Minnesota weekly times., 1854-05-30
VOLUNTEER COUNSEL.
A TALE OF JOHN TAYLOR.

the hand of fashionable beauty. Twelve months
afterwards tho husband was employed by veal
thy firm of the city to 60 on mission as land
agent to the West. AS heavy salary was Of
fered, Taylor bade farewell to his wife and in
FAINT son. He wrote back every week but received
net line in answer. Six months elapsed when
ne received q 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 a di-
vorce by 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 to 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 a fever car
ried him off at comparatively early age.
At an early hour on the 9th of April, 1910, the
Court House in Clarksville, Texas, was crowded
TO ovcrfowing. Save in the war times past, there
had never been such a gathering in Red River
country, while the strong feeling apparent on eve
" flushed face will sufficiently explain the matter.
At the close of 1889, George Hopkins, one Of the
wealthicst planters and most influential men of
Northern Texas, offered gross insult to Mary Ell
liston, the Young and beautiful wife Of his chief
overseer. 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 baied to answer the charge. This occur
renee produced intense excitement, and Hopkins,
in order to turn the tide of popular opinion, at
least to mitigate the general wrath which at first
was violent against him, circulated reports infa-
mousy prejudicial to the character of the woman
who had suffered such cruel wrongs at his hands.
She brought a suit for SANDER, and thus two
cases, the one criminal and the other civil, and
both out of the same tragedy, were pending in the
April 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 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 Sth of April, with the acquittal of Hopkins.
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 arguments and superior eloquencc Of the
distinguished opponents. 1t was a fight as Of a
dwarf with giants.
The SANDER suit was sent for the 9th, and the
throng of spectators grew in number we'll 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
slander case was called, Mary Elliston was left
without an attorney-they had all withdrawn
The pigmy pettifoggers dared not brave again the
sharp wit Of Pike, and the scathing thunder of
Prentiss.
''Havc you no counsel?'' 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 chivalrous
member of the profession volunteer" inquired
the Judge, glancing anxiously around the bar.
The thirty Texan lawyers were all silent as
death.
Judge NJ. repeated the question.
81 will, your honor" exclaimed 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 qucker-t was
so unearthly, sweet, clear, ringing, soft and
mournful.
The first sensation, however, was changed to
general laughter, when tall, gaunt, spectral hS-
seen before, elbowed 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-
yously twitchng face seemed alive with the con-
centrated essence and cream of genius; but then
his nfantile blue eyes, hardly visible beneath
their massive arches, looking dim, dreary, al
most unconscious; and his clothing was SO shab-
bv that the court hcsitated to let the cause pro-
cccd under his management.
..It is immaterial about my name being upon
your rolls,'' answered the stranger, his thin lips
curling up into fendish snecr. 81 may be al
lowed to appear once by the courtesy OF the court
tribunal in AMERICA handing Judge Mills a
broad parchment.
The trial Immediately went on.
In the examination of witnesses the stranger
cvinced but little ingenuity, was commonly
thought. lie suffered each one to tell his own stO
hn ,oI IL
make each tell his story over two or three times.
lie put few cross questions, which, with keen
witnesses only serve to correct mistakes, and he
made no notes, which in mighty memories always
tend to cmbarrass. The examination being end
cd. as counsel for the plaintiff he had a right to
the opening speech we'll rs to the close, but to
the astonishment of every one he declined the
former and allowed the defence to lead of.
Thena shadow might have been seen flying across
the features of Pike, and to darken even the
bright eyes of Prentiss. They saw they had
.scaught Tartar;'' but who it was or how it hap
pencd 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 a rich
vein Of wit, and a 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.
The great Prentiss concluded for the defendant,
with glow of gorgeous words. brilliant as q
shower Of falling stars, and with a final burst of
oratory that brought down the house with ap-
plause. in which the sworn jury themselves joined
notwithstanding the stern s. 'order' of the bench.
Thus wonderfully susceptible arc the southwest
srn people to impassioned eloquence.
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 twitch that came and went perpetually in
his sallow check. YOU would have taken him for
4 mere man of marble, or 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 so 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 a pillar Of iron, his
thin lips in measureless scorn slightly part, and
the voice comes forth.
At first it il low and sweet, insinuatine itself
into the brain as an artless tune winding its wav
into the heart, like the melody of q magic incan-
tation; while the speaker proceeds without gcs-
;urc 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 UNANIMOUSLY true,
that the rudest peasant could easily comprehendit