The Saint Paul globe., 1897-09-26
Gossip and Story About
the Nestor of the Su-
prerne Court and Attor-
ney General McKenna.

life. Justice Field would have received
his $4,000 q year during the past elev-
en- years had he done no work and
another judge would have been ap-
pointed who would have received All
equal amount. He has in reality given
Uncle Sam during this time a present
of $4,000 in work. After he leaves
the court he will probably devote him
self to putting together his recollec-
tions of the supreme bench. He has
wanted to do this for years, and has
collected a vast amount of material
with this view. He thinks it will take
him about three years to complete the
book, and, although he is past four
Score, doubt not that he will attempt
it.
JUSTICE FIELDS MEMOIRS.
This book of Judge Fields when it is
completed will read like a romance.
That which he has already written
for private circulation, which he gave
me to look over, is as full of adventure
as one of the books Henty writes for
boys. 1t covers the world beginning
in massachusetts,, then jumping to
Turkey and drifting around Cape
Horn to the-exciting scenes Of early
California. When Justice Field was
only thirteen he went to Smyrna to
visit his sister, the mother of Justice
Brewer. He visited Athens and stud
led there the modern Greek and learned
to speak it fuently. He had lot OF
experiences during cholera times ii
Asia Minor and then came back -
New York to study law with his BROTH
er, David Dudley Field. Next he went
to Paris, and while there read the
news that gold had, been. discovered in
California. He struck aD-.bee line for
America and took ship for the Golden
Gate. : -
IN FRISCO FIFTY YEARS AGO.
He landed in San Francisco with SO
in his pockets and had to pay out 81
of these to have his trunks taken up
from the wharf. He slept on the floor
that night in room for which ha was
to pay $35 a week rent, and his break
fast the next morning, the cheapest
he could find, cost him 50. The result
was that his first day III California
was begun with 81 in his pocket. He
was then thrty-three years old, and
he says that Notwithstanding his lack
of funds he felt happy and hopeful. He
had, however, only 81 left ard he need
ed money at once. His first earnings
came from a lot of old newspapers
which he had brought along to read
on the voyage. He had sixty-four Of
these, and gave them to a man to sell,
to divide the profits. New York papers
were then worth 81 apiece in San Fran
cisco, and the man peddied them out,
getting $64 for the lot He gave the
future supreme court justice half and
when young Field found that jurymen
got $S a day, and that the average
workman was often paid as much as
SIG a day the prospects seemed brigh-
ter His next step was to collect q note
ioI, l~ID - n,
ley Field. He saw the sign of the
maker of the note, and learned that
the man had grown rich in California.
He called upon him and began to talk
about the country, without saying any
thing about the note "Ahp' said the
man. You will like it out here; this
is glorious country. I have already
made $2G0, GEO."
'Ts that SOP" said Mr. Field. "I am
very glad to hear it, for I have note
Of my brothers, David Dudley Field,
here against you" and he thereupon
showed him the note. The mans face
fell, but he had been blowing to such
al extent about making money that
he could not refuse to pay. He looked
the note over, and then at last, in a
sharp tone, said: That's my sigma
ture,'' and he thereupon paid the full
amount with interest
JUSTICE FIELDS NERVE.
Some of the most interesting stories
In Judge Fields recollections will re-
late to these carly California days.
For years he was in danger of his life.
He had many enemies and he was a
fighter from the beginning. At one
time man named Judge Turner swore
he would drive Field into the Yuba
river. Field was advised to buy shot
sun and kill Turner on sight He re-
piled, however, that he would not do
that, and that he could only act in
self defense. He bought, however, a