The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-04-14
A DISTINGUISHED CAREER
He Had Been Known Throughout the
Nation for Over Thirty Years.

He Had Been Known Throughout the
Nation for Over Thirty Years.
A mind that began to take In lasting
impressions amid the cannon thunders Of
the last war with Britain and Of Napo-
Icons Waterloo campaign and retained a
marvellous activity for more than four
score years went ont with the death of
David Dudley Field. 1t Is only six years
ago that Mr.. Field, long past the octo-
genaran mile post. grappled pompous
looking young swell who had brutally as
sailed a newsboy on the street and shook
him as Il terrier would rat "Iou are a
disgrace TO humanity" " said he as he set
the astonished dude on his feet. ''Old as
am can thrash you"
Mr. Field comes from a family noted
for its yigor. His profession was conduc-
i've to long life. und this is period noted
for busy octogenariaus Nevertheless a
working lawyer on the verge of 90 has to
be accounted for on other general nrinci-
pies lie was born at Haddam, Conn, a
town at the foot of the Berkshire hills. in
1906. He was the oldest OF ten children,
and the most noted of four famous Field
brothers.
David Dudley attended Williams college
from his 18th to his 2gt year and then
began to study law at Albany. He was
admitted TO the New York city bar in 1925
New York had just cast Off the institu-
tion of slavery and became favorable
refuge for runaway negroes from the
Eouth. The runaway slave code was then
In force, and Mr. Field first attracted at
tention In defending negro against the
operation of that law. The practice which
gave him his great fame, however, did not
begin until the civil war period, when he
was co years Old.
At the close Of the war three Indian
fans, Bowles, Nilllgan and Horsey, were
serving life sentences for conspiracy to set
free the Confederate prisoners at Indian.
apolis, and otherwise hinder the prosecu-
ton OF the war They had been tried by
q military commission in a state where or
dinary courts were open and war did not
prevail Mr. Field argued that military
commissions were illegal under the cir
cumstanees, and the United States su-
preme court ordered the men released
Afterward Mr.. Field was counsel for the
shareholders who oustcd Fiske and Gould
from the Erie railway. He also acted for
the New York police in their controversy
with Mayor Fernando Wood, which nearly
resulted in a local war. lie appeared in
the case of the state of Georgia against
Grant and other generals.
Mr.. Fields highest fame will rest upon
his labers IN the science OF Jurisprudence
While young man he began to write
upon the necessity for reform and reor
ganization in the prevailing codes. He
continu ed the agitation from 1899 to 1871
He was appointed state commissioner on
practice and pleading IN the Inter year
and performed the chief part Of the work
In preparing code Of procedure which
was used for twenty years. His penal
code was also adopted and is now in force
His civil code, which attempts to codify
the common law, he considered Ills great
est monument, 1t twice passed the legie
latnre, but was vetoed.
Mr.. Field retained In his advanced age
a stalwart, upright form. He attributed
his yignr to the habit of horseback riding,
which he kept up for forty years He
arose al 8 O'Clock in the morning, and
after bath passed an kogr in the saddle.
He walked four miles TO and FROM the Of
flee, had an after dinner nap, and slept
seven to eight hours This practice, added
to temperance, chccrfulness and way Of
always looking on the bright side Of
things, he thought, maintained his re
markablc health aud vigor.