Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-08-28
An Eloquent Temperance Lecture.

SoME sixty wears ago there was born IN
one of the midland counties of England
one William Hops, who, when about
twenty wears of age, came to this country
and settled in Vermont He possessed a
nowerfu] frame and an indomitable will,
and amassed a considerable sum OF
money, while cultivating small farm IN
a comparatively sterile country. Hints
were sometimes thrown out that ne oD-
tanned his money not SO much from agrl
culture as from smuggling goods over the
border from Canada After time ne
concluded to come West, and bought a
farm near Wheeling, in Cook County,
where he settled with his wife and family
more than thirty years ago. Every thlng
he touched seemed to prosper, his farm OF
three hundred acres was one OF the best In
Cook County he built upon 1t splendid
mansion, entirely of pressed brick, ana
for years everything was lovely. with
the increase of his wealth his family also
increased, until, in 1868, he had thirteen
children, all living. Hops had, however
become an inveterate topper, and in conse-
ouence, family troubles frequently arose.
In the month Of June OF that year, the
whole community was startled with the
news that William Hops had murdered
his wife The news proved true. While
under the influence Of liquor, he disem::
boweled her An inquest was held, and
he was found guilty and committed to
take his trial. He had no sooner been
safely lodged in the Jail of Cook County
than he inquired for the lawyers who had
defended Jumpertz, and soon after Col.
John Van Arman and Mr. +. w.
McComas became his counsel by the
time the trial was reached, Col. Van
Arman had left, with his regiment, for
the seat of war, and his place was filled
by Mr.. Writ Dexter, who put in a plea OF
emotional insanity. The case was tried
before the Hon. George Manierre, then
Circuit Judge, and the prosecution was
conducted by the Hon. Joseph Knox,
State Attorney, assisted by the Hon.
w. X. MacAlister After twelve days
trial, the jury, on the 31st of December,
1868, brought i'm verdict OF guilty,
and William Hops was sentenced to
death.
On the application Of his attorneys, a
supersedeas was obtained from the
Supreme Court, and, on appeal, that
Court reversed and remanded the case,
] 500, however, that the new trial took
place, his counsel evidently considering
that the fact of his having been long
time in jail would have good effect
with jury. AT last the trial came OF,
and he was aquitted, and again walked
the earth a free man. He went back to
his old neighborhood and commenced
work but no one would have anything to
do with him-even his own children re-
fused to see him, and he felt that he was
truly and utterly alone in the world. His
farm had been mortaged to pay the ex-
penses of his defense, and was at length
sold for $4,000. OF this sum, $40, 500
went to his counsel for their own and the
court fees, and s., 500was left to him. This
quickly disappeared in the maelstrom OF
whiskey; and then, as If good fortune
and kind Providence were always help
ing him with golden opportunities to do
well, legacy of $500 came to him from
England. AT last this all disappeared,
and William Hops, upon whom bright
hopes had SO often dawned-William
Hops the whiskey- drinker and wife
not place to lay his
head; not friend in all the world; not
child who did not revolt from contact or
with him. Alone, and an
outcast, his misery and destitution at
last caused him to ask for admittance III
to the Cook County PoOr-House, at
Jefferson, and few days ago he became
an inmate in what will probably be his
last home on earth, and when he dies,
instead of leaving a magnificent inheri-
lance to his children, and having a
splendid monument erected to his men,
DRY, he will descend to the grave union
ored, if not unsung.-Chicaqo Tribune.