Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-02-17
If(istellaueo>ls.
TEaE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL.
A THRILLING NARRATIVE.

JOHN Taylor was licensed when youth OF
twenty -one to practice at bar Of --
He was poor, but we'll educated and possess
ed 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 mission as land agent to the west.
AS a heavy salary was offered he babe fare
we'll to bis wife and son. He wrote back
every week, but received not line in an
swer. Six months elapsed, when the hus-
| band received letter from his employer
that explained all.
Shortly after his departure for the West.
the wife and Ter father returned to Missis-
sippi. Then she Immediately obtained a
divorce by act of legislature, married forth
with, and to complete the climax Of her cru
city and wrong, had the name Of Taylor S
son changed to that of Marks-that of her
second matrimonial partner.
This perAdy nearly drove Taylor insane.
His career from that moment became ecccn-
trio ir the first degree Sometimes he preach
ed, sometimes he plead at the bar, Until at
last a fever carried him eff at a comparative
| ly 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, TIE Courthouse at GAINESVILLE, Texas
was crowded to overfowing Save in the
war times, there had never been witnessed
so large gathering in the Red River eoun-
try, while the strong feeling apparent in ev-
cry face will sufficiently explain the matter
following.
About the close of 1889, George Hop
kins, one Of The wealthiest planters and
most influential men in Northern Texas, Of
fered gross insult to Mary Ellison, the
young and beautiful wife of his principal O.
verseer. The husband threatened to chas-
tise him for his outrage, whereupon Hop
kins loaded his gun, went to Ellison's house
and shot him in his own door.
The murderer Was arrested, and bailed to
answer the charge. The occurrence pro
duced intense excitement, and Hopkins, in
order to turn the tide Of popular opinion, or
at least to mitigate the general wrath which
was first violently against him, circulated
reports UNANIMOUSLY prejudicial to the charac-
ter and standing of the woman who had suf-
fered such cruel wrongs at his hands,
She brought suit for SANDER. And thus
two asses. one criminal and other civil, and
both out Of the same tragedy, were pending
at the April Circuit Court for 1910.
! The interest naturally felt by the COM
10 Eo E,r
when it was known that Ashley and Pike.
of Arkansas, and tie celebrated S. S. Prem
tiss, of New Orleans, each by enormous
fees, lad been retained by Hopkins for the
| defenced
The trial Of Indictment for murder con-
Guided on the 9Th of April, with the acquit-
tai of Hopkins. Such result might have
we'll been foreseen, comparing the talents Of
the counsel engaged on either SIDE
The Texas lawyers were utterly over
whelmed by the arguments and eloquence
of their opponents. It was fight between
dwarfs and giants.
The SANDER suit was set for the 9th, and
the throng Of spectators grew in number, as
well as in excitement. And what seemed
strange, the current Of public opinion now
ran directly for Hopkins. His money had
procured witnesses who served his powerful
advocates. Indeed, SO triumphantly had
been the success on the previous day, that
when the SANDER case was called, Mary FL
lison was left without an attorney. All had
withdrawn.
The pigmy pettifoggers dare not brave
the sharp wit of Pike and the scathing tbun-
der of Prentiss.
"Have you no counsel ~ inquired the
Judge, looking kindly at the pIaint;f
mo, sir they have all deserted me, and
/ am too poor to employ any more, :" replied
the beautiful Mary, bursting into tears,
''In such case. will not some ehiyalroas
member Of the profession volunteer p asked
the Judge, glancing around the bar.
The thirty lawyers were silent.
Il will, your honor" said voice from
the thickest of the crowd, sltuGted behind
the bar.
At the tone Of that voice many started
! half from their seats, and perhaps there was
not heart in that vast assembly that die