The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-03-23
gflettfo Gale,
THE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL.


.d,ca Q .aad possessed extraordinary gen
Jus. The graces # his person combined
with the superiority Of his intellect, ena-
bled him to win the hand of fashionable
beauty. Twelve months afterwards the
husband was employed by a wealthy firm
of the city to go ON a. mission as land
agent to the West. AS heavy salary
was offered. Taylor babe farewell to his
wife and infant son. He wrote back eve
nv week, but received not line in answer
Six mouths had elapsed, when the hus-
band received letter from his employ
ers that explained all Shortly after his
departure for the West. the wife and her
father removed to Mississippi. There she
Immediately obtained a divorce by act Of
legislature. married again forthwith, and
to complete the climax OF her cruelty, and
wrong, had the name of Taylor's son
changed to that of Marks-that of her
second matrimonial partner This peril
dy nearly drove Taylor insane HIS ca
reer from that moment became eccentric
in the first degree-sometimes he preach
ed, sometimes he plead at the bar, until
at last fever carried HIM off at a COM
paratis ely early age. 9sfa Peg BIZ s.f
ACCOUNT OF ONE OF HIS EFFORTS AT THE
AT an early hour On the 9th Of April,
1910, the court house in CiarksvIlle, Tex
as, was crowded to overfowing. Save
in the war times, there had never been
witnessed so large q gathering in the Red
River country, while the strong feeling in
everv flushed face, will sufficiently ex
plain the matter following. rasaa1s
About the close Of 1889, Geo. Hop
kins one of the wealthiest planters ana
most influential men of Northern Texas,
offered n gross Insult to Mary Ellison, the
Young and beautiful wife of his che
overseer. The husband threatened t.
chastise him for the outrage, whereupon
Hopkins loaded his gun, went to Elison's
honse and shot him in his own door,
The murderer was arrested and bailed to
answer the charge. This occurrence pro-
duced intense excitement, and Hopkins,
in order to tura the tide of popular ,opln-
ion, or at least to mitigate the genera.
wrath which ut first WIS violently agalns.
him, circulated reports UNANIMOUSLY preju-
dlcial to The character and standing o.
the woman who had suffered cruel wrongs
at his hands. She brought her SUIT for
Islander. And thus two cases-one Grim
inal and the other civil, and both out o.
the same tragedy, were pending at the
April Circuit Court for l84O. r
The interest naturally felt by the com
munity as to the issues, became far deep
er when it was known that Ashley an,
Pike of Arkansas, and the celebrated s..
S. Prentiss of New Orleans, each by enor-
nous fees, had been retained by HopkinS
for his defense
The trial of Indictment for murder EN-
ded on the 9Th of April with the acquitti,
of Hopkins. Such result might wei
have been foreseen, comparing the talents
of the counsel engaged ON either side.-
The Texas lawyers were utterly overwhel-
med by the arguments and eloquence OF
their opponents. 1t was a fight of dwarts
against giants.
The SANDER suit was for the 9th, and
the tbroug of speetatcrs grew in lumber
as well as excitement. And what seem
ed strange, the current of public opinion
now ran decidedly for Hopkins. HIS
money had procured witness who serve,
ais powerful advocates Indeed, SO trI-
umphant had been the success on the pr
vious day, that when the SANDER case W: s
called, Mary Ellison was left without al
attorney-aIl had withdrawn. The pig
my pettifoggers dared not brave the sharl
wit of Pike, and the scathing thunder
Prentiss.
"Have you no counsel" inquired judge
Mills, looking kindly at the weeping plain-
tiff. } @r
mo. sir, they have all deserted me.
and am too poor to employ any more.
replied the beautiful Mary through her
tears. ~ Tf-. aa
"In such case, viii not some chival
rous momber of the profession volunteer
asked the Judge, glancing around tn
bar. e+-ss35 gslt
Tn, thirty lawyers were silent.
81 will. your honor" sgid voice from,
tho thickest of the crowd, situated behind
the bar. -