Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-26
He Says He Can Prove His Character BY
Judges Sabin and Beatty,

He Says He Can Prove His Character BY
Judges Sabin and Beatty.
SAN FRANCISCO, August 25th-In an in
terview with reporter Marshal Nagle re-
ferred to certain articles which have been
published in recent issue of sensational
journal. He denounced them as mean,
untrue, malicious, and altogether vicious
and misleading.
II deny" said he, "that any act that 1
have ever been engaged in has been under
ever been the cowardly blackguard that
the paper in question has tried to make me
out. l am not gambler, and l defy any
one TO prove that l am a thief. | have
lived hard life on the frontier. and from
the nature OF my occupation have been
compelled to be engaged in desperate en-
counters and precarious pursuits but no
man can ever say that took an unfair ad-
vantage of an opponent, or struck at him
when he was down.
I'm my career at Phoebe, Piamenta, Tue
son, Tombstone and other frontier towns,
have followed my occupation as legiti-
mately as any officer of the law could do.
can satisfy any man, who is at all dis
posed to be fair, that this is the truth.
will not go to such persons as that paper
duOtCo Al 1CiCI CDSO W MY CudTdCIeT.
Il will produce such men as Justice
Beatty of the Supreme Court of California
Senator Stewart and other men of equal
standing to prove the lie to such state
ments as that paper has published about
me. The characters who are quoted as
authority for these assaults upon me have
suffered at my hands as an officer of the
law and are now taking the mean revenge
of their class. My time will come, and /
know that l shall be completely yindi.
Gated of all such aspersions."
Nagles manner was impressive and
earnest while delivering these sentences
and they proved him to be no mean orator.
The reporter asked him whether it would
have been possible for Mrs. Terry, during
the time she was PROSTATE over the body OF
her husband, to have secured any weapons
that may have been concealed about his
person.
"Do you think Terry was a man to at
tack another without a weapon to defend
himself? | know | should have been cut
to pieces if did not shoot as l did" was
the reply
Nagle also gave brief description of the
shooting, which was graphic in the ex-
treme. Said he:
II saw Terry approach Judge Field and
also the blow with which the Judge was
struck. | arose to my feet instantly and
said to Terry: Stop that; am an officer
| never shall forget his expression as he
looked at me. His eyes were filled with
hate and defiance, and as he drew back
noticed that his teeth were set and he
seemed to growl and draw in his breath
like an infuriated beast l saw his hand
brought back as if he was about to draw
something from his breast, and knew then
that | must either kill him or be cut to
pieces. The next instant Terry was upon
the foor''
Since Nagle has sprung into such re-
markable prominence by his exploit as the
defender of Justice Field, he has been in
receipt of great number of letters from
men of prominence throughout the United
States. As is to be expected, they COM
mend his act without qualification. They
are mostly from lawyers, and many of them
contain suggestions for his defense. The
copy herewith is sample of the tone and
character of the most of them. The one
given is from recognized leader of the
New York bar:
NEW YORK CITY, August l6, 1882
Deputy United States Marshal Stockton. CdL-
MY DEAR SIR have just written to my friend
Hon. stephen ]. Field congratulating him on
his escape with his life, due to good provi-
dence ana through your instrumentality 1t
was wise act of Attorney-General Miller to
provide for the protection of Justice Field by
the appointment OF an otbcer of the Govern
ment to accompany him. and the selection of
you for that trust was fortunate.
Terry and his companion contemplated the
assassination of Justice Field no doubt, and
your prompt action was the saving of his life
IL was. good shot, officer, and the feeling in
the East is that you ought TO be pensioned for
gailantry. and we would like to subscribe to a
fund for that purpose
Judge Field, with all his other great and good
qualities, is a kind-heaIted, charitable and for
giving man. he was too lenient in dealing
with the assassin, Terry, long ago. It is better
now, perhaps. that he acted as he did, ignoring
himself ana simply protecting the dignity of the
nigh Court over which he presided Yours
truly. CHAUNCEY b. RIPLEY.
The other letter is from almost equally
high authority, and indicates the technical
interest in the case manifested by lawyers
who are eminent in their profession.