The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-11

HIS CHECKERED CAREER
HIS Early LIFE PASSED In
CALIFORNIA.
THE TRAGIC DEArR or JUDGE TERRY
Shot by Nagle in Defense Of Justice Field.
Fields Term en- Supreme ReI ca the
Longest in the History Of
hat Tribunal.

LoFgeSi IN lHp us CITY VI
hat Tribunal.
Washington, April 9.Justice Stephen
j. Field, cf the United States Suprme
court, retired. Died at his home on
Capitol Hill, in this city. at $3.50 O'Clock
this evening OF kidney complications.
About his bedside were his wife and her
sister. Mrs. j. Condit SEnith, Mr.. jus
tice David j. Brewer, his nephew: Mrs.
Tgdgerton. of California, MIR. Linton, his
private secretary: the Rev. Ward N.
Mott. rector of the Church of the Adj
vent. and the family servants. lie mad
been unconscious since Saturday MORN
ing, and death came painlessly. About
two weeks ago he took a longer ride
than usual in an open carriage and con-
tracted a severe cold. which rapidly de-
veloped kidn Troubles which, with old
age. brought ON the end.
No arrangements have yet been made
for the funeral, nor is il now known
where ila Will he buried 1t is probable
that his remains will be taken to Stock
bridge, Mass, where are buried his
father and mother. and his brothers,
Cyrus. Dudley and Jonathan. two sis
tiers and other m.lnbers of the Field
family. 1t is possible however, that
Mrs. Field may decide 10 take his re-
mains to California where a consider
able part of his active life was passed
\ before President Lincoln appointed him
n member of the Supreme court. Justice
and Mrs. Field never had any children.
and the only surviving member of his
fatnsr's family is the Justices Youngest
brother. DIR, Henry Field, the editor of
The Evangelist.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.
Stephen Johnson Field was born at
Haddam, Conn. November 4, 1916. He
was the SON of DAVID Dudley Field
and was one of -four brothers who be-
came so famous. David Dudley, Cyrus
W., and Henry NJ. Field being the other
members OF The great quartette that
made their names known throughout the
world. His early boyhood was spent at
Stockbridge. At the age of ID Stephen
j. Field went to Smyrna. where his Sis
ter had married Il missionary, the Rev.
Josiah Brewer. wfao had undertaken an
educational mission to ths Greeks, and
he there acquired a knowledge of Orien-
tai languages. Returning after two and
a half years to This country he later
entered Williams Gollego from which
lie was graduated i'll 1887 at the head
of has class. He then went to New
York where lie entered tbs law office Of
his brother. David Dudley Field. He
was admitted TO the bar and became IA
partner in the firm remaining as such
for sewn years In 1913 he went to
Europe and spent some time there travel
ing. IN November, 1910, he sailed for
San Francisco around Cape Horn. and
entered upon the practice of the law in
the Occidental metropolis. After short
time he moved to Marysyille. a small
mining camp, and became one of the
founders of what aftA.ward grew into
"a thriving town When the little city
was organized Justice Field was elected
the aicade Of the place. This officer car
1ied with it the dignity of MAYOR and
at the same time imposed AN the duties
of the bench. Here the future iurist
dispensed justice and made his name
widely known throughout the length and
breadth of the growing commonwealth.
HIS was fond Of talking of his early
days in California. and often said that
the happiest days of his lire were when
he dealt out justice in Marysville behind
a dry goods box.
Justice Field, in sketch prepared by
himself for tha congressional directory
gave this brief outline of the duties
of his office of alcade: Under Mexican
law the alcalde was an officer of limited
jurisdiction. but in the anomalous condi->
tion of affairs he was called to admins
ter justice, punish crime and to enforce
police regulations until relieved by off
GERS under the new constitution"
He was elected a member of the first
Legislature of the State and was made
Il member of the Judiciary committee
of that body. He was influential in Sc
curing legislation favorable TO the min
ers and aided in the passage of laws
regulating the civil and criminal proc
dure of The State. AT fhe close of the
session he returned to Marysville and
devoted six years to the practice of his
profession. He was elected Il judge of
the Supreme court of California in 1857
dent Lincoln appointed him associate
justice Eof the Supreme court of the Uni
ted bites, and he held that position
until lis retirement on December 1st,
1897
~ hg the latter years of his ssr-
vice q the bench he was in very feeble
hea T. His term was the longest in the
instory OF that Tribunal The great chief
J'istlce, John Marshall, wore the ermine
Tor period extending over "a years.
III was the ambition of the late Justice
Fleh TO surpass this record. and he
succeeded IN doing SO by a few months.
Iils fnends, fearing that the strain of
hard work would shorten his useful
life advised him to retire from his ardu-
Gus dGties Blt with interchangeable perse-
yerance he chung to his task until tbe
latter part Of 1897, when he hod the
satisfaction of having fulfilled the ambi-
ton of his life.
During that term of more than )
third of century he was concerned
in some Of the most important cas2s
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