Weekly Trinity journal., 1860-01-07
JOhu Taylor, thc Volunteer Counsel.

was poor, but well educated, and possessed OF
extraordinary genius. The graces of his person,
combined with the superiority OF his intellect
enabled him to win the hand of fashionable
beauty.
Twelve months afterwards. the husband was
employed by wealthy firm of that city, to go
on a mission as land agent to the west. As a
heavy salary was offered, he babe farewell to his
wife and son. He wrote back every week, but
received not line in answer Six months
elapsed, when the husband received a letter from
his employer that explained all.
Shortly after his departure for the west, the
wife and father returned to Mississippi. Then
size Immediately obtained a divorce by act oil
LEGISLATURE married again forthwith, and to com
plete 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 perfdy nearly drove Taylor insane. Ills
career from that moment became eccentric in the
first degree--sometmes he preached, sometimes
be plead at the bar, until at last fever carried
him off at a comparatively early age.
The following is an account Of Que of Ills efforts
al the bar:
At an early hour on the 9th of April, 1910,
toe court house in Clarksvile, Texas, was crowd
ed to overlowing. Save in the war times, there
had never been witnessed so argea gathering in
the Red River country, while the strong feeling
apparent in every face will sufficiently explain
the matter following
About the close of 1889, Geo. Hopkins, one of
the weathiest and most influential men in Nor
thern Texas, offered gross insult to Mary Ell-
SON. the young and beautiful wife of his principal
overseer The husband threatened to chas!sr
him for the outrage, whcreupon Hopkins loaded
his gun, went to Ellisops house, and shot him in
! his own door,
The murderer was arrested and bailed to an-
swcr the charge. The occurrence produced in
tense excitement and Hopkins, in order to turn
| the tide Of popular opinion, or at least to miti
| gate the general wrath which first violently
against him, circulated reports nfamously prcju-
dicial to the character and standing of the wo-
man, who had suffered such cruel wrongs at his
hands.
She brought suit for SANDER. Aud thus two
cases-one criminal aud the other civil, and both
out of the same tragedy were pending ut the
April Circuit Court for 1910.
The interest naturally felt by the community
as to the issue, became far deeper when it was
known that Ashley and Pike, of Arkansas, and
the celebrated S. S. Prentiss, of New Orleans,
ca3h ly enormous ieca, had been retained by
Hopkins for defence
The trial of Indictment for murder concluded
on the Sth Of April with the acquttal of Hop
lins Such a result might have well been fore
seen, comparing the talents Of the counsel cn
gagged on either side.
The Texas lawyers were utterly overwhelmed
by the arguments and eioquence of their oppo-
nents. 1t was fight Of a dwarf against giants.
The slandcr suit was set for the 9th, nHd the
throng OF spectators grew in number, as well as
excitement And what seemed strange the cur
rent of public opinian now ran decid 'diy for
Hopkins. His money had procured witnesses
who served his powerful advocates Indeed, 50
triumphant had been the success on the previous
day that, when the SANDER case was called, Mary
Ellison was left without an attorney. All had
Withdrawn.
The pigmy pettifoegers dare not brave the
sharp wit of Pike, aud the scathiug thunder Of
Prcntiss
"Iiave you no counsel inquired Judge Mills
looking kindly at the plaintiff,
{" No, sir; they have all deserted me. and am
too poor to employ any more" replied the beau
! tilul Mary bursting into tears.
:" In such a case, will not some chivolrous
member of the profession volunteer ?' asked the
Judge, gancing around the bar.
The thirty lawyers were silent.
81 will, your honor said voice in thc thick
est of the crowd, situated behind the bar.
At thc tone of that voice many started half
from their seats. and perhaps there was not a
heart in the intense throng that did not beat
somewhat quickcr-it was so unearthly sweet,
ringing and m0uruful.
The first sensation, however, was changed into
laughter, when tall, gaunt, spectral figure, that
no person present remembered to have seen be-
fore, clboWcd his way through the crowd, and
placed himself within the bar
His appearance was problem to puzzle the
sphynX herself His high. pale brow, and his
small, uervously twitching face seemed active
with the concentrated essence and cream Of gen
ius but then his infanile blue eyes, hardly Wis
ible beneath their massive arches, looking dim,
dreamy, almost unconscious, and his clothing
was so shabby that the court almost heslatcd to
let the case proceed under his management.
Has your name been entered on the rolls Of
the Satc?" demanded the Judge, suspiciously.
"it is immatcrial about my name being on
your rolls answered the stranger, his thin lips
curling up into Il tiendish snecr Z" may be al
lowed by the courtesy Of the court and bar
Here is my license from the highest tribunal Of
Amorica,' and he handed Judge Mills the broad
parchment
The trial went on, Tn the examination Of the
witnesses the stranger evinced very little inge-
nuity as commonly Thought lie suffered each
one to tell their own story, without interruption,
though he generally managed to make each one
tell it over two or three times. lie put few
cross questions, which with keen witnesses only
served to correct mistakes, and he made no notes,
which in mighty memories only tend to embarass.
The examination being ended, counsel for
the plaintiff, he had right to the opening as
well as the closing speech bat, to The aSton.h-
ment Of every one, he declined the former, and
allowed The defence to lead or
Then a shadow might have hecn seen TO fit
across the features Of Pike, and to darkeu the
bright eyes Of Prentss. They saw that they had
"caught Tartar but who it was, or how it
happened, was impossible to guess.
Col. Ashley spoke first, lie dealt the jury a
dish of that coarse, dry logic which years after
wards rendered him famous in the Senate Of the
Union
The poet, Albert Pike, followed with vein Of
wit, and a half torrent Of ridicule in which nei-
ther the plaintiff or her ragged attorney were
forgotten spared.
The great Prentiss concluded for the defend
ant with glow of gorgeous words, brilliant as
a shower OF falling stars. and with bursts Of ora
tory that brought the house down in cheers, in
which even the sworn jury themselves joined,
notwithstanding the stern order OF the bench.
Thus wonderfully susceptible are the southern
people to the charms Of impassioned eoquence
1t was the Strangers turn. lie had remained
apparently distracted during all the previous