The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-05-01
A THRILLING DEFENCE.
From Volunteer Counsel.

John Taylor was licensed when a
youth of twenty-one to practice at
the bar. He was poor but well ed
ucated, and possessed extraordinary
genius. He married a beauty who
afterwards deserted him for another.
On the ninth of August. 1841, the
Courthouse of Clarksville, Texas,
was crowded to overhOwing. An ex-
citing case was to be tried. Geo.
Hopkins, wealthy planter, offered
a gross insult to Mary Allison, the
young and beautiful wife of his over
seer. The husband threatened to
chastise him for the outrage, when
Hopkins went to Allisen's house and
shot him in the door. The murderer
was arrested and baiIed to answer
the charge. The occurrence pro-
duced great excitement, and Mr..
Hopkins, in order to turn the tide Of
popular indignation, had circulated
reports about her character, and she
sued him for SANDER. Both suits
were pending-for murder and for
slander.
The interest became deeper when
it was known that Ashley, and Pike,
of Arkansas. and S. S. Prentiss, or
New Orleans, by enormous fees. had
been retained to defend Hopkins
Hopkins was acquitted. The Tex.
an lawyers were overwhelmed by
their opponents. 1t was a fight of
dwarfs against giants.
The SANDER suit was ready for
trial, and the thrOng Of spectators
grew in number, as in excitement.
Public opinion was setting in for
Hopkins; his money had procured
witnesses who served his powerful
advocates. When the slander case
came up it was left without an attor-
ney-all had withdrawn. m
Have you no connsel?' inquired
Judge Mills, kindly, of the plaintiff.
" No. sir; they have all deserted me,
and am too poor to employ any
more" replied the beautiful Mary,
bursting into tears. In such
case, will not some chivalrous mem
ber of the profession volunteer?"
said the Judge, glanoing around the
bar. The thirty odd lawyers were
silent. 6 | will, your henor,' said
voice from the crowd 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. 1t is immateriaI," an
swered the stranger, his thin, blood
less lips curling UP with a sneer.
" Here is my license from the high
est tribunal in America and he
handed the Judge broad parch-
ment. The trial went on. He suf-
fered 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 before sunbeam.
Every one looked surprised. Anon
he came to the dazzling wit of the
poet-lawyer, Pike. Then the carl of
his lip grew sharper, his smooth face
began to kindle up. 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 his eyes; the full heart
streamed out of his face. Then, with.
out any illusions to Prentiss, he
turned short round on the peJured
witnesses Of Hopkins, tore their tes-
timeny into shreds, and hurled into
their faces such terrible iayectives
hai als-srenblea like aspens, and
Two nf them fed from the court house.
The excitement Of the crowd was
The united life-soul |
seemed to hang upon the burning !
Tongue Of the stranger. and he in
spired them with the power ef pas
sion.s He seemed tos have atolen ma
lures long. hidden secret or attrac-
Jon. But his greatest triumph was
10 come.
His eyes began to glance at the
assassin. Hopkins. al his lean taper
lngers assumed the same direction.
He enclosed The wrelch within / wall |
of strong evidence and Iunregnable
saa saea EasaS