Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-11-03
THE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL.
A THRILLING STORY.

SOU OAOinoiuiiioiy SOhIOuS' A1O HldIIleu &
beauty, who afterwards deserted him fol-
another.
On the 9th Of April, I84O, the Court
House in Clarksville, Texas, was crowded tC
overfowing. An exciting case was about
to be tried. Gen. Hopkins, wealthy
planter, had offered gross insult to Mary
Ellison, the young and beautiful wife O
the overseer. The husband threatened tC
chastise him for the outrage, when Hop
kins went to Ellison's house and shot him
in his own door. The murderer was ar
rested and bailed to answer the charge
This occurrence produced a great excite
ment, and Hopkins, in order to turn the
tide of popular indignation, had circulated
reports against her character, and she had
sued him for slander. Both suits were
pending-for murder and slander.
The interest became deeper when it was
known that Ashley and Pike, of Arkansas,
and S. S. Prentiss, of New Orleans, by en-
ormous fees, had been retained to defend
Hopkins.
Hopkins was acquitted. The Texas
lawyers were overwhelmed by their appo-
nents; /; it was fight of dwarf against giants
The SANDER suit was for the 9th, and
the throng of spectators grew in number
as well as excitment; public opinion was
setting in for Hopkins; his money had
procured Witnesses who served his power,
full advocates. When the slander case
was called Mary Ellison was left without
an attorney-all had withdrawn.
Have you no counsel 2 inquired Judge
Mills, looking kindly at the plaintiff:
"No, sir, they have all deserted me, and
| am too poorto employ any more, replied
the beautiful Mary, bursting into tears.
"1n such case, will not some ehival
rous member of the bar volunteer?' said
the Judge glancing around the bar.
The thirty lawyers were silent.
Il will, your honor said voice from
the thickest part of the crowd behind the
bar. .80.
a 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 figure
elbowed his way through the crowd, and
placed himself within the bar. His clothe:
looked so shabby that the court hesitated
to let the case proceed under his manage
ment.
'si1as your name been entered on the
rolls of the State.m demanded the Judge
1T lis simmaterial, answered the stranger
his thin, boodless lips curling up with q
fiendish sneer. Here is my license, from
the highest tribunal in America and he
handed the Judge a broad parchment.
The trial went on.
He suffered the witness to tell their Owl
story, and he allowed the defense to lead
of. 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 rise,
before the bar, not behind it-and sc
near the wondering jury, that he might
touch the foreman with his long, bony
fingers. He proceeded to tear to peice'
the arguments of Ashlay, which melted
away at his touch like frost before a sun
beam, every one looked surprised. Anon he
came to the dazzling wit of the poet law.
yer, Pike. Then the curl of his lips grew
sharper, his thin face began to kindle up
and his eyes to open, dim and dreary nc
longer; but vivid as lightning, read as fire
globes, and glaring as twin meteors. The
whole soul was in the eye; the full hear
streamed out of his face. Then without
bestowing an alIusion to Prentiss, he turn
ed short around on the perjured witnssse,
of Hopkins, tore their testimony into
shreds and hurled into their faces such
terrible invectives that all trembled ike as
pens, and two of them fled from the court
house. The exeitment of the crowd was
becoming tremendous. Their united life
and soul seemed te hang upon the burn
ing tongue of the stranger; he inspired
them with the power of his malignant pas
sions; 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 assassin
Hopkins, as his lean, taper fingers assum
ed the same direction. He hemmed the
wretch with wall of strong evidence and
impregnable argument, cutting offall hope
of escape. He dug beneath the murderer,
feet, bitches of dilemma, and held the Sian
derer up to the scorn and contempt of the
populace. Having girt him about with i;
circle of fire, he stripped himself for the
massacre.
Oh then it was a vision both gloriou.
and dreadful to behold the orator. Hi:
actions bacame as impetuous as the motion
af an oak in hurricane. His voice be
came trumpet, filled with wild whirl
pools, deafening the ear with crashes o
power, and yet intermingled all the while
with a sweet under-song of the softest Ca
dence. His forehead glowed like heateC
furnace, his countenance was haggard lik,
that of a maniac, and ever and anon b,
flung his long, bony arms on high, as
grasping after thunderbolts. s-H
He drew a picture ofmurder in such ap
palling colors, that in comparison hell it
self might be considered beautiful; h
painted the slanderer so black that the SUI
seemed dark at noon day, when shining
on such an accursed monster; and then fix
ing both portraits on the shrinking Hop
kins, fastened them there forever. TIL
agitation of the audience nearly amounte'