The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1865-11-29
THE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL.
A THRILLING STORY. n. NJ NJ.

Of twenty.one, to- practice at the bar. He
was poor bat educated, and Possessed ex-
t~raordinafy genius He married albeap-
ty, who afterwards deserted him for alb
other. l0TS bibt9lq2r s7ad ysdT .sl5dt
On the, 9th. Of April. 1910, the Court
House IN ClatksviDe {, Texh5 wac crowded
to o~veraowibg. An exciting case was
about to be tired, Gen. Hopkins, q rich
planter hhad Uttered dgross insult tofMa-
ry Ellison, the young and beautiful wife
Of his oyerseer. The husband threaten.
ed to chastise him for the outrage, when;
Hopkins went to EllisoD's house and
shot him in his door. The murderer
was arrested and bailcd to answer the
charge, This occurrence produced q
great excitement, and Hopkins, in order
TO turn tho tide Of popular Indignation,
had circulated reports against her char,
'acter, and she had, sued him for SANDER.
Both suits were pending-fOr murder and
SANDER. tsbcu - % e0 t4nir7sna srG fg.
The interest became deeper when it
was known that Ashley and Pike, Of Ar
kansas, and s. S. PreHtiss, of New Or,
leans, by enormous fees, had been retain
ed to defend Hopkins.
Hopkins was acquitted. The Texan
lawyers were overwhelmed by their op-
ponents ; il was Alright of dwarfs against
giants, " N''''
The SANDER suit was for the 9th, and
the throng Of spectators grew in number
as well as excitement; public opinion
was setting in for Hopkins; his money
had procured witnesses who served his
powerful advocates. When the SANDER
case was called, Mary Ellison was left
without an attorncy-all had withdrawn.
"IIave you no counsel?" inquired
Judge Millet, looking kindly at the plain.
tiff. A1tEQ o. N0tEI lN
"No, sir, they have deserted me, ard
I am too poor to employ any more," re-
piled the beautiful Mary, bursting into
tears, "
an such a case, will not some chival-
rous member of the 6ar volunteer ?" said
the Judge CHANGING around the bar.
The thirty lawyers were silent. :
II will, your honor, said a voice from
the thickrst part Of the crowd behind the
bar, 3
AT Tie sound Of that voice many start.
ed it was SO unearthly, sweet and
monrnfnl.
The first sensation was changed into
laughter, when a tall, Gaunf, spectral fig
ure elbowed his way through the crowd,
and placed himself within the bar. His
clothes looked so shabby that the Court
hesitated to let the case proceed under
his management.
"Has your name been entered On the
rolls of the State ?" demanded The Judge.
at is immaterial." answered the stran.
gor, his thin, bloodlcss Inns curling up
with a 6cud:sh sneer. "Here is my IL
cense, from the highest tribunal in Amer.
lea p and he handed the Judge a broad
parchment.
The trial went on.
He suffered tho witnesses to tell their
own story, and he allowed the defense to
lead off. Ashley spoke frs', followed by
Pike and Prentiss The latter brought
the house down with cheers, in which
The Jury Joined.
1t was now the strangers turn ; he ri
ses-before the bar, not behind it-and
so near the wandering jury, that he could
touch the foreman with his long. bony
He proceeded 10 tear to pieces
he arguments of Ashley, which melted
away at his touch like frost before a sun
beam, every one look surprised. Anon
be came to tie dazzling wit ofthe lawyer,
Pike.-thc curl Of the lip grew sharper,
his thin face began to kindle upland his
eyes to open, dim and dreary 40 longer,
but vivid al Lightning, red as fire globes,
and eIating rs meteors, the whole soul
was in his eye; :, the full heart strcumed
Of hisiSeeV Then without bestowing
an a%llusiop to- Prentiss, he turned short
on the PICTURED witnesses of Hop
k;ns, tore their testimony into shreds and
into their faces such terrible invec.
tiycs that all trcmbled Ike aspens, and
two Of them fled from the Court House,
The exciimont Of the crowd was beeom.
Ing tremendous, Their united life and
soul, seemed TO hang on the burning
tongue Of, The stranger, he inspired them
with the power of his malignant passions;
he seemed to have stolen natures long
secret Of attraction. But lis
greatest triumph was 70 come. -isa
His eyes began to glance at the assns.
sin Hopkins, as his lean, taper fingers as.
sumed the same direction. ! Ho hemmed
the. wretch with a wall ofstrong evidence
and inipfegnable argument, cutting off
all hope Of escape, lie dug beneath the
murderer's ieer, bitches Of dilemma, and
held the slaoderer up to the scoIn and
contempt Of the pOpuIace. Having thus
Cirt him about with a circle of FIRE, he
himself Tor the massacre.
oh, tben. II vas vision both glorious
and drcpdful to behold the orator, Ills
became as impetuous as tho mo.
tion Of on oak 10 q hurricane. His voice
a trumpet, filled with wild whirl.
pools, deafepipg the ear with crashes of
power, and yet iptermipgled al the " ils
with ~ s~yeetaunder song Of the softest
IL. aru..kn.J n.lauad lika al