The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-04-12

Stephen Johnson Field was born at
Haddam, Conn.,, November 4, 1916. He
was the son of David Dudley Field and
one of the four brothers who became
so famous, David Dudley, Cyrus W. and
Henry N. being the other members Of
the great quartette that made their
names known throughout the world.
His early boyhood was spent at Stock
bridge, Mass. At the age of 10 Steph-
en- ]. Field went to Smyrna, where his
sister had married a missionary, Rev.
Josiah Brewer, who had undertaken
an educational mission to the Greeks,
and he there acquired knowledge of
oriental languages. Returning TO this
country after two and half years, he
entered Williams college, from which
he graduated in 1887 at the head of his
class. He then went to New York,
where he entered the law Office Of his
brother, David Dudley. He was ad-
mitted to the bar and became part
ner in the firm. ...c
In 1s4s he went to Europe and spent
some time there travelling. In Novem-
ber, 1s40, he sailed for San Francisco
around Cape Horn and entered upon the
practice of law in the occidental me-
tropolis. After a short time he moved
to Marysville, small mining camp,
and became one of the founders of what
afterwards grew TO be thriving town.
When the little city was organized, Mr..
LD;o1d t,,oe olan4ad 3ho nlnolda ~ fba
place. This Office carried with it the
dignity of mayor and at the same time
imposed all the duties of the bench.
Here the future jurist dispensed justice
and made his name widely known
throughout the growing common.
wealth. a
He was elected a member of the first
legislature of the state and was inf1u-
ential in securing legislation favorable
to the miners and aided in the passage
of laws regulating the civil and GRIM
inal procedure of the state. AT the
close of the session he returned to
Marysville,, and devoted six years to
the practice of law, He was elected
judge of the supreme court OF Cali
fornia'in 1887 for the term Of six years.
In 1859 he became chief justice, sue
ceeding David s. Terry. I'll
In 1868 President Lincoln appointed
him associate justice Of the supreme
court Of the United States, and he held
that position until his retirement on
December /, 1897. His term was the
longest in the history Of that tribunal.
The great chief justice, John Marshall,
wore the ermine for "a years. 1t was
the ambition of the late Justice Field
to surpass this record and he succeed
cd in doing so by few months.
He was concerned in some of the
most important cases ever passed upon
by the supreme court. Among the
prominent decisions was the famous
test oath case, in which he gave the
casting vote, and wrote the opinion OF
the court annulling the validity of the
"iron clad" oath. His dissenting opin.
ions in the confscation cases, the legal
tender cases and in the New Orleans
slaughter house case attracted the
hluOSl
During this long service on the bench
he also was before the public eye in
other ways than as judge of the SUI
preme court. He was a member of the
Hayes-Tilden electoral commission in
1877 and voted with the democratic
minority. In 1880 he received IS votes
for the presidential nomination at the
Cincinnati democratic convention, on
the first ballot.
In 1889 one of the most sensational
events of a remarkable active career
brought his personality wildly before
the public. Sarah A. II. Terry had
brought suit against ex-senator Sha-
ron, a California multi-millionaire. JUS
tice Field was on the bench. The out.
come of the case was unfavorable 10
the plaintiff and engendered in her feel
ings of hatred of the jurist. This cul-
minated in her attempt TO chastse the
aged justice in the depot eating house
at Lathrop, Cal, a railway junction.
Judge Terry, who had been her attor-
ney in the suit against Sharon, and
who afterward married her, interfered
and when ii seemed that he was at
tempting TO do violence TO Justice
Fields person, David Nagle, United
States deputy marshal, drew revol-
yer and shot and killed Terry. Nagle
was acnuitted So ..l. 10