The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-10

came so famous. DdNiu DuOley, cyrus w.
and Henry VI. Field being the other men,
bers of the great quartet that made their
names known throughout the world His
early boyhood was spent at Stockbridge,
Mass At the age of thirteen Stephen j.
Field went TO Smyrna, where his sister had
married a missionary, the Rev. Joshua
Brewer, who had undertaken an educational
mission 10 the Greeks. and he there acquired
a knowledge of Oriental languages Return
ing to this country after two and a half
years he later entered Williams College,
from which he was 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 Field. He was ad-
mitted to the bar and became a partner in
the firm, remaining for seven years. In 1916
he went to Europe and spent some time
there travelling.
In November, 1s49 he sailed for San Fran
cisco around Cape Horn, and entered on the
practice Of the law in the Occidental metrop-
oils. After short time he moved TO Marys-
vile, small mining camp, and became one
of the founders of a thriving town When
the little city was organized Justice Field
was elected the alcalde of the place. This
Office carried with it the dignity of mayor
and at the same time imposed all the duties
OK the bench. Here the future 1uriSt dis
persed justice and made his name widely
known throughout the length and breadth
of the growing commonwealth. He was fond
of talking of his early days in California, and
| often said that the happiest days of his life
| were when he dealt out justice in Marys-
| vile behind dry goods box.
Justice Field. in sketch prepared by him
| self for the Congressional Directory gave
| this brief outline of the duties of his Office
| OF alcalde: Under Mexican law the alcalda
was an officer of limited jurisdiction, bu. in
| the anomalous condition of affairs he was
| called on to administer justice. punish crime
| and TO enforce police regulations until re-
| lieved by officers under the new Constitu-
| ton" He elected a member of the first
| Legislature of the State and was made a
| member of that body. He was influential in
securing legislation favorable to the miners
| and aided in the passage of laws regulating
| the civil and criminal procedure of the State.
| At the close of the session he returned to
Marysville and devoted six years to the
practices of his profession. He was elected
| judge OF the Supreme Court of California in
| 1851 for the term of six years. In 1859 he
| became chief justice, succeeding Chief Jus
| tice David S. Terry. In 1863 President Lin
| coin appointed him associate justice Of the
| Supreme Court of the United States, and he
| held that position until his retirement on
| Dec. !, 1897.
During the latter years of his service on
the bench he was in very feeble health.
| His term was the longest in the history of
that tribunal. The great chief justice, John
Marshall, wore the ermine for a period
| extending over thirty-four years. 1t was
the ambition Of the late Justice Field to
| ba IN, do
ing so by few months. His friends, fear
ing that the strain of hard work would
| weaken him, advised him to retire from his
duties but with untiring perseverance he
clung to his task until the latter part of
1897, when he had the satisfaction of having
| fulfilled the ambition of his life.
During that term of more than a third
| of a century he was concerned in some of
| the most important cases ever passed upon
| by the Supreme Court. Among the promi-
| nent 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 ironclad oath. His dis
| senting opinions in the confiscation cases,
the legal-tender case. and in the New Or
leans slaughter house case attracted the
| widest attention.
During this long service on the bench he
also was before the public eye in other
| ways than as Judge of the United States
| Supreme Court. He was member of the
! Hayes-Tiden electoral commission in 1877
and voted with the Democratic minority.
| In 1880 he received sixty-ive votes for the
presidential nomination at the Cincinnati
! Democratic convention the first ballot.
In 1873 he was appointed by the Governor
of the State of California one of the COM
mission to examine the code of laws of
that State. In 1866 Williams College con-
ferred on him the degree of LII. d. and in
1869 the regents of the University of Cali
fornia made him a professor of law in that
| institution.
In 1889 one of the most sensational events
| of a remarkably active and vigorous career,
largely passed in new country in process
of development from pioneer state to a
highly civilized community brought his per-
sonality vividly before the public. Sarah
Althea Hill Terry had brought a suit
against ex-senator Sharon, California
multi millionaire. Justice Field was on the
bench. The outcome of the case was un-
avoidably against the plaintiff and engen-
dered in her feelings of hatred of the jurors.
This eliminated in her attempt to chastise
the aged justice in the dining hall or depot
eating house at Lathrope Cal, railway
junction Judge Terry who had been her
attorney in the suit and who afterward
married her, interfered, and when it
seemed that she was attempting to do vio-
lence to Justice Fields person, David
Nagle, United States deputy marshal,
drew revolver and shot and killed Judge
Terry Nagle was acquitted. There was,
however, for many years intense bitterness
between the friends of the two factions and
for this reason Justice Fields family dis
couraged his discussion of California topics
or the perusal of California newspapers.
AImOn NJ. Ciapp.
| WASHINGTON, April 9.-Almon. NJ.
Clapp, at one time United States govern
ment printer, died at his residence here at
4:3O o'clock this afternoon, in the eighty
eighth year of his age. Mr.. Clapp was born