The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-01-08

A Characteristic Scene in . Texas
Law Court
A late issue Of Forneyis Sunday
Chronicle contained q sketch of court
scene in Texas dated as far back as
l84l, which, under different captions
and variety Of metamorPhoses. has
done duty for many q hard pressed
editor during all these years. As the
name of Albert Pike was mixed up in
it, and as that historic character is still
moving around in our lively midst, as
nimble of brain, and fertile Of execu-
ton as the best Of Us. it occurred to
the Post that the best time to vindicaie
the truth Of history was the present.
A reporter Of the POst accordingly
clipped from the Chronicle the article
as it last appeared and which We here
present:
On the 9th of August. 1871, the
courthouse at GAINESVILLE. Texas, was
crowded to overlooking. An exciting
case was to be tried. George Hopkins.
q wealthy planter. offered a gross in
suit to Mary Allison. the young and
beautiful wife of his Overseer. The
husband threatened to chastise him for
the outrage, when Hopkins went to
Allison's house and shot him in the
door. The murderer Was arrested and
hailed to answer the charge. The
occurrence produced great excitement.
and Mr.. Hopkins. in order tn turn the
tide Of popular indignation. had circu.
lated reports about her character and
she sued him for Islander. b h suits
were pending-for murder and for
Islander.
The interest became deeper when it
was known that Ashly 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 were overwhelmed by their
opponents. 1t was q fight Of dwarfs
against giants.
The SANDER suit was ready for trial.
and the throng Of spectators grew in
number, ~ in excitement. Public
opinion was setting in for Hopkins :
his money had procured witnesses
who served his powerful advocates.
When the SANDER case came up. il
was left without an attorney-all had
withdrawn.
Have you no COUNSEL" inquired
Judge Mills kindly Of the plaintiff.
"No. sir, they have all deserted me.
and I am too poor to employ any
MORE" replied the beautiful Mary,
bursting into tears.
"In such q case will not some
chivalrous member Of the profession
volunt. err" said the judge, CHANGING
around the bar.
The thirty old lawyers were silent.
IL will. your honor" said voice
from behind the bar. His clothes
looked SO shabby that the court
hesitated to let the case proceed under
his management.
HAS your name been entered on
the rolls of the state :" demanded the
Judge.
ut is immateriaI," answered the
stranger. his thin, bloodless lips curl
ling with q sneer. "Here is my
license from the highest tribunal in
America" and he handed the judge q
broad parchment.
The trial went on He snHArad The
witnesses to tell their own story. and
allowed the defence to lead off, Ashley
spoke first. followed by Pike and
Prentiss. The latter brought down
the house in cheers, in which the jury
joined.
1t was now the strangers turn. He
rose before the bar. not behind it, and
so near the wondering jury that he
could touch the foreman with his long.
bony finger. He proceeded to tear to
pieces the arguments Of Ashley. which
melted away at his touch like frost be
fore q sunbeam. Everyone looked
surprised. Anon he came to the
dazzling VT Of the poet-lawyer. Pike.
Then the curl of his lip grew sharper
his smooth face began to kindle up,
his eyes to open, dim and dreary nc
longer, but vivid as lightning. red a
fire globes, and glaring as twin me
teors. The whole soul was in his eyes,
the full heart screamed out OF hi:
face. Then, without any allusion 3:
Prentiss. he turned short round on the
peuured witnesses Of Hopkins. tore
their testimony into shreds, and hurried
into their faces such terrible invectives
that all trembled like aspens. and two
of them fled from the courthouse.
The excitement Of the crowd Va.
becoming tremendous. Their united
life-soul seemed to hang upon the
burning tongue Of the stranger, and
he inspired them with the power oi
passion. He seemed tn have stolen
natures long.hidden secret of attrac
ton. But his greatest triumph VA
to come.
! His eyes began to glance at the
assassin, Hopkins. and his lean taper
fingers. assumed the same direction.
He enclosed the wretch within q wal
Of strong evidence and impregnabls
argument, cutting ofi all hope foI
escape. He dug beneath the murder.
er's feet bitches Of dllemmas. and held
up the slanderer to the scorn and CON
tempt Of the populace. Having thus