The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-10-06
A REMARKABLE MAN.
The Consort of q Famous Female Liti-
gant---Ex-Judge Terrys Career.

David S. Terry was native of
the South, and early became an or
phan. He went to Texas while still
a young man and joined in the war
of that state for independence from
Mexico. He afterward read law
and was admitted to the bar. He
went to California during the gold
days and plunged into politics al
most before he knew the names of
the counties. He was elected Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court of
California at the age of 33. His
place was no sinecure. He was op-
posed to the Vigilantes, who prac-
tically ruled the state at that time,
and was active in seeking their
downfall. In August, 1855, Terry
stabbed Sterling A. Hopkins, one
of the Vigilantes, in resisting the
illegal arrest of Reuben Maloney.
The Vigilantes became greatly in
censed. They arrested Terry and
kept him in close confinement until
September. Everybody anticipated
that he would be hanged. His dis
charge was offered him if he would
resign his place, but he defed the
Vigilantes, despite the entreaties of
his wife, and issued an address to
the people Of California, in which
he declared that he would never
leave his prison alive except in the
place to which they had elected him.
David C. Broderick was Terry's
equal in courage, and surpassed him
in the knowledge of political man
euvering. He was native of Wash
ington. His father, an lrishman,
was stone cutter, and had several
contracts for work on the Capitol.
He moved to New York and settled
in the Ninth Ward, where he died
shortly afterward. Young Broder-
ick was bound an apprentice to a
skillful stone cutter, and served his
time faithfully. Ever afterward he
was known to his associates as the
stone cutter. He became the fore
man of Howard Fire Engine Com
pany No. "a, and acquired great
political influence in the Ninth
Ward. He secured control of the
softest berths in the Custom House
under President Tyler in 1886, and
in the same year he was nominated
by Tammany Hall for Congress
from the fifth district. He seemed
to be sure of victory over his Whig
opponent, F. A. Talmadge, but
some of his enemies put up an in
dependent candidate and gave the
victory to Talmadge by a few votes.
In 1849, disguised with his loss of
political power, he went to Califor-
MIA. He was then 80 years old.
He was cool, shrewd and full of
dash. He went into the gold smelt-
ing and assaying business, but that
was mere incident. His whole
life was bound up in politics, and
he was in the swim as soon as the
convention to form a constitution
was assembled. To this convention
he was delegate. He became Pres
ident of the State Senate, and was
for time acting Governor. He
wanted to 60 to the United States
Senate, and in 1853 he advanced
the novel idea that State Legisla-
ture could elect United States Sen
ators in advance of the vacancies
they were to fill. He had control
of the legislature at that time, and
if his friends had agreed with him
he might have been elected then.
AS it was, his ambition produced a
bitter strife between his friends and
the opponents of his plan, which
resulted in many fights and much
bitterness. His most implacable
enemy was the acting United States
Senator, DR.. Gwin. They hated
each other cordially.
In 1856 Broderick was elected
United States Senator for six years.
He had gained absolute control OF
the State Senate, and it was in his
power to name his associate. To
the surprise of every one his choice
fell upon his enemy, DR.. Gwin. La
ter it was seen that he had coldly
calculated bit of choice revenge.
He allowed Gwin to succeed him.
self only upon the distinct under
standing that he was to relinquish
all Federal patronage in his { Brod-
erick's) favor. Gwin was induced
to write letter pledgiEg himself to
observe this condition, and Brod-
erick, in great glee, had it published.
Gwin turned the tables on Brod-
erick when the latter turned on the
Administration in 1853 on the ques-
ton of admitting Kansas as free
or slave State, and declared himself
a supporter of Stephen A. Douglas.
The greater part Of the democratic
party in California was opposed to
Broderick's action, although his
personal following was not impair
ed. When he went to Washington
he was disguised to find that Gwin
was the favorite of the Administra-
ton, while he received nothing but
cold looks and scant courtesy: Inc