The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-02-19

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beauty Twelve months afterwards
he was emplosed'by q wealthy firm
Of the city to 60 on b mission as 4
Hand sgent 70 the West AS a heavy
Esals was offered, Taylor bid fare
F6sII his wifeand infant SON. He
,Rrd oe every week, but received
90 81 answer els hlDntht
elapsed, when be received q letter
from his employers that explained
all. Shortly after his departure for
the west, his wife and her father
went to Mississippi. There she i'm
mediately obtained a divorce, by an
act Of the Legislature, married again
forthwith, and to complete the eli
max of cruelty and wrong, had
the name Of Taylor's son changed
to Marks that Of her second mat.
rimonial partner. This perfdy
nearly drove Taylor insane. His
career from that period became &C.
centric in the first degree. AT last a
fever carried him off at a compara-
tive early age.
AT an early hour on the 9th Of
April, 1910, the ourthouse at Glarks-
vile, Texas, was crowded to over.
flowing. Save in the wartime past,
there had never been witnessed such
a gathering in the Red River coun-
try, while the strong feeling appa-
rent on every flushed face will suai-
ciently explain the matter.
AT the close Of 1889, George Hop
Ekins, one Of the wealthiest planters,
and most influential men in North
ern Texas, offered gross insult to
Mary Elliston, the.y young and beau.
tiful wife Of his chief oyerseer. The
husband threatened to chastise him
for the outrage, vhereupon Hopkins
loaded his .wsnt to Elliston's
house, and shot him in his own door.
The murderer was arrested and bail
| ed to. answer the charge, The occur.
renee produced intense excitement,
and Hopkins, to turn the general
wrath which was at first violent
against him, circulated reports infa
mously prejudicial to the character
of the woman who had suffered such
cruel wrongs at his hands. She
brought her suit for SANDER. And
thus, two cases, one criminal, and
the other civil, and both Of the same
tragedy, were pending in the April
Circuit Court for 1910.
The interest naturally felt by the
community as to the issues, became
far deeper when 1t was known that
Ashley and Pike Of Arkansas, and
the celebrated s. 8. Prentiss, of New
Orleans, each with etlotitlous fees,
had been retained by Hopkins, for
his defense.
The trial on the indictment for
murder, ended on the 9Th Of April,
with the acquittal Of Hopkins
Such d result might have been fore
seen by comparing the talents of the
counsel on either side. The Texas
lawyers we're utterly overwhelmed
by the argument and eloquence Of
their opponents. 1t was a fight of
a dwarf against giants.
The slander suit was set for the
9th, and the throng Of spectators
grew in numbers as well as excite.
ment, and what may seem strange,
the current Of public excitement ran
decided for Hopkins. His money
had purchased pointed witnesses who
served most efficiently his powerful
advocates. Indeed, so Triumphant
had been the success Of the previous
day, that when the SANDER ease was
called, Mary Elliston was left with
out an attorney-they had all with
drawn. The pigmy pettifoggers do
red not brave again the sharp wit of
Pike and the scathing thunder Of
Prentiss.
Have you no counsel2" inquired
Judge Mills, looking kindly ut the
plaintiff.