Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-04-15
EX-SUPREME JUSTICE
FIELD PASSES AWAY
The Veteran Jurist Dies in His $50
Year at HIS Home in
Washington.
LONG SERVICE ON THE BENCH
Was Appointed by Lincoln ant
Wore the Ermine for "a Year
---Passcd ON Many Fam
Gus Cases.

'e1''bE'"'b 'G
Stephen j. Field, of the United
States supreme court, died at
his home on Capitol Hill, in this city,
at G:30 O'Clock last evening, OF kidney
complications About his bedside were
his wife and her sister, Mrs. j. Condlt
Smith, Justice David j. Brewer, his
nephew; Mrs. Edgerton, of California;
Mr.. Linton, his private secretary; lev.
Edward NJ. Mott, rector of the Church
Of the Advent, and the family servants.
He had been unconscious since Satur-
dav morning, and death came pain
lessly.
Ever since Justice Fields retirement
from the supreme court bench Deem
Der /, 1891. he had enjoyed compare
lively good health. About two weeks
ago he took n long ride in an open car
rage and contracted a severe cold,
which rapidly developed the kidney
troubles from which he had suffered,
though but slightly, for some time.
The disease rapidly yielded TO treat
ment and on Thursday last he sat up
for a time and seemed quite himself
again, but on Saturday morning a
change for the worse took place and
about noon he lost consciousness.
From that time he sank rapidly and
expired at $3.50 o'clock.
No arrangements have yet been made
for the funeral, nor is it now known
where he will be buried. Justice II
Mrs. Field never had any children and
the only surviving member Of his
fathers family is the Justices young
est brother, DR.. Henry Field, editor Of
the Evangelist.
One of "a Famous Family.
Stephen Johnson Field was born at
Haddam, Conn, November 4, 1916. lie
was the son of David Dudley Field, and
one Of four brothers who became
famous, David Dudley, Cyrus w. and
Henry NJ. Field being the other mem
bers of the great quartet who made
their names known throughout the
world. His early boyhood was spent
AT Stockbridge, Mass. At the early
age of - Stephen j. Field went TO
SMYRNA. where his sister had married
a missionary, Rev. Joseph Brewer, who
had undertaken an educational mis-
sion to the Greeks, n he there ac-
CURED a knowledge Of oriental IAN
guages Returning to this country
after two and n half years he later en-
tered Williams college, from which ne
graduated in 1897, at the head OF ms
class. lie went TO New York, where
he entered the law Office OF his broth
er. David Dudley Field. He was adj
mitted 10 the bar and became Il part
ncr i'm the firm, remaining as such Tor
seven years. In 1S4S he went to Eu-
rope and spent some time there tray
cling. In November, lS49, he sailed
for San Francisco around Cape Horn,
and entered upon the practice OF law
i'm the occidental metropolis. After a
short tima he moved to Marysville, n
small mining camp, n became one
of the founders Of what afterWard
grew to be a thriving town. When the
little city was organized Justice flclu
was elected the alcadc Of the peace.
This office carried with it the dignity
of MAYOR and at the same time inn
DOscd all the duties Of the bench.
Here the future juriSt dispensed
Justice and made his name widely
known throughout the length and
breadth of the growing common
wealth. He was elected a member OF
the first legislature of the state and
was influential in securing legislation
favorable to the miners and aided IN
the passage of laws regulating the
civil and criminal procedure of he
state. At the close Of the session he
returned to Marysvillc and devoted
sin years to the practice Of his profess
sion. He was elected Il judge of the
suprcme court Of California in 1851
for the term of six years. In 1899 he
became chief Justice. succeeding Chief
Justice David s. Terry. In 1868 Presl-
dent Lincoln appointed hIm associate
iustico of the supreme court Of the
United States, and he held that posi-
ton until his retirement on December
/. 1897. During the latter years OF
his service on the bench he was in very
feeble health. His term was the long
est i'm the history of that ne
great chief justice, John Marshall
wore the erminc for n period extend
ing over thirty-four years. 1t was the
ambition of the late Justice fleld 10
surpass this record, and he succeeded
i'm doing so by a few months. ms
friends, fearing that the strain OF haId
work would shorten his usetul me-
advised him TO retire from ms ardu-
Gus duties. But with the indelatlga-
Bile perseverance he chung to his task
until the latter part Of 1897, when he
had the satisfaction OF having iuIIlllcUl
the ambition of his life,
His Career on the Bench.
During that term Of more than Il
third Of n century he was concerned IN
some of the most important eases ever
passed upon By the supreme court
Among the prominent deoiei"nn WINS
the famous test oath case, in which he
rave the casting vote, and wrote the
o@pinion of the court ~annulllng the
validity of ~"ironclad' oath. Ills dis
senting opinions in the contiScation
cases, the legal tender cases and in the
New Orleans slaughter house case at
t~racted the widest attention.
During this long service on the
bench he was also before the public
eve in other ways than as a Judge of
the United States supreme court. He
was a member of the Haycs-Tilden
electoral commission in 1877, and voted
with the democratic minority. In 1850
he received siNty-five votes for the
presidential nomination ut the Cincin-
natl democratic convention on the first
ballot. In 1873 he was appointed by
the governor Of the state of California
one Of the commission to examine the
code of laws of that state. In 1866
Williams college conferred upon him