The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-22

BY Judge Field in California; wild
Early Days.
From the New York

From the New York Evangelist
Judge Field, who lately retired from the
bench of the Supreme Court of the United
States, was for many years chief justice of
California He was one of the early set
tiers of the state, when there was no or
ganized government and no courts so that
men suspected of crime were tried by
lynch law. In those cases the jury were not
very careful about the evidence. If there
was a suspicion of any man, IL was likely
to go hard with him. When they were be-
ginning to organize a government, Mr.
Field was a candidate for Office and had
to ride on horseback through the woods
and over the mountains to make speeches
to the miners. In relating his experiences
he said:
Il witnessed some strange scenes during
the campaign, which illustrated the condi-
ton of society in the country. AS l ap-
preached Grass Valley, then a beautiful
spot among the hills, occupied principally
by Mr. Walsh, a name since become ia
miliar to Californians, / came to a build
ing by the wayside small lodging house
and drinking saloon, opposite to which a
lynch jury was sitting, trying a man upon
the charge of stealing gold dust ! stop
ped and watched for awhile the progress
of the trial. AS there was some little de-
lay in the proceedings. / mentioned to
those present, the jury included, that
was a candidate for the legislature and
that l should be glad If they would join
me in a glass in the saloon, an invitation
which was seldom declined in those days
1t was at once accepted and leaving the
accused In the hands of an improvised
constable, the jury entered the house and
partook of the drinks which It's bar af-
forded. l had discovered, or imagined
from the appearance of the prisoner. that
he had been familiar in other days with
very different life from that of California
and my sympathies were moved toward
him.
So, after the jurors had taken their
drinks and were talking together. l slipped
out of the building and approaching the
man. said to him, What Is the case
against you? Can / help YOU? The poor
fellow looked up to me and his eyes filled
with great globules OF tears as he replied
1 am innocent of all l am charged with
/ have never stolen anything nor cheated
any one; but / have no one here TO be-
friend me- That was enough for me-
Those eyes, filed as they were, touched
my heart. / hurried back to the saloon;
and as the Jurors were standing about
chatting with each other l exclaimed
How Is this? You have not had your ci-
gHrsl Mr.. Barkeeper. give the gentlemen
the best you have, and let us have another
'smile'-it Is not often you have a candi-
date for the legislature among you. A
laugh followed, and ready acceptance
was given TO the invitation.
In the mean time, my eyes rested upon
a benevolent looking man on the jury, and
] managed to draw him aside and inquired
what state he came from. He replied
from Connecticut, / then asked II mis-
parents lived there. He answered with a
faltering voice: MY father is Dead my
mother and sister are there" / then said:
Your thoughts, / dare say, go out CON
stantly to them; and you often write to
them, Of course" His eyes glistened as
his thoughts were carried over the noun
tains to his old home. "Ah. my good
friend / added, "how their hearts must
rejoice to hear from you" Then after
a short pause / asked: what is the case
against your prisoner? He, too, perhaps,
may have a mother and sister in the east,
thinking of him as your mother and sis
ter do Of you, and wondering when he
will come back For Gods sake, remember
thisv' The heart of the good man re-
sponded in a voice which, even to this
day--now more than forty years past
sounds like delicious melody in my cars:
II will!'
Passing from him I went to the other
jurors ana, nnolnB lney were about 10 go
back to the trial, / exclaimed: Don't be
in hurry, gentlemen, take another
glassw They again acceded TO my re-
quest, and seeing that they were a little
meIlowed by their indulgence, / ventured
to speak about the trial / told them that
the courts of the state were organized.
and there was no necessity or justifica-
ton now for lynch juries; that the pris-
oner appeared TO be without friends. and
I appealed 70 them, as men of large hearts,
TO think how they would feel II they we're
accused of crime where they had no coun-
sci and no friends. Better send him,