Year: 1859

From the San FraHcisco Ttrcst Sep. 18th


PICTURE OF TERRY, THE MURDERER OF BRopER-


ICK-A MODEL JUDGE.


In the year of 1855 the whirlwind of Enow
! Nothirgism swept over California 1t COM
pletely destroyed the existing political divis-


ions, and general breaking up OF the political


fabric was the consequence. A new order of
| things succeeded. New men who had never


been heard Of before rose up to the surface
/ The excited and bubbling cauldron threw to
! the top any amount of refuse dross and WORTH
less scuia' People we're nadly excited. They
cried out for reform, and whoever shouted re-
form and professed Know Nothngism was
hailed as an honest man and refor1Iier Thus
men Were nominated for elevated positions of
whom nothing was known and who, iii the old
er parties when the character and ability of
men were better understood would never been
thought of as entitled to any position above
that of judge Of Il horse-race or dealer of faro.


The most-notable and disastrous instance of
the sudden elevation of man of this character
that occurred during that unfortunate period
was the election of one David S. Terry to the
position of Judge of the Supreme Court
Probably, had California been raked over FROM
one extreme to the other with revolving
horse rake, another man so untitled for the
position of 5tGge, among those claiming to be
lawyers, could not bave been found He was
man without education, and with as little know
ledge of the general principles of law as would
be required in any other country to make
Justice of the Peace. He had distinguished
himself dult for the numerous fights and brawls
fbot Ha had IL Iol
quality that he possessed in common with the
bulldog, and being man Of powerful frame
and great skill in the use OF weapons he was
always regarded as dangerous man.


But bad as ltc was, and drift as he was for !
the posit;0ii, yet the people elected him to the |
high office of Judge Of the Supreme Court
lie has held that position until recently he
resigned it in order to fight duel with, and |
if he could, kill Senator Brodarick. Since the
death Of Judge Murray he has been chief JUS
tice, and has been distinguished in that position
for the extreme bfefity of his ojinions.


During the SEASON of Vig-iiar ce Committee
excitement he attained his most prominent tio-
toriett. By his attempt to kill a man who had
been detailed by that Cotnliiiite Zee to arrest one
Reuben Ma.oney. The history of that affair
is so familiar to al, that we need not recapitu-
late the circumstances attending it. He was
not hanged, as others tad beepi but was after
a long Imprisonment, released, to take his seat
again upoti the Bench; dispense justice, and see
that the laws we're fairly and honestly admin
stered


After he was let off by the Vigilance Com
mttee, he was constrained by the wholesome
lesson then tanght hin, to refrain from liis GUS
tomary quarrcIs and assaults. We will do him
the justice to say that since he was let loose by
the Vigilance Committee he his tot attacked
IN editor, stabbed anybody in court, or done
my act of open violence.


When the late Lccompton Convention as
Judge Terry was candidate for re-
domination. He did not succeed, strange as it
may seem, when the character of the Conven-
ion is considered. But after the Convention
lad, to great extent, concluded, and when
the successful or unsuccessful candidates were
rotted out to show their parts, this man, the
Chief Justice of the State came forward and
made low political harran que, going out Of
his way to make a gross, undignifed and un-
:alled for attack on Senator Broderick.-
" hen Mr.. Broderick heard of this attack upon
ln, he denounced Judge Terry in severe terms,
md in the preschce of friend of the latter
The other circumstance intervening up to the
lime of the duel are known to our readers
Judge Terry shot his man, and it is supposed
hat, if Mr. BrodercIz dies as a reward for
illng him, he viii be sent to the United States
Senate.