The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-15

81 years, months anu D uays sertice on
the supreme court bench. Justice Fields
service began March 10, 1868, and II he
lives till Aug. 10 he will have served con-
tinuously for longer time than any other
man that ever sat upon the bench. Justice
Field is still great Judge. When he con-
contracts his mind upon case, all his
grent legal learning comes to his aid His
brain is an almost automatic legal ma
chine, He forgets everything else, but the
law and its principles arc always fresh In
his mind.
The Rniing Power.
An interesting story concerning the ia
nous jurist comes TO mo from supreme
court circles Two Of the justices, wish
ing 10 help their aEed colleague discharge
his duties. called at his house not long ago
with "a written opinion In case which
the supreme court was soon 10 decide.
They read the document to Mr.. Fiold,
thinking he would sign IL. Their only
anxiety was lest tho old Judge would not
be able TO follow their argument. He sat
with his head bent down on his breast,
apparently In a trance. AS far as they
could tell, he was wholly oblivious To ev-
erything going on around him, and the
Suddenly the veteran raised his head and
held his arm aloft.
"That IL not right" he exclaimed, with
surprising energy. "You are wrong--all
wrong"
Then Justice Ficld proceeded to lay
down tho law. His reasoning was clear
and strong. He might forget whether 1t
was winter or summer, day or night, but
he quickly demonstrated that on legal
proposition no was himself lie argued
his view with so much force and effective
moss that In ten minutes he had carried the
day. The two younger justices abandoned
their position and tore up their opinion,
and later wrote another one in accord With
the views expressed by Justice Field.
1t Is interesting 10 turn from Justice
Field nc so years Of age md u veteran OF
the highest court I'm tho land to tho days
when he WAS young man and Gn alcaldo
at Marysyille, Cal, nearly half century
ago. Fortunately am able TO give an ac-
count of those experiences in Mr.. Fields
own words hy means OF excerpts from his
still unpublished autobiography, at which
ho works when strong enough.
Stolen Gold Dust.
"Hnving been elected aEnldc," writes
bought frame house and zine house on
credit and shipped them TO Marysville. In
the frame house opened my Office. One
morning, about o'clock, n man tapped
at my window and cried, 'Alcalde, alcalGc,
there has been robbery, and you are
-,ra44tean- Nearly -exnry- ono in those days
lived in n tent and had his gold dust with
him. Tho man, who proved TO be Glider
sleeve, tho famous runner, upon going TO
bed the previous evening had placed sew
eral pounds Of gold dust in his trunk,
which was not locked. In tho night some
ono had cut through his tent and taken tho
gold. l asked him If he suspected any
body. He named two men and gave such
reasons for his suspicion that dictated a
warrant for their arrest. In "a short time
the two men wcro brought before me. The
gold dust was found on ono of them. l
Immediately called n grand jury, by which
he was indicted. then called petit jury
and assigned counsel for the prisoner. He
was Immediately placed upon his trial and
was convicted. The whole proceeding oo-
oupied only part of the day. There were
great crowd and much excitement ana
some talk of lynching. Curiously enough,
my real trouble did not commence until
after tho conviction. What was Co be done
with the prisoner? How was he to be pun
ishedg Imposing fine would not answer,
and If he had been discharged the crowd
would have Immediately hung him.
"Mayor Geary of san Francisco had told
me II i would send my convict To him,
with money enough to pay for ball and
chain, he would put him In the chain gang.
But the price of passage To san Francisco
was $50, which, with the expense of an
officer to accompany tho prisoner and the
price Of hall and chain, would have
amounted 10 much larger sum than the
prosecution could afford, nor Is it ut all
likely that tho people would have consent
cd TO his removal. Under these circum.
stances there was but one course To pursue,
and, however rcpugnant ~ was to my feel.
ings TO adopt IL, believe IL was the only
thing that saved the mans life. / ordered
him 10 be publicly whipped with 80 lashes
and added that IL he were found within
the next two years In tho vicinity OF
Marysyllc ho should bo again whipped /,
however, privately ordered physician to
be present SO as 10 see that no unnecessary
severity was practiced. In accordance
with this sentence the fellow was immo-
dlntely taken out aud floggcd, and that
was the last seen Of him In that region.
He went of and never came back. The
sense oi justice Of the community was sat
isnod. No blood had been shed, there had
been no hanging, yet severe public ex.
,nplo had been given.
fifty Lsshes.
con another occasion a complaint was
made that "a man had stolen a 500 from a
woman. Hc was arrested, brought before
me indicted, tried and convicted. | or
dcrod bin % receive 30 lashcs on his back
0n two successive days unless he gave mp