The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1869-03-20
M j S @ 81 L AM 60 S.
The Vosssnteer Counsel.

Inc J0(lC1ttc6f COttftStt.
John TAYLOR was licensed, when a youth oI
tweuty one, to practice at the bar. He was poor
but well educated, and possessed of extraordina-
ry genius He married beauty who afterward
deserted him for another.
On the OH oil April, 1910, the court house in
Clarkville, Texas, was crowded to overhowing
An exciting case was to be tried. George Hop
kins, u wealthy planter, had offered gross in
suit TO Mary Ellison, the young and beautiful
wife OF bis overseer The husband threatened to
chasiise him for the outrage, when Hopkins went
10 Ellison house and shot him in his own door.
The murderer was arrested and bailed to answer
the charge This occurrence produced great ex-
citemenf, and Hopkins in order to turn the tide
of popular indignation, had circulated reports
against her character, and she had sued him for
SANDER Both suits were pending-fo murder
and sIander.
The interest became deeper when il was known
that Ashley and Pike, of Arkansas, and s. s:
Prentiss, OF New Orleans, by enormous fees, had
been retained to. defend Hopkins.
Hopkins was acquitted. The Texas lawyers
wcre overwhelmed by their opponents. 1t was
:, ight OF dwarf against giants.
The slander suit was for the 9th, and the
throng of spectators grew in numbers as in ex-
ciement Public opinion was setting in for Hop
kins his money had procured witnesses who
served his powerful advocates When the SLAM
der case was called, Mary Ellison was left with
out an attorney-all had withdrawn.
t'IIase yon no counsel? ~ inquired Judge Mills
looking kindly on the plaintiff.
mo, ssr they have all deserted me, and am
TOO poor to employ any more, replied the beau
jifal Mary, bursting into tears.
SIN such a case, will not some chiyalrous mem-
Der Of ihe profession volunteer ?" said the judge
klancing around the bar.
The thirty lawyers were silent.
~ t<f}1 houor'' sfd voice from s<he
fhiekesi part Of The crowd, behind the bar.
At the sound the voice many started-it was
so earthly, sweet and mournful.
The first sensation was changed into laughter
when TALL gannt. spectral figure eloowed his
way through the crowd, and placed himself with
in ihe bar His clothes looked so shabby that
The court hes.tated TO let the case proceed under
his management.
ssEIas your name been entered on the rolls OF
size gtafe ~ demanded the Judge.
s'It Ia immaterial, answered the stranger, his
ehin. bioodless lips curling up with sneer.
s'Iierc is uay license from the highest tribunal
in America p and be handed the Judge broad
parchment.
The trial went on
fse 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 honse down in cheers, in which
the jury joined.
Ii was now the strangers turn. He rose be-
fore the bar not behind it, and so near the won
ieriug iurg that he might touch the foreman with
his long bony finger. He proceeded to tear to
Dieces the arguments of Ashley, which melted
away at his touch like frost before sunbeams.
Every one looked surprised. Anon be came to
the dazzliag wit of the poet lawyer Pike. Then
the curl of his lip grew sharper, his smooth
face began to kindle up and his eyes to open,
dim and dreary no longer, but vivid as lightning,
red as fire globes and glaring as twin meteors
The whole soul was in the eye the full heart
ing an alIusiou to Preniiss, be turned shori
round on the prejursd witnesses Of Hopkins, tore
their testimony into threads, and hurled in theiI
faces such terrible invectiveG that all trembled
ike asieus. and two of them fed from the court
house. The excitement of the crowd was hecom-
ing tremedous Their united life and soul SEEM
ed to hang upon the burning tongue of the stran.
ger and be inspired them with the power of his
passions He seemed TO have stolen natures
long hidden secret of attraction. But bis great
est triumph was to come.
His eyes began to glance at the assassin Hop
kins, as his lean, taper fingers assumed the same
direction He hemIned the wretch within wal
of strong evidence and impregabe argument
cutting off all hope of escape. He dug beneath
the murderer's feet bitches ofdiemmas, and held
ap the sIander to the scorn and contempt OF the
populace Having thus girt him about with a
circle Of FIRE. he stripped himself to the work O
massacre.
Oh then il was vision both glorious and
dreadful to behold the orator. His action be-
came as impetuous as toe motion of an oak in {
hurricane. His voice became trumpet filled
with wild whrlpools, dcafening the e4fs will
crashes of power, and yet intermingled all th'
while with sweet undersong of the softest ca
dence. His forehead glowed lik heated furnac
his counteuance was haggard, like that of ma
mac and ever and anon he flung bis long, bonl
arm on high as ii grasping after thunderbots
lie drew a picture Of murder In such appalling
colors, that, in comparison hell itse might seen
beautiful he painted the slanderer so black tha
ahe sun seemed dark at MONDAY, when shining
on such a monster And then fixing both por
srais on the shrinking Hopkins, fastened then
there forever. The agitation OF the audienc
accounted almost to madness.
All at once the speaker descended from th
periIoas height His voice walled out for th
murdered dead and living-the beautiful Mar,
more beautiful every moment as her tears flowed
faster and faster, till men wept and sobbed lik
children.
He closed by a strange exhortation to the jur!
and through them to the bystanders; he advised
The panel after they should bring in verdic
for the plaintiff not to offer violence to the de
fendant, however richly be might deserve 1t II
'snot to lynch the villain, but TO leave bis pun
;shment With God" This was the most artfu
trick OF all, aud lhe best calculated to insure ven
geauce.
The Jury rendered verdict of fifty thousand
d0Ilars Tue night afierward Hopkins was takel
out OF his bed by lyncheFs and beaten almost 4
death As the court adjourned, the stranger said
John Taylor will preach this evening at earl
candle light
He did preacI, and the house was crowded.
haye listened to Clay, Webster and Calhoun II
Dwight, Bascom and Beecher-bnt never hear
anything in the form Of sublime words even az
proximating to the eloquence OF John Taylor
massive as a mountain, and wildly rushing as
cataract Of FIRE.