The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-09
Over Eighty Years OF Age, and
Served Longer on the Supreme Court
Bench than Justice Marshall.
SKETCH OF HIS BUSY CAREER
RETIRED AFTER THIRTY-FOUR
YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE.
Judge Terry's Desperate Attempt to
Kill Him in CalifOrnia-Other
Incidents of His Life.

WASHINGTON, April e.-Ex-Justice Of
the Supreme Court Stephen j. Field is dy-
ing. His physician does not expect him to
survive the night Justice Field contracted
a cold about two weeks ago. which became
complicated a week ago last Thursday with
troubles resulting from extreme old age.
Yesterday morning his physician, DR.. Gus
tis, pronounced his case critical and all dur
ing the day and night he has been gradually
sinking. At o'clock this morning he was
pronounced dying and his death was mo-
mentarily expected.
Stephen Johnson Field was born at Had
dam, Conn, on Nov. H. 1916, but after he
was three years old lived for ten years at
Stockbridge, Mass, which place has been
more prominently identified with the re-
markable family, Of which he was only one
of many remarkably distinguished men,
bers. His father was the Rev. David ID.
Field, d. D., whose fame filled all New
England, and who was a power in the re-
ligious world of his time. Cyrus W. Field,
famed as the protector of the Atlantic
cable: David Dudley Field, the eminent law
yer, and the Rev. DR.. Henry NJ. Field, the
noted author and religious editor, were
brothers of the deceased tursit, while their
sister was the mother of Mr.. Justice Brew
er The possibilities of the influence OF
single family upon the material, intellec-
tual and moral interests of IA great nation
have never been more remarkably exhibited
than in the record of the Field family.
Mr.. Justice Field went to Asia Minor at
49, ,-;.I to-, H.,
husband, the Rev. Josiah Brewer, the par
ents OF Mr.. Justice Brewer He remained
in Asia Minor two years and half and
learned to write and speak modern Greek
with the ease of native. On returning to
America he entered Williams College and
was graduated at the age OF twenty-one
with the highest honors of his class. He
entered the law Office Of his brother, David
Dudley Field, in New York, and afterward
practiced as his partner for seven years.
A period of travel in Europe was followed
by journey to California. lie arrived in
San Francisco on Dec. 2s, 1879, and in JAM
uary following was chosen alcalde of Marys-
vile, a position which, in that transition
period of California's history, carried great
powers both in civil and criminal matters.
Mr. Field was a member of California's
first State Legislature, having been chosen a
member Of the assembly and of the judiciary
committee. He did for California what his
older brother, David Dudley Field, had al
ready done for New York. namely framed
the laws of the new State. He took the
codes of the New York commission, which
were largely his brothers work, as the basis
of the civil and criminal practice acts of
California, making such changes were
necessary TO suit the different conditions Of
the new State.
In 1857, up to which time he enjoyed an
extensive law practice he was elected judge
of the Supreme Court, of which he became
chief justice two years later. 1t was from
this position that he ascended the bench OF
the Supreme Court OF the United States in
1865.
Perhaps the most exciting event of Mr..
Justice Fields life was his narrow escape
from death at the hands of Judge Terry in
the railroad depot at Lathop, Cal. Mr..
Justice Field had recently rendered an ad-
verse decision in the celebrated Althea Hill
case, by which she was deprived of enjoy
ing the results of Judge Sullivan's decision
in the Superior Court of San Francisco, that
decision having established her as the wife
of Senator Sharon.
Miss Hill, or Mrs. Sharon, as she called
Terry, who was the leading counsel in her
case. She, with her husband. entered the
dining room at the Lathrop. and seeing
Justice Field there, pointed him out to Judge
Terry. Terry, who was an intensely pas
sionate man, advanced. at the same time
drawing his revolver. Before he had time
to use the weapon, however. United States
Deputy Marshal Nagle, who had been spe-
cially detailed as Justice Fields body
guard, whipped out his revolver and shot
Terry dead in his tracks. Justice Field
maintained his composure TO wonderful
extent, but ii was also said that the nervous
shock that he received had lasting effect
on his health.
Since Justice Field retired from the Su-
rreme Court in 1897. after thirty-four years
OF service. his condition has several times
alarmed his friends but his wonderful vital
ity has overcome all the disabilities of age
and though feeble of late years Ne has since
his retirement enjoyed fairly good health
1T the time of his retirement two years ago
he had been in bad health for some time. but
his ambition TO serve in the Supreme Bench
longer than Chief Justice Marshall had in
duced him TO refuse retirement, although
long past the legal age. until after his term
had exceeded that of the first chief iuStica