The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1865-12-15
THE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL.
A Thrilling Story.

A Thrilling Story.
John Taylor was licensed when youth
of t"etty two, TO practice at The bar. IL.
was poor. but we'll educated, AID posses
.ed extraordinary genius. lie married
beauty who afterwards deserted lin for
another.
On the 9th Of April, 1860, the court
house IN Clai ksvii4e, Texas was crowded
to ovettlowing. An exciting case was
about TO be tried. George Hopkins,
wealthy planter, had offered great Insult
TO Mary Ellison. the young a:.d beautiful
vile of the Uyer>eer The husband
threatened to chastlee him for The outrage,
when HOPKINS Went to Gii>ou's house and
shot aim IN his own door. The murderer
was balIcd to answer the change. This
occurrence produced great excitement, aud
Hopkins in order TO tuIn lie tide of pop
ular Indignation, had circulated repolts
against her character, and she had sued
him for Islander. Both salts were pending
for murder and >order.
The interest became deeper when il
was known that Pike and Ashley, Of
Al kansas, and S. S. plenti>s, of New
Orleans, by enormous fees had been re
tanned to defend hopkins.
Hopkins was acquitted. The Texas
lawyers were over" Ae.tued 10y their op
ponents. 1t was a ii ght OF dwarf against
giant.
The SANDER case was for the oh, ana
the thIong OF spectators grew III numbers
as we'll as exci'emeut; public opinion
WAS setting III for Hopkins; his ,uoue,
bad procured witnesses who serve. a.
powerful advoca,es. When the siauder
case was called, Mary Ellison was left
without an attorney, AL bad Withdrawn
lave you 30 counse e inq ,ired
Judge Mills, looking kindly at the plain
lif
No, sir; they have al! deserted me.
aud | am too poor to employ any more"
replied the beautiful May, bursting iu;o
leaIs.
In such a case. will not some chiv-
ai'ous member of The profession vulun~
ieer:' said the Judge, gIancing around
the bar.
The thirty lawyers were silent.
i will, Your homer" said voice from
the The esi part of The crowd, behin4 the
tar.
At the sound OF tina: voice. Mary star
ted--it was unhealthy, sweet aud mouru~
iul
The first sensation was changed into
laughter, when tail, gauu', epec.r-
figure eboweh his way through The clov Il
and placed himself wlrh,n die bar. HIS
clothes looked So shabby that the court
heS>taled 10 let the case proceed through
lis management.
Has your name been entered on the
rolls of the Slater demanded the Judge
1T is imma,erIal,' answered the Srran
ger, bis thin. bIoodt>s lips, curling up
wI'h sneer. d" Here is thy license trun,
the highest trlbunaI il America, and be
handed The Judge broad parchment.
The trial went on.
lie suffered the witnesses to tell their
own story, aud he allowed HE defence to
lead of. Ashley spoke fist, followed hy
Pike and irentls>. Tie latter hrought
The house DOM with cheers, III which the
jur, joined.
II was now the strangers ,urn; he
liSes before the bar. not hGhiud It-aud
SO near The wondering jury ,hal he NIGH
touch the foreman With hl, hong, tpu,
fingers He proceeded to tear to pieces
the Arguments of Ashley, which melted
away AT his touch like frost before
sunbeam; every one looked surprised
Anon he came u the dazzling wit of HE
poet lawyer. Pike. Then tie curl OF his
mp grew sharper, his smooth face began
TO klnde, and his eyes 10 open, dim and
dleary no longer, but vivid as lightning;
red a, fire-cIobes. and glazing as twin
met6oIs. The whole soul WAS in his eve.
The iul Heart streamcd out Of III, face
Then, without bestowing any allu~ion 70
Prentiss, lie turned shout around on the
peljaled witnesses Of Hopkins, and ,5rr
their testimony into shreds, and hurled
into tbeif faces such terrible iavrc,ves thot
all rembIed like aspers, and two Of them
fled from the Court House The excite
meUt vi the crowd WAS becoming iremen
dous. Their united souls seemed To hang
on the burning tongue Of the stranger:
he inspired them With the power OF hi,
malignant passions; lie seemed to have
stolen natures long hidden secret Of
attraction. But his greatest triumph was
yet to come.
His eyes began to glance at the assassin
Hopkins, and his lean taper ting IS
assumed the same direction lie hemmed
the wretch with a wall of strong evidence
and impregnabe Argument cutting off all
hope of escape. He dug beneath the
murderer's feet bitches OF dilemma, and
held the slandereI up to scorn aud con-
tempt Of the popuIsce. Having thus girt