-
planned all. Shortly after his departure for the
West, the wife and her father removed to Mis-
sissippi. There she Immediately obtained di-
vorce hv an act of the Legislature, married again
forthwith. and to complete the climax of her base
cruelty and wrong, had the name Of Taylor's son
changed tn Marks-the name of her second mat
rimonial partner. This perfdy rendered Taylor
insane. His career from that period became &C.
centric in the first degree. At last fever car
ried him off at comparatively early age.
vt an early hour on the 9th of April, 1910, the
Court House in Clarksville, Texas, was crowded
10 overlooking. Save in the war times past, there
had never been such gathering in Red River
country, while the strong feeling apparent on eve
~ flushed face will sufficiently explain the matter.
At the close of 1859, George Hopkins, one OF the
wea,thcst planters and most influential men Of
Northern Texas, offered gross insult to Mary FL
lston. the Young and beautiful wife OF his chief
overscer. The husband threatened to chastise
him for the outrage, whereupon the planter load
cd his gun, went to Ellison's house, and shot him
in his own door. The murderer was arrested,
and baed to answer the charge. This occur
renee 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 violent against him, circulated reports nfa-
mouslv prcudicial to the character of the woman
who had suffered such cruel wrongs at his hands.
She brought Il suit for SANDER, and thus two
cases, the one criminal and the other civil, and
both out Of the same tragedy, were pending i'll the
Arril Circuit Court for 1910.
The interest naturally felt by the community
as to the issues. when it was known that Ashley
and Pike of Arkansas, and the celebrated Prcntiss
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 Sth of April. with the acquittal of Hopkins.
Such Il result might we'll have been foreseen, by
comparing the talents Of the counsel engaged on
either side.
The Texas lawyers were utterly overwhelmed
10y the arguments and superior eloquencc Of the
distinguished opponents. 1t was 4 fight as OF
dwarf with giants.
The SANDER suit was sent for the 9th, and the
throng of spectators grew i'll number as well as
excitement. 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 power
full advocates. Indeed SO triumphant had been
the success Of the previous day, that when the
Islander ease called, Mary Elliston was left
without an attorney-they had all withdrawn
sharp wit of Pike, and the scathing thunder of
Prentiss.
slave you no counsel? 20 inquired Judge Mills
of the plaintiff.
s.No sir, they have all deserted me, and am
too poor to employ any more,' said Mary, burst
ing into tears.
..In such case, will there not some chvalrous
member of the profession volunteer" inquired
the Judge, glancing anxiousy around the bar.
The thirty Texan lawyers were all silent as
death.
Judge VI. repeated the question.
Il will, your HONOR" exclaimed a voice from
the thickest part of the crowd, situated behind
the bar.
At the tone of that voice many started half
from their seats and not heart in that immense
throng but which beat something quickcr-it was
50 uncarhv, sweet, clear, ringing, soft and
mounfu.
The first sensation, however, was changed to
general laughter, when tall, gaunt, spectral fig
urc, that no body present remembered having
seen before, clbowcd his way through the crowd
and placed himself within the bar.
His appearance was problem to the sphynx
himself. His high, pale brow, and small ner-
vously twitching face seemed alive with the con-
contracted essence and cream of genius; but then
his infantile blue eyes, hardly visible beneath
their massive arches, looking dim, drcary, al
most unconscious; and his clothing was so shah
hv that the court hcsitatcd to let the cause pro-
coed under his management.
..lt is immaterial about my name being upon
your rolls answered the stranger, his thin lips
curling up into fendish snccr. 81 may be al
lowed to appear once by the courtesy of the court
and bar. Here is my license from the highest
tribunal in America" handing Judge Mills a
broad parchment.
The trial Immediately went on.
In the examination Of witnesses the stranger
cvinccd but little ingenuity, was commonly
thought. lie suffered each to tell his own sto-
~ without interruption, though he cOntrived to
make each tell his story over two three times.
lie put few cross questions, which, with keen
witnesses only serve to correct mistakes, and he
made notes, which in mighty memories always
tend to cmbarrass. The examination being end
cd. counsel for the plaintiff he had right to
the opening speech well to the close, but to
the establishment of every one he declined the
former and allowed the defence to lead off,
Thena shadow might have been seen flying across
the features Of Pike, and to darken the
Lright ewes of Prentiss. They they had
..caught Tartar;'' but who it was or how it hap
lcncd it was impossible to conjecture.
Col. Ashley spoke first. lie dealt the jury a
dish of that close dry logic, which years after
rendered him famous in the Senate of the Union.
The poet, Albert Pike, followed with rich
vein of wit. and hail torrent of ridicule, in
which you may be sure neither the plaintiff nor
the plaintiffs ragged attorney We're either for
gotten or spared.
ne great lTttlliSS Coucluucu LOT the uelenuSnts
with glow of gorgeous words, brilliant az 4
shower of falling stars. and with final burst of
oratory that brought down the house with APP
p,use. in which the sworn jury themselves joined
Notwithstanding the stern /" ORDER of the bench.
Thus wonderfully susceptible ere the southwest
ern people TO impassioned eoquence.
II was then the strangers turn. He had re-
manned apparently distracted during the previous
speeches. Still. and straight. and motionless in
his seat. his pale smooth forhead, shooting up
high like mountain cone of snow, but for that
eternal twiteh that came and went perpetuallv in
his sallow check. YOU would have taken him for
4 mere man of marble. a human form carved
in ice. Even his dim, dreary eyes were invisible
between those gray, shaggy eyebrows.
But now. at last. he rises before the bar rail- |
ing-not behind. and near to the wondering |
Jury that he might have touched the foreman |
with his long bony fingers. With eyes still half |
shut, and standing rigid as pillar of iron. his |
thin lips in measure!ess scorn slightly part, and |
che voice comes forth.
At first il is low and sweet, insinuatins itself |
into the brain as an artless tune winding its wav
into the heart, like the melody of magic incan-
tation; while the speaker proceeds without ges-
;ulc or the least sign of excitement to tear in |
pieces the argument Of Ashley, that dissolyes and
melts away at his touch as frost before the sun
light. Every one looked surprised. His logic
was AT once so brief, and SO LUMINOSITY true,
t..set H.. 4