Hutchinson gazette., 1899-04-13
.EXJUSTICE FIELD is DEAD.
Eminent Jurlst SuCCumbs to Kid
\ ,A ney Troubles,
END WAS PEACEFUL AND CALM.

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Stephen j. Field, OF the United States
supreme court, retired, died at his
home on Capitol hill, in this city, at
$3.50 o'clock yesterday evening, Of kid.
ney complication About his bedside
wore his wife and her sister, Mrs j.
Condit Smith; Mr.. Justice David j..
Brewer, his nephew; Mrs Edgerton,
OF California; Mr., Linton, his private
secretary; Rev. Mr., Edward M. Mott,
rector OF the Church of the Advent,
and tho family servants. He had been
unconscious since Saturday morning,
and death came pninlessly.
Ever since Justice Fields retirement
from the supreme court bench, In De.
cember, 1897, he had enjoyed compar-
atively good health, and being re.
lieved from tho responsibilities which
he had borne for 80 many years, he
became more cheerful than formerly
and seemed to enjoy tho society OF his
friends and acqualntances more than
ever before, All during the winter
when tho weather was fair II was his
custom to take daily drives about the
city or through the grounds OF the
Soldiers homo and he always returned
refreshed About two weeks ago,
however, he took longer ride than
usual in an open carriage and con-
tracted a severe cold which rapidly de-
veloped the kidney troubles from
which 5e had suffered, though but
slightly, for some time,
The disease readily yielded to treat
ment and on Thursday last he sat up
for time and seemed quite himself
again, but on Saturday morning a
change FOR tho worse took place and
about noon he lost consciousness
From that time he sank rapidly
No arrangements have yet been
made for the funeral, nor Is II now
known where he will be buried. 1t Is
probable that his remains will be
taken to Stockbridge, Mass, where are
buried his father and mother, and his
brothers, Cyrus, Dudley and Johnathan,
two sisters and other members of
the Field family. 1t is possible, how.
ever, that Mrs. Field may decide to
take his remains to California, where
o considerable part of his active life
was passed before President Lincoln
appointed him a member Of the Su.
preme bench. Justice and Mrs Field
never had any children, and the only
surviving member OF his fathers fam
lily is the Justices youngest brother,
Dr. Henry Field, the editor of the
Evangelist
Justice Fields retirement from the
supreme court bench occurred on De-
cember 1, 1897, and Attorney General
McKenna of California shortly after
wards was nominated to succeed him.
The President in his letter of acccpt-
auce of the resignation said
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 remembered, not only by
your colleagues, but by your grateful
follow countrymen,"
The dead justice made the formal
announcement Of his resignation TO
his colleagues on the bench in long
letter, In part lie said
ut is a pleasant thing in my mem
ory that my appointment came from
President Liecoln, Of whose appointees
l am the last survivor. Up to that
time there had been no representative
here Of the Pacific coast, A new EN-.
pire had arisen in the West, whose
laws were those Of another country
the land titles from Spanish and Mex.
lean grants, both OF which were often
overlaid by the claims of the first set
tiers. To bring order out of this
confusion, Congress 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 as It
so happened that l had framed the
principal Of these laws and was, more
over, chief justice of California, 1t
was the wish Of the senators and rep
resentatives of that state, as we'll as
those from Oregon, that should sue
ceed to the new position. At their re.
quest Mr.. Lincoln sent my name to
the Senate and the nomination was
unanimously confirmed"
During his incumbency he said he
alone had written o2O opinions, which,
with tfty.seven in the circuit court
and 1856 in the California supreme
court, made up total of l,O42 cases
decided by him in his life. He took
issue with the styling of the court as
an aristocratic feature OF republican
government and said it is the most
democratic Of all.
ut carries" he wrote, "neither the
purse nor the sword, but it possesses
the power of declaring the law and in
that is found the safeguard which
keeps the whole mighty fabric of gov
ernment from rushing to destruction. ="
"