The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-07-20

Jnelr own SIOFy, anu nc afIOWeu tneI
defense to lead off. Ashley spoke
first, followed by Pike and Prentiss--
The latter brought thehouse down IN
cheers, in which the jury joined.
1t was now the strangers turn, he
rises-before the bar, not behind it,
and so near the wondering jury that
he might touch the foreman with his
long bony finger He proceeded to
tear to pieces the arguments of Ashley,
which melted away at his tou ch like
frost before a sunbeam: every one look
ed surprised. Anon he came to the
dazzling wit of the poet lawyer, Pike.
Then the curl of his lips grew sharp
err his smooth face began to kindle
up, andhis eyes to open dim and
dreary no longer but vivid rs light.
ming, red as fire globes, and glating as
twin mc!eors. Tho whole soul was
in the eye; the full heart streamcd out
of his face Then without bcstowing
an allusion to Prentiss, he turned
short round on the perjured witnesses
Of Hopkins, tore their testimony into
shreds, and hurled in their faces such
terrible invectives that all trembled
like aspens, and two Of them fled from
the court house. The excitement of
| the crowd was becoming tremendous.
| Their united life and soul seemed to
| hang upon the burning tongue of the
stranger, he inspired them with the
power ofhis malignant passions; he
seemed to have stolen natures long
! hidden secret of attraction, But his
greatest triumph was to come.
His eyes began to glance at the ms,
sassin Hopkins, as his lean taper fin
gers assumed the same direction He
hemmed the wretch with wall Of
strong evidence and impregnablo ar
gument. cutting off all hope of escape
He dug beneath the murdercr's feet
bitches Of dilemma. and held tho Sian.
Gerer up to the scorn and contempt o.
the populance Having thus girt him
about with II circle Of fire, he stripped
himself to the work OF massacre. '.'
hOh! then il was vision both glori
ous and dreadful to behold the orator
His actiens became as impetuous as
the motion Of an oak in q hurricane -
His voice became trumpet filed will
wild 'whirlpools, dcafening the eal
with the crashes Of power, and yet in
terininglcd all the while with swce
- un lersong of the softest cadence. Hi
forehead glowed like heated fdrnace
his countenance was haggard, lik
that ola maniac, and ever and amor
he flung his long and bony arms OF
high as if gasping after thunder
bolts, rIgI. 1ii'r ..@ a.. ="
He drew picture of murder in sucl
appalling colors that in comparison
, ellitsell might be considered beauti
fnl; he painted the slandcrer so blacl
J that the sun seemed dark at MONDAY
Z when shining on such an accurse
monster, and then fixing both portrait
n Oh the shrinking Hopkins, fastone
q them there forever. The agitation q
i the audience nearly amounted to mad
: ness. 'r. Ha#' '..l '.1' .t.
,s All alton the speaker desccnde
from tho perilous height. His poic
ct walled out for the murdered DEAD an
"a LlvING--the beautiful Mary more beat
10 tiful every moment as her tears flowe
D. fastcr--till'm men wcpt and sobbed lili
a children. r5 nl.s'''1 r. -.t
% He closed by a strange exhortatio
5 to the jury, and through them to I'll
80 bystanders; he advised the panel, aftt
,o. they should bring in aiverdict for tt
NJ paintiff, not to offer violence to I'll
no defendant, however richly he migl
10 deserve it; in other words, "not
Vi lynch tho villain, but leave his pu1
~ ishment with God" This was Il
O. most artful trick of all and best calc
st lated to insure vengeance. "-'
m Thejur returned verdict of fiji
~ thousand dollars; and the night afte
o wards Hopkins was taken out of bC
m by lynchers, and beaten almost
Of death. AS the court adjourned, Il
w stranger said-'John Taylor W
m preach here this evening, at ear
candle-light." He did preach-aI
90 the house was crowded. l have liste
,ir ed to Clay, Webster and Calhoun
,rf Dwight Bascomb and Beecher--b
- never heard anything in the form
nd sublime words even remotely appro
NJ imating to the eloquence ofJohn Ia
IN lor--massive as q mountain, and will
his ly rushing as cataract OF fire. ''
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