Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-07-15
Mi5ttllanfuus.
y The Volunteer Counsel :
THE ELOQUENT STRANGER.

John Taylor was licensed when youth
Of twenty.one to practice at the bar of
-. He was poor, but well educa-
ted, and possessed extraordinary genius.
The grace OF his person, combined with
the superiority Of lis intellect, enabled
him TO win the hand of a fashionable
beauty. Twelve months aIterward the
husband was employed by a wealthy
firm Of the city togo on -tn,ssles as
land agent TO the ~c>l: Asa i's~rr, J,
salary was offered. Taylor tade farewell
90 his wife and infant son. He wiote
back every week. but received not line
in answer. Six months had elapsed.
when the husband received letter from
his employers which explained all
Shortly after his departure for the " est
the wife and her father removed TO
Mississippi. There she Immediately
obtained divorce by act of legislature,
married forthwith. and, to complete the
climax of her cruelty and wrong. had
the name of Taylor's son changed to
Marks-tha. of her second matrimonial
partner. This perfdy nearly drove
TAYLOR insane. His career from that
moment became eccentric in the first
deeree-some,mes he preached. some
times he pleaded at the bar, until at last
a fever carried him off at comparative
ly early age.
ACCOUNT OF oXEoFHIs EFFoTs AT TIL
At an early hour on the 9th of April,
1870, the Court House IN Clarksvllie'
Texas, was crowded to overfowiny'-
Save in the war times, there had never
been witnessed so large gathering IN
tho Red River country, while the strong
feeling apparant in every flushed face
will sufficiently explain the matter fol-
lowing
About the close of 1889, George
Hopkins, one of the wealthiest planters
and most influential men of Northern
Texas, offered a gross insult 10 Mary
Ellison, the young and beautiful wife O.
his overseer. The husband threatened
to chastise him for the outrage, where
upon Hopkins loaded his gun, went tc
Ellison's house, and shot him in his owr
door. The murderer was arrested and
bailed to answer the charge. This occur
renee produced intense excitement, ano
Hopkins in order to turn the tide of popu
lar opinion, or at least to mitigate the
general wrath which at first was violentl!
against him, circulated reports infamous
ly preiud,cial to the character and stand
ing of the woman who had suffered such
cruel.wrongs at his hands. She brought
her suit for SANDER. And thus tive
cases-one criminal and the other civil
and both out of the same tragedy, wert
pending at the April Circuit Court fo'
is4O.
The trial of indictment for murder
ended on the Sth Of April. with the ac'
quittal Of Hopkins. Such result might
we'll have been foreseen, comparing the
talents of the counsel engaged on either
side. The Texas lawyers were complete
ly overwhelmed by the arguments and
eloquence oftheir opponents. 1t was
fight of dwarts against giants.
The SANDER suit was set for the 9th
and the throng Of spectators grew II
number, and the excitement: increased
and, what seemed strange. the curren
Of fpublic opinion now ran decidedly io1
Hopkins. His money had procured
witnesses who served his powerful advo'
Gates. Indeed. SC triumphant had beer
the success on the previous day that
when the case was called, Mary Ellisct
was left without an attorney--ali hat
Withdrawn. The pigmy pettiiogger'
dared not brave the sharp wit OF Pike
and the scathing thunder Of rrentiss.
"Have you no counsel :" inquired
Judge Mills, looking kindly at the plain
tiff.
mo, sir, they have all deserted me
and am too poor to employ any more,
replied the beautiful Mary, bursting int
tears.
"In such case, will not some chival