The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-05-03
THE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL.

THE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL.
John Taylor was licensed when yout h
OF twrnty-onc to practice ut the bar of
He was pour but we'll cduca.
ed.and possessed OF extraordinary genius.
The graccs OF his person, combined with
the superiority of his intellect, cnubled
him to win the hand Of fashionable
beauty.
Twelve months afterwards the husband
was employed by Il wealthy firm Of that
| city. 20 90 on Il mission as land agent to
the West. As heavy salary was offer
ed, he bade farewell to his wife aud sou .
lie wrote back every week, but received
not Il line in answer. Six mouths elapsed
when the husband received letter from
his employer that explained all
Shortly after his departure for the
West. the wife and the father returned
TO Mississippi. There she Immediately
obtaineda divorce by the act of the leg
isIaturc, 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.
The pcridy nearly drove Taylor insane.
His career from that moment became
eccentric in the FIRST degree sometimes
he plead at the bar, until at last a fever
carried him off ut u comparatively early
age.
The following is an account of one of
his efforts at the bar:
At an early hour on the 9th of April.
1910, the Court House in Clarksv he.
Texas, Vas crowded to ovcrflowiny. Save
in the war time, there had never been
witnessed SO large a gatherin: in the
Il River country. while the strong
fcrl'n: apparent in the face of every one
sufficiently explained the mater follow.
ing:
About the close Of 1889, Gen. Hop
kins, one Of the wealthie>t planters aud
most influential men in northern Texas,
offered u gross insult to Mary Ellison,
the young and beautiful wife Of his prin.
cipal oversccr The husband threatened
to cha>,ise him for the outrage, where
upon Gen. Hopkins loaded his gun, went
to EIlison's house, and shot him in his
own door.
The murderer was arrested, and failed
to answer the charge. The occurrence
produced intense excitement, and Hop
kins in order to turn the tide Of popular
opinion, or at least to mitigate the gen
cral wrath which was first violent against
him, circulated reports infamously pref
judicial to the character and standing of
the woman, who had suffered such cruel
wrongs at his hands.
She brought suit for slaDdcr. And
thus two cascs-onc criminal and the
other civil, and both out of the same
tragedy, we're pending at the April Cir
cult Court for 1910.
The interest naturally felt by the COM
munity As to the issue, became far deep
er. when it was known that Ashley and
Pike, of Arkansas, aud the celebrated S.
S, Prem iss, Of New Orleans, each BY
enormous fees, had been retained by
Hopkins for defence.
The trial Of indictment for murder
concluded on the 9Th Of April with the
acquittal Of Hopkins. Such a result
nigh, have well been forcscen, compar
ing the talents Of the counsel engaged on
either side.
The slander suit was set for the 9th,
and the throng Of - cctators grew in
number, Us well rs excitement. Aud
what seemed strange, the current of pub.
lie opinion now ran decidedly for Hop
kins. His money had procured witness.
es, who served his powerful advocat cs.
Indeed. SO triumphant had been the sue
ces. on the previous day. that when the
slander case was called, Mary Ellison
was left without an attorney. All had
Withdrawn
The psmy pettifnggers dare not brave
the sharp wit OF Pike, and the scathing
thunder Of Prentiss.
"Have you no counsel?' asked Judge
Mills, looking kindly at the plaintiff.
No, sir; they have all deserted me,
aud l am too poor to employ any more, -
tears.
IN such . case, will not some chival.
''us ~, memoer Of the profession volun
the bar ''o1'o
The thirty lawyers were silent
II will, your Honor" said a voice
from the thickest of the crowd, situate
behind the bar
At the tone Of that voice many started
balf from their seats, and perhaps there
was not heart in the intense throna
that did not beat somewhat quicker,
was SO unearthly sweet, ringing and
mournful.
The first sensation, however, wa:
changed into laughter, when tall, gaunt
spectral figure, that no person present
remembered to have seen before, clhowe.
his way through the crowd, and place.
himself rithin the bar.
His appearance was problem to puz
zle the sphynx herself His high, pal
brow, and his small, pcrvously twitchin,
face, seemed active with the concentra
k,,y e