Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-04-21
DAVID DUDLEY FIELD.

had expected to spend his summer
among the Berkshire hills, where he
was born. He was engaged in
writing his autobiography. Only last
Wednesday he remarked: 'My one
great ambition is to have my codes
adopted all over the world. They are
written and published. 1t is only
question of time when they will be ac-
cepted."
Mr. Fields estate is valued at be-
tween s5OO,OOO and $1,000, 900. The
property is unimcumbere Mr.. Henry
M. Field, his brother, said that the
bulk of his estate will be held in trust
come of age.
When the news of Mr.. Fields death
became known Mayor Gilroy ordered
the flags on the city hall displayed at
half mast, and the flag over the Law
yer's club in the Equitable building
was also lowered Judge Prior, sitting
in part of the court of common pleas,
Judge Bookstaver, holding a special
term of the court of common pleas, and
Judge Giererich in part 3 of the court
of common pleas, adjourned court
when they heard of Mr.. Fields death.
Mr.. Field was born 1T Haddam, Conn, and
was educated at Williams college. He studied
law, was admitted to practice when % years
old and began his legal career in this city. He
was chiefly known as public man for his
labors in the cause of law reform. Having
been appointed in 1S47 by the legislature
of his state a commissioner on practice and
pleading, he took an active part in the prep
aration of q new code OF procedure He was
intrusted by the state in 1857. as president
pf n ,rniS 81 nf "
political code, penal CODE and civic
CODE containing the entire body of the law
Mr.. Noyes undertook the penal code and Mr.
Field the analysis OF the political and civil
After many drafts and eight successive reports
had been made the ninth and hnal report was
submitted to the legislature in February, 1865
Mr.. Field rewrote the civil code eighteen times
All these law reforms occupied most OF his
time for eighteen years.
Other states followed the example OF New
York These codes have been aoopteu by near
ly all the states and, in substance, by England
and her colonies An international code was
next drawn up Working with the Law society
in England he drafted code which was after
ward published
Mr. Field made his first public speech in ls42
OF Tammany hall Two years later he began
to rally the anti-slavery remnant of his party
to oppose the annexation of Texas. None
was more active on the side of free
| dom during the Missouri compromise and
the hunSuS-NeDraSka ulllculty. he Az
| tended many conventions and always spoke
against that portion of his party which
| upheld the slave trade Mr.. Field was dele
| gate to the peace convention during the last
| months of the Buchanan administration To
| his influence and that of Horace Greedy, at the
| Chicago convention in 1850, the nominatio OF
| Lincoln was largely ascribed. After the war he
| objected to military rule in the south and
argued many celebrated cases against the
| constitutionality Of military commissions
| In 1873 he attended a meeting at Brussels,
| which resulted in the formation OF an associa
| tion of economists, Legislators and law.
| yers from all parts of the world for
the reform and codifcation of the laws
| OF nations, The object being to subsu
tute arbitration for war in the settlement OF
| disputes. or this association he was chosen
| president In the latter part of 1873 Mr.. Field
| made tour around the world, being received
| everywhere with the highest honors permis
| sible to u civilian
| In 1876 he voted for Mr.. Hayes but being
| convinced that Mr.. Tilden was duly chosen By
| the people he acted as counsel on the democrat
| ic side before the electoral commission Tha
| same year Mr.. Field was sent TO congress Aft
| er that he gave little time to public affairs
Mr.. Field was member of one of the mos
| noted families OF this country. Justice FielC
| OF the United States supreme court and Cyrus
| Field, father OF the ocean CABLE were his
| brntherS