The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-08-24


sARAB ALTHEA HILL SENATOR SHARON.
pRAMATIs PERSONA.
brick in the sloop's hold. One Of the men
who was instrumental in having the arms
shipped was DR.. ShirtlifY, who was a friend
Of Judge Terry, and whom the committee
promptly decided to arrest Judge Terry, in
order to prevent this, Immediately left his
seat on the supreme bench and proceeded to
San Francisco There DR.. ShirtlitP and
Terry were found in a lawyers Office by a
part of the committee, headed by one Hop
kins, who demanded Shirtlitf's surrender.
Both men gave up their firearms, and then
Terry, without warning, plunged knife into
Hopkins neck The two men, Terry and
ShirtliG, then escaped to neighboring ar
mory, but eventually, however, they gave
themselves up
time, but he finally escaped, owing much, it
is said, to the efforts Of David c. Broderick,
whom he afterwards shot in the duel which
is SO historically notorious, and who de-
cared that he paid newspaper $500
week to help Terry out Of his scrape IL
was at this juncture that the hatred which
Terry carried in his heart toward Senator
Sharon was first conceived. Sharon was
member OF the vigilance committee and
man of great influence with his constituents.
Terry in the hour of his need appealed to
sharon for aid, but was refused. Terry
never forgave him. His enmity to Broderick
is Of later date and belongs 10 the political
controversy which followed, and in which
the two men we're opposed to each other.
David Colbreth Broderick was born in
Washington in 1890. He removed to New
York when boy and received a public
school education there. His father was q
stone cutter and he served his apprenticeship
at the same trade. Later on he acquired
considerable political influence in New York,
but he was defeated for congress in l846, and
then determined to 60 west, where he at once
plunged into the political pot. In lS49 he
was elected member Of the California con-
stitutional convention, in 1850 and again in
1851 he was elected to the state senate, and in
the latter year he became presiding officer OF
that body II was ut this point that the
breach between Frederick and Terry began
TO widen Frederick was the leader Of the
Free Soil wing Of the Democratic party,
while William NJ. Gwinn and Terry were
leaders Of the Pro-Slavery party In 1856
Broderick was elected to the United States
senate, and at the same time he gained con
troll Of the state legislature.
Another vacancy in the United States sem
ate occurred little later Frederick had
Gwinn elected, first, however, requiring him
| to write letter renouncing all federal
patronage, which was afterwards published
and became known as the scarlet letter. Dur
| ing the campaign of 1859 the breach between
Broderick and Terry widened, until Broder-
lex went so far as TO make few remarks
which were overheard by a friend Of Terrys
and were promptly taken up Terry chal-
lcnged Broderick to mortal combat The
luel was fought on Sept H. 1859, and re-
suited in the death of Broderick. Nothing
was done TO Terry. He joined the Confederate
forces during the war, and afterwards went
back TO California, where he was elected to
| the legislature and grew rich. His political
career, however, was practically over. He
lived comparatively peaceful life attracting
but little attention 10 himself until Sarah
Althea Hill began her celebrated divorce suit
against Senator Sharon.
Sarah Althea Hill was and is in all re-
,pects a remarkable creature. She was born
| In Cape Girardeau, Mo-, in 1850, and came Of
good stock, numbering among her relatives
some OF the best families in the state. She
was beautiful, dashing. and many were her
,onQuests over her numerous admirers Al
though she was known a coquctte and in.
,lined to be fast, no breath Of scandal had