New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-08
STROKE FATAL TO
JOHN A. SHIELDS
Aged United States Com
missioner a Victim of
Paralysis.
FAMILY WITH HIM
WHEN END COMES
More than Half Century Cow
cred by His Career in the
Government Service.

laChheLQ springs. n. / - Jul! O. ""'i"
A. Shields. United States Commissioner
II New York City for many years. died
here early this morning from a stroke
a. paralysis. His death had been lore
seen for several weeks. and Mrs. Shields
and fheir daughters. and ". c. New
man. the commissioners son-in-ia",
were with him al the end
1lr. Shields suffered three strokes
the first several weeks ago. the second
csterday. and the third, which proved
fatal. last night.
There have been more dist'n-
guished members of the government
staff Of the United States than John
Archibald Shields. but It would be
difficult 20 find any OF longer or in
deed more faithful service Il was an
extraordinary If not unique thing
FOR a person TO be IN the same en-
ployment. simply promoted from time
10 time. for more than hfty-nlne
years; without. moreover. IN al! that
time giving ground for complaint or
for dissatisfaction with the way IN
which MS varied, srduous and hignly
important duties were performed.
He was born in Brooklyn, on No"
vember 20. 1899, and lived in that
city and borough all mis- life. He was
a quick student and had a good com
mon school education when, on April
20. 1886, az the age OF fifteen years
and five months, he entered the fed
eral service as a messenger and clerk
in the Office OF the clerk OF the
United States Circuit Court IN New
York. Franklin Pierce was then Pres
ident Of the United States, and ADra-
ham Lincoln was lIttle-known coun-
try lawyer in Illinois. New York was
city Of hall a million population.
chiefly south Of i4th Il. The United
states courts were housed in the old
Stevens mansion. at Murray 81. and
College Place, soon to be moved 10
Burton's Theatre. on Chambers ST,
on the site afterward occupied By the
American News Company.
Shields was good penmsn, and
was able 10 add TO mis- small salary
by working az night. copying court
records with pen and ink. Within the
last few wears he had occasion 20 re-
fer 20 tjme-worn documents written
in his boyish hand OF more than
half century before. AZ the same
time he applied himself diligently 10
the study Of Law. with view 20 en-
.aring tho bar. Just fourteen years
after his employment as me 'enger'
IN April. 1859 he was admitted 10 me
bar. and at the same time he was
appointed United States CommlS-
slonor for this district, this appoint
mcnt being made on the recommends
ton OF Justice Nelson. of the United
states Supreme Court. and Judge
Blatchford. then Of the United states
District Court. lie served as com
missioner for the remainder OF MS
life. more than forty-fve years.
In the course Of that service Mt.
Shields had probably more than
bundred thousand cases before him
for hearing. Many Of them we're OF
great Importance. many were hlgnly
sensational. and in not rev cases
tho hearings amounted practically 20
trials. A. first they were chiefly ad-
mirsltv cases. but their variety IN
creased with their numbers. 70 INCLUDE
oxtradition. counterfciting, mail rob
berv and other offences against the
nostal laws. and indeed practically all
the crimes and misdemearors OF when
the federal courts take cognizance.
Amorr the eXtradition cases we're
those OF Greene and Gaynor. the con-
tractors who we're indicted for mar
bor Improvement frauds in COLLISION
with Oberlin VI. Carter. and OF
Charles 4. Dana. whom II was sought
70 take 10 Washington for trial Tor an
alleged Ebcllous publication made IN
Tew York The hearing Of the Greene
and Gavnor case lasted more than
vear and was the longest on record.
he sent back to Cuba Nicely, the
American who was charged with pos
tai frauds during the American occu-
nation OF that island, and he sent 10
Washington John A. Benson, 10 De
tried for land frauds.
In his earlier years, while he was
vet mere clerk OF the court ne
s.,,.od IN some notable cases. One
OF these was that OF me notorious
zero nitrate. Albert Hicks. VINO
or1,,.r Cd his ncfarious career by muir
derino all the members OF ms plrat-
zeal crew and then was hanged OF
rIlis Island. Others were the cases
~ men who recruited IN TINS country
soldiers 10 serve in the British army
in the Crimes. An offence IN "hleh
tho british Minister at Washlngtoh'
NJ Champion, was so deeply ihpI-
Gated as 20 require his recall. ..
Shields had. Of course, an unriNaileo
nersonal knowledge Of men, partlcu-
larly OF LAWYERS in the federal courts
q three generations. and volume
might be filled with incidents OF MS
association with them such mon dS
samuel !. Tilden. Roscoe Conhlng'
lanes G.. Brady. David Dudley REID
- n an
William ". E~arts and charles Soh-
az lie found time 20 write ana 20
publish few years ago an lmpoIIahi
and voluminous work on reueI"l
Courts and Practice when gives a
cor1plete history Of the federal Ju-
d.cial system. a summary OF prosecu-
.;o,s n corporations under the Sher.
NO, antitrust law and syllabus OF
oo,,i.-. in The federal courts. ms
book has been widely accepted as
.,.rdsrd authority on the subjects OF
,,.hicb - treats. II may be added tnst
.r h.. Younger days he was an en-
.bu.iastjc baseball player. and 20 me
end OF his life retained a keen inter-
est in the game. ,,,
T, Februarv last Mr.. Shields was
rros-ra+ed al his home, on Schermer-
horr a. Brooklyn. with weakness
~ he heart. induced by overworA and
,o.loc- 20 take the rest which had
hcen urged upon him by his physician.
IL rallied. but was unable to resume
HE full duties. At the middle o.
Nav he went 10 Richfeid Springs; ae-
c ,o% by his daughter. Mr.. VIII
,ar' Z. Newman. Of this city. For
,Ymc his health seemed to improve: put
loss than A fortnight ago he suffered
a naralvtic stroke. which was, recog-
led as making his ease hopeless