The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1865-12-27
NEW SERIES---VOLUME /, NO. %
THE VOLUNTEER COiNsEI.
A THRILLING STORY.

John Taylor was licensed, when youth
oftwenty. one, to practice at the bar. He
was poor but well educated, and possessed
extraordinary genius. He married beau
ty, who afterwards deserted him for anoth.
er.
On the 9th of April, 1910, the Court
House in Clarksville, Texas, was crowded tc
orerfowing. An exciting case was about to
be tried; Gen. Hopkins, a wealthy planter.
had offete1 gross insult to Mary Ellison,
the young and beautiful wife of his overseer.
The husband threatened to chastiSe him inr
the outrage, wheh Hopkiis went 10 Eli.
son S house and shot him in his own door.
The murderer was arrested and bailed to
answer tile charge. This occurrence pro-
duced great excitement. and Hopkins, in
order to turn the tide of popular indigna-
ton, had circulated reports against her
character, and she had sued him for Sian.
der. Both suits were pending-fot murder
and slander.
The interest became deeper when it was
known that Ashley and Pike, of Arkansas,
and 5. S. Prentiss, of New Orleans, by
enormous fees, had been retained to defend
Hopkins
Hol kins was acquitted. The Texas law
yers were overwhelmed by Their opponents,
it was a fight OF dwarfs against giants.
The SANDER suit was for the 9th, and the
thrOng ofspectators grew in number as we'll
as excitement; public opinion was setting in
for Hopkins; his money had procured wit
nesses Who served his powerful advocates:
When the SANDER case was called Mary FL
lisoh was left without ah attorney-al had
withdrawn
Have you no counsel?" inquired Judge
Millet, looking kindly at the plaintiff.
"No, sir, they have deserted me, and l
am too poor to employ any more;" replied
the beaut full Mary, bursting into tears.
I'm such case, will not some chyalrous
member of the bar volunteer said the
Judge Chanting around the bar
The thirty lawyers were silent.
Il will, your honor," said voice from
the thickest part Of the crowd behind the
bar.
At the sound of that voice many started
it was SO unearthly, sweet and mourn
full.
The first sensation was changed into
laughter, when tall, gaunt, spectral figuer
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 manage
mtht.
Has your name been entered on the rolls
OF the State?" demanded the Judge.
"lt is immateriaii" answered the stranger
his thin bloodless lips curling up with tend
lsh sneer. Here is my license, from the
highest tribunal in Amcrica!" and he hand
ell the Judge broad parchment!
The tIial went on.
He suffered the witnesses to tell their
own story, and he allowed the defense to
lead off. Ashley spoke first, 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 rises
before the bar, not behind it-and so near
the wondering jury, that he might touch the
foreman with his long, bony fingers, He
p e2ccded to tear to pieces the arguments of
Ashley, which melted away at his touch like
frost before sun beam, every one looked
surprised. Anon he came to the dazzling
wit of the lawyer, Pike--the curl Of his lip
grew sharper, his thin face began to kinde
up, and bis eyes to bnen, dim and dreary
no longer, but vivid as lightning, red as
fire globes, and glaring as mcteors, the
whole soul was in the eye; the full heart
streamcd out of his face. Then without
oestowing an ausion to Prentiss, he turned
short around ON the pcrured witnesses OF
Hopkins, tore their testimony into Shreds
and hmled into their faces such terrible in
vcctives that all trembled Ike aspens, and
two OF them fed from the court house. -.-
The excitement OF the crowd was becoming
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 passitns; he seemed
to have stolen nature long hidden secret of
attraction. But his greatest triumph was
10 come.
His eyes began to glance at the assassin
Hopkins, as his lean, tai or fingers assumed
the same direction. He hemfned the wretch
with wall OF strong evidence and impreg-
nable argument, cut off all hope of escape.
lie dug beneath the murderer feet, bitches
OF dilemma, and held the slanderer up to
the scotn and contempt of the populace. ---
Having thus girt him about with a circle of
fire, he stripped himself for the massacre
Oil then it was a vision both glorious and
dreadful to behold the orator. His actions
became as impetuous as the motion of an
oak in hurricane. His voice became
filled with wild whirlpools, deaf-
enng the ears with crashes of power, and
yet lntermingled all the while with a sweet
lndersong of the softcst cadence. His fore
head glowed like heated furnace, his coun.
tenance was haggard, ike that Of maniac,
and ever and anon he flung his long bony
arms on high, as if grasl ing after thunder
bolts. ....,
He drew picture of murder in such ap-
oalling colors that in comparison hell itself
night be considered beautiful; he painted
he slanderer SO black that the sun seemed
lark at MONDAY, when shining on such an
,ccursed monster; and then fixing both por-
rats on the shrinking Hopkins, fastened
hem there forever. The agitation of the
audience nearly amounted to nadmess.
All at once the speaker desce tided from
he perilous hight. His voice walled out
or the murdered dead and living--the beau
iful Mary, mere beautiful every moment,
Is her tears flowed faster-till men wert and
ohbed like children.
He closed with a strange exbortation TO
he jury, and through them to the bystand.
RS; he advised the pannel, after they should |
ring in verdict for the plaintiff, not Ito |
'ffer violence to the defendant, however
ich)y he may des'rve it; in other words,
not to lynch the villain, but leave bis pun,
shmeut to God" This was he most art
ul trick of all, and best ealculi ted to insure
engence.
The jury returned verdict Of ffty. thou
and dollars; and the night afterwards Hon.
ius was taken out of bed by lynchers, and
eaten almost to death. AS the court al
burned, the stranger said; John Taylor
,ill preach here this evening, at early can
lie light" He did preach-and the house
ras crowded. I have listened to Clay,
Webster. and Calhoun-to Dwight, Bas-
ombe and Beecher--but never heard any
hing. in the form of sublime words, even
nm notoly onnrovin,a u n. thn .,I.,s..,o -