Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1899-04-13
Born in Connecticut.

Justice Field was born at Haddan, Conn.,,
on November 4, 1916, but after he was three
years old lived for ten years at Stock
bridge, Mass, which place has been more
prominently identified with the remark
able family of which he was only one of
many distinguished members.
His father was Rev. David D. Field, D.
D., whose fame filled all New England and
who was pioneer in the religious world
of his time. Cyrus w. Field famous as the
protector of the Atlantic cable; David Dud-
ley Field, the eminentiawyer, and Rev. DR..
Henry M. Field, the noted author and re-
1igious editor, were his brothers, while
their sister was the mother of. Justice
Brewer. 90 ~"
Mr.. Field was a. member of CALIFORNIA;
first state legislature, having been chosen
member of the assembly and of the judi
ciary committee. He did for California
what his elder brother, David Dudley Field,
had already done for New York-namely,
framed the laws 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 be-
came chief justice two years later: 1t
was from this position that he assembled
to the bench Of the supreme court of the
United States in 1868. ~. =. -. =, 49,
2% Narrow Escape from Murder.
, Perhaps the most exciting event of JUS.
tice Fields life was his narrow escape from
death at the hands of Judge Terry in the
railroad depot at Lathrop, Cal. Justice
Field had recently rendered an adverse de-
cision in the celebrated Althea Hill case, by
which she was deprived Of enjoying the
result of Judge Sulliyan's decision in the
superior court of San Francisco, that de-
cision having established her as the wife
of Senator Sharon. 3
Miss Hill, or Mrs. Sharon, as she called
herself, was afterward married to Judge
Terry, who was the leading counsel in: her
case. She, with her husband, entered the
dining-room at Lathrop, and, seeing JUS
!. .tice 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 his weapon, however. United States
Deputy Marshal Maggie, who had been
b. specially detailed as Justice Fields body
guard whipped out his revolver and Shot
Terry dead.
In 1877 Justice Field was one Of the Is
members of the commission appointed by
congress to decide upon the counting of the
electoral vote for president. He was one of
the seven members who voted that the dis
sputed votes should be cast for Mr. Tilden,
the other eight voting for Mr.. Hayes, who
was accordingly declared elected.
Retires from the Bench.
Justice Fields retirement from the su-
preme court bench occurred December 1,
1897, and Attorney-General McKenna, of
California, shortly afterwards was nomi-
ignation in April, 1897, to- take effect De-
cember l.. The president in his letter of
acceptance of the resignation Wrote: r.
Upon your retirement both the bench
and the country will sustain a great loss,
but the high character and great ability
of your work will live and long be remem-
bered not only by your colleagues, but by
your grateful fellow countrymen.' -:
= The dead justice made the formal
-nouncement of his resignation to his col
leagues on the bench in a long letter SKETCH
ing his own and the courts history during
his extended service In, one part he said:
r 1T is a pleasant thing in my memory that
my appointment came from President Lin
81 coin, of whose apppintees am the last sur
'VIvOr. Up to- that time there had been no
representative here of the Pacific coast.
"A new empire had arisen in the west,
whose laws were those of another country.
The land titles were from Spanish and
Mexican grants, both of which were often
overlaid by the claims of the first settlers.
To bring order out of this confusion con-
gress passed an act providing for another
: seat on this bench, with the intention that
it should be filled by some one familiar
with these conflicting titles and with the
mining laws of the coast, and 7as it hap
: pened that,I had framed the principal of
these laws and was, moreover, chief justice
4 of California, it was the wish Of the sem
{ ators and representatives of that state, as
well as those FROM regon,$th I should
\ succeed so the new nositi ton, At their re-
= quest Mr.. Lincoln sent my name to the
senate and the nomination was unanimous
ly confirmed Rs" -
His Work as a Jurfst.
During his incumbency he said he alone
had written 500 opinions, which, with 81 in
the circuit court and 365 in the California
supreme court, made up a total Of 1,O42
cases decided by him in his life. He took
issue with the styling of the court as an
aristocratic feature of republican gov
eminent, and said it is the most demo-
cratic of all TT carries he wrote,
neither the purse nor the sword, but it
possessestthe power of declaring the law,
and in that is found the safeguard which
keeps the whole mighty fabric. of govern
3, ment from rushing to destruction
The court replied in a very feeling letter
and later called in a body and bade him
Il farewell. Since his retirement he had lived
quietly in his old home, facing. tn Q ga stern
section Of the capitol grounds.