New-York tribune., 1894-04-14

made fortune as Editor Of The Evangelist" Da-
via Dudley Field received the name OF his father.
who at the time of his sons birth, on February l3
1905, was the pastor Of church in Haddam. Conn.
His ancestor Xachariah Field. who came to New
England in 1880 was the grandson OF the English
astronomer John Field, and the family line has
been traced back in England to the time Of the Nor
man Conquest.
His early education obtained from his father.
who taught him Latin. Greek and mathematics
when only nine years old. At the age Of fourteen
the removal OF his father to stockbridge. Mass.
afforded him opportunity for study in an excel
lent academy under Jared Curtis. Here he fitted Tor
college in company with Mark and Albert Hopkins.
afterward president and professor Of astronomy
Williams College and with John Morgan who be-
came a professor at Oberlin. Dudley Field
graduated at Williams In 1926 and went to Albany
to study law. After remaining for few months in
the Office Of Harmanus Beecker. OF Albany. he re-
moved to NewYork. and completed his studies in
the Office Of Henry and Robert Sedgwick who were
originally from Stockbrldge. When the elder broth
Henry. obliged by ill-heath to retire from
active practice. the younger Robert took MIR Field
into partnership. thus giving him at the outset the
advantages OF an established business. The date OF
Mr Fields admission attorney and solicitor was
1888. and counsellor. 1880
The first few years of his practice busy ones.
In 1896 after tho death Of his first wife. he went
abroad contributing series Of articles called
| Sketches over the Sea to The democratic Re
view While abroad he examined with some care
the English courts and civil law and the French
codes. on his return he was impressed more than
ever with the extremely technical character Of the
system OF practice at common law and In equity as
then established In the courts Of New York. This
was the beginning OF the chief work Of his life Ills
/ views were strengthened by the opinion of Henry
Sedewick. who had first practsed law IN Mass'-
chusctis and by the study cf Livingstone Report
of a code for Louisiana. and sampsons discourseS
or THE History and Nature Of the Common Law
BEGINNING HIS GREAT WORK
Mr.. Fields first movement toward securing an
! IMPROVEMENT Of the system OF procedure in the
courts was a letter TO Gulian {. NerpIhncK' pun
nshed in 1899 on The Reform Of our Judicial sys-
tenn After this he went 10 Albany ana ad1r'sS''
a committee of the Legislature on the subject. In
/ November 1871 he obtained a Democratic nomna-
tioa for the Assembly for the purpose oi introduc
ing law reform measures into the Legislature. lie.
| ing defeated. however he prepared the dIai'S oi
three bills which introduced but neither rec
om,n,nded by the judiciary Committee nor aHop'el
bv IN. Assembly Previous to the meeting OF the
Constitutional Convention pursuant to an act "i the
Legislature of 1915. Mr. Field published IN Inc
Evening Post" series OF articles on The Heo'
ganizatDn Of the judiciary" which were eo'''' '
. in a pamphlet and widely circulated.
Nj Fad was unable to obtain the Democ'""o
nomination for a seat In this conveption on account
OF his hosni;y to the annexation y Texas ana the
extension n slavery But ne eXerted what lhhu'hee
he could j. favor Of law reform by .Ie.o,n.s, ' Wv
ne rr1nVenton and adopted at the general election
contained two law-reforming provisions ns-ohe a''i's
nr,,e al In 1anYaTy 1871 before the Legislature
;ook acton. hr. Fled pubitnrt t.,ict m't Of ibc
4 What Snail BE Done "lin we i'a,,''rriri -, he
Courts" whlc fo.lowsi b{ me,n3riGi Je5 90 hy
6fiy LAWYERS " this city. The mcmoraists re-
qucstcd that the act appointing i,,n -
declare their iuy ITO provide foT me apo'l''o "
tb nresert forms Of action and peadlngs IN cas'S
at common law. and for UNIFORM ''u''e - ''
This memorial vas introduced as section IN IN, ine
pending bn Mesrs. lo'mis HrHNfan I'M am 'nosgeI
Svrn s Is47 In september Mr.. Fled wa apponic1
IN ni' plsce Of Mr HI who resigned. In FeDruai y
Which wss enacted April ani f2gr 5 GcIen5 ton Te
ports followed until January i>,n ,ra "nGn Co'r com.
Tletel codes Of civil and crimiaa procedure ws,f
sGSmile'L @asne Lord proaSm Ensaqa ana aa.i, ssns
warmly received by tie Law ,s h nnb.6cI y
artlc;cs in the Eyening POST on THE co"p'e"on
Of the Code
PRAISED Is ENGLAND.
The following Summer travelled On the Conu-
non, and in Egypt and P,esne WhUe in London
dt,nor ,y,s given TO him by the Law Amendment
soc4tv At this Robert Lore. afterwari I.ord SheT-
hro,kc said: "Mr Fled has provided a cheap ana
satisfactory code Of law foreyery colony tha pears
the English name and has .emovcd the apsurd'"'S
and technicallt!es under whfh Nrwi baa go long
mon with this country ana Tie coioh''S' ""' ~ ''
eroaned." ,o.o -. t,,o,I encountered
ie,,t,ua1 hostility TO the ode. For nearly hve
years he strove by ihe pghcaion Of a. sergs
10 the Legislature 10 secure ae completion OF tn g
GOA =" ' Jint arier the code Commission: which h'l
the whole body OF substantive NV III 'mni5 in lS0
| dawn and the law creating II vas rrp'hien ~ ~ -
no further legislative acton W. Mss Fied
Novcs and Bradford commissionis ia 90 ~
The law Of his state, excepting such Iore9hp6 e 81 az
ready reported upon ~ f @oy.s nr5sTd an analysis
tor Nc penal code and Mr. Fiel' The anaysiS M ol
ss,ei s Wr Flcid upon the Politlca Code the iirSl &
draft Of which was sent out IN Ma,h h ass in
AprI 1860 The ninth and ilnal rep,Tl OF 'he Oo'"-
nissoners made in Feor1aaY rsl1 ep occupied
large portion q his thought ana ne b e Gp eHcept
Years from is to ISL he bol Grf only reved no %
sation Iog but pail 5000 for ASSISTANCE iEhe E
codes were rewritten several timrs paris o oossorI %
oiNH Win many well-known men In tis labor nv h
Win him il was the ambition o, MS ilis anu nrv he
,,ndI, took the brunt Of the work rsihs EAR y,
{atS NV VT horseback ride before breakfast ana theh
snent some hours in his library upon ne cTuEs rs he
fore gongr rten 1 Until after midnight ~ met WIN
much Opposition but the codes maj ,Ia prn,ed,,re wal
naon,ed by twcnty-fou and that Of Crmina1 r[%
cedpre by eighteen states and TerTitor Ted f. meet
IN 10 ana D io0 England and explain the methods
and extent OF codlhcation In New-iorh
CODE OF INTERNATIONAL ~AW
NJ E,e,d now turned his attention to'a Code o'
International Law At meeting oi t'e na,a IN
Association for the Promotion OF Sclehe' "e'u
Manchester in September, 1856 he prousi' ~. ~, =.
,ect before that body in an address IN wiz"
s,yos.,ed the appointment Of committee 10 pr,
anS report the outlines Of an InsTnatTTInsd I TIad
PARE a"a William Beach Lawrence and MI
the Xmercsn s %.mssTs brn o 0ounss tRrs % OF an
ternntionai M tio codc which was pusissssd s,de f. p
assisted by Austin A,o.,a Ao,o.,a a. cournaa college