Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-20
TERRy's POLITICAL FRIENDS.
Phases OF California Politics brought
Out by the Lathrop Tragedy.

A San Francisco special to the Philadelphis
fress says an effort 10 being made 10 charge
PohacA dissension with the fatal result OF the
meeuns OF Justice Field and sx-Judge Terry
~ As'nrop. III 10 true that Terry represented
~iseuoa Oh the democratic party, now domi-
nAn' IN TINS state. which has for . number Of
past oeen hostile 10 another faction OF
which Justice Field IL popularity conceived 10
be the head. But while there ar. txro ,.c,,on.
OF the democracy here, and while Justice FIELD
Is undoubtedly in sympathy with one OF them
and Terry was as truly representative OF th.
other, IL 10 easily demonstrate that politic.
had nothing TO do, near or remote with the
AFFAIR at Jathrop.
The fatal enrnity Of Terry 10 Justice field
grew out OF the latter's Judicial act
In side issue OF Sarah Althea Hnrs
divorce proceedings against ex-senator
state courts for q divorce, predicating
her claim TO be Sharops wife upon q certain
written document purporting TO be contract OF
marriage between the two. Senator Sharon
disputed the genuineness Of the document, al
leging that il was q forgery, or rather that the
body OF the document had been written with
out authority over signature he had carele ssly
written on sheet OF blank paper and left ly-
ing upon his desk, where sarah Althea stealth
lily obtained il.
| DECIDED IN sHARoS's Favor.
In this view OF the case sharon applied 10 the
federal courts, as 9 citizen Of the state OF Ne
vada, for an order for the production OF this
alleged forged document and its destruction.
| Ihe federal court at nisi prius decided in
| sharons favor, ordering the surrender OF the
| alleged contract From this decision Sarah
Althea appealed to the United States circuit
| court, where a hearing was had before a full
bench, Judge Field sitting as chief or presiding
| Judge. IL was while reading the opinion in
| TINS appeal that the fragrant contempt of court
| was committed by Sarah Althea and her hus-
pand, Dave Terry, which led 10 their commit
ment to prison and consequent bitter hostility,
| terminating IN the assault at Lathrop on JUS
nce Field and fatal shooting OF Terry
| but the Terry faction. now eager 20 ward OF
| some OF the odium Of that assault and 70 put
| the Justice On the defensive. are industriously
| revlvlng the history Of the anti-monopoly fight
| In this state; OF the famous special session of
the legislature of 1854; Of the Stock ton conyen-
non which followed Il, and to show that Justice
| fleld was an aggressor in the angry party alter
! cations OF that period. IL is not necessary to
| go into general history Of the party discord,
dating from the adoption OF the new constitu-
ton, which led up TO these controversies, in
| order to reach full understanding OF the sit
| uatlon. But IL is true that Justice Field was in
| fuu sympathy with that wing of the party
| which commended for the natural and legal
rights OF corporations. At the special session
| OF the legislature. called after the adoption of
1
| the other wing of the party TO pass a number
| OF bills purposely designed TO clinch the cor
porations and especially the railroad COM
panies.
THE ALLEGED fIELD CANDIDACY.
Under the adroit management of Lieut..
Gov. Daggett, democrat, assisted by e1-
Lieut. Gov. James A. johnson Of the
Aka- Itornidn, John p. Irish and other demo-
| Gratis OF national reputation. all this clinching
| Legislation was defeated and the session closed
without having accomplished anything Pend
| ing the session il had been represented that
| Justice Field was q candidate for nomination
for the presidency and the anti-monopolists
| urged that he was the candidate for the cor
poratons. To this the justice replied by an
open letter, printed in all the leading papers
OF TIE state, denying that he was q candidate
and instructing his friends not to use his name
| in that connection.
Immediately after the adjournment OF the
| special session of the legislature the demo-
cratic state convention was called 10 meet at
| stockton The snti-Field faction made a
desperate effort to secure control of that con-
yention, and succeeded by other than honora-
| BILE means. Delegates who were elected on
| profession Of their hostility to the commun-
| istic ideas proclaimed by the anti-monopolists.
| and who claimed 10 be adherents Of the So
called Field faction, turned up in the conven-
| uon as most blatant snti-monopolists.
SAND LOT POLITICIANS
The state committee. composed Of men who
only four years previously had urged Fields
nomination upon the Cincinnati convention,
was now unanimously hostile to him and ex-
| erted Its utmost influence 10 oppose any mani
festation IN his favor, or in favor OF the idea
| represented The entire convention was but an
| embodiment of the vagaries and inconsistent
| cles OF Dennis kearney and the sand-lot poll
ticians. Ii was a convention with which no
reputable democrat would care TO have his
name associated. Every candidate for presi-
dental elector was required to appear upon the
platform and foreswear his adherence 10 Justice
Field and the principles he represented before
he was permitted to be voted for.
| James A. johnson, then the editor OF the
Ala Cal to1Tadn, the representative OF the So
called Field faction, was in Stockton during
/ the session of the convention, though at no
| time upon the floor or near the hall where the
convention met Ii is now alleged by the few
| people who are bold enough TO appear as
| friends and apologists for Terry, who was then
the moving spirit of the anti-monopolists. that
Justice Field, who was then in Washington,
| wrote to friend of Porter Ashe, one of the
| Terry faction, urging him 10 his influence
70 induce Ashe to secure Terry's support Of
Field in that convention.
The absurdity Of this claim il apparent from
the fact that months before. during the session
OF the legislature, Justice Fields letters declin-
ing to be presidential candidate had been gen.
orally printed throughout the state.
1t need only be added that while four years
previously the state had gone democratic, repu-
ulhtiuB Only JuoSe Jerry as a presidential
elector, and two years previously had elected
| democratic governor and legislature, because
OF this insane fight against Justice Field the
| state turned over TO the republicans that year,
| giving them the legislature, though barely
| saving the governor, who soon afterward died
| leaving the Office to the Lieutenant governor,
who was a republican.
The story is now put afoat that the Alta was
| secured as an organ Of the Field interest after
| the Stockton convention. The paper was then
owned in the same interests now, only that
James A johnson has been succeeded as editor
by John p. Irish. Neither Justice Field nor
Frank Newlands, Senator Sharon's son-in-law,
| are now or ever have been stockholders in the
Alta nor does the Central Pacific railroad COM
pany own any stock in il. These denials are
only called for by the frantic effort being made
by the sand lots crowd to convert the Terry as
! sault into something more digniied than any
attempt to involve distinguished justice OF
the United States Supreme Court in q personal
recontre.
Boycotting a Postmaster.
The Postmaster General, when he appointed
. man for postmaster at Fleetwood, Berks