Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1889 — PULLED A JUDGE S HAIR [ARTICLE]

PULLED A JUDGE S HAIR

SARAH ALTHEA HILL-TERRY’S ENMITY SHOWN. The Habeas Corpus Case of Deputy Marshal Nagle Hi lugs Out Some Testimony Not at All Favorable to the Peaceable Character of David Terry. Pan Francisco (Cal) dispatch: The taking of testimony in the habeas corpus proceedings in tbe case of Deputy Marshal David Nagle, who shot and killed David Terry at iAthrop recently, was commenced in the United Stales Circuit court before Judge Sawyer Tuesday. The counsel for the defens? in opeuing the case made a long statement of the circumstances which led to the killing of Judge Terry, and gave a synopsis of what the defense proposed to prove by witnesses who were to be examined. He said it would be proved that the life of Justice Field bad been threatened long prior to the assault in the dining saloon at Lathrop, and that Nagle in shooting Terry had every reason to believe that unless he did so these threats would be carried out In acting as he did it would be shown that he merely did his duty os a sworn officer of the law. Witnesses wore then called who red ted the details of the attack made upon Judge Sawyer by Mrs. Terry on the train between Los Angeles and San Fran isoo over a year ag\ Judge Van Dyke of los Angeles Testified that he was a passenger in tho same car with Judge Sawyer, and that David Terry and his wife entered the car at Fresno. Soon after the train started Mrs. Terry arose and passed up the car, glaring at Judge Sawyer as she passed him, and then returned to her seat. A few minutes later Judge Terry arose and took a seat at the forward end of the car, facing Judge Sawyer. Mrs. Terry then joined him. and as she passed Judge bawver sho reached over and pulled his hair. Sho afterward took a seat behind Judge Sawyer, and the witness thought she intended to attack him with her parasol, but in a few moments she joined hor husband and no further trouble occurred. W. M. Coles of this city, who was also a passenger on the car, corroborated Judge Van Dyke’s account of tho affair, and said that after Mrs. Terry made the attack she j ined her husband in a seat near him and related what had occurred with a great deal of glee, at which Judge Terry laughed. The witness heard Mrs. Terry say “I will give him a tasto of what he is to get hereafter; let him render that decision if he dares.” He heard .Judge Terry say that the only thing fit to do with Judge Sawyer would be to take him out in the. bay and drown him. Marshal Franks was then called and related the incident in the Circuit court room last September when Mrs. Terry interrupted the roading of Justice Field’s decision. He said that he attempted to remove her from tho room, when she made a violent attack upon him and Judge Terry interfered and drew a knife. A pistol was afterwards takon from Mrs. Terry’s sachel. The marshal further stated that when he presented to Terry the ordor committing hitn and his wife to jail both became very abusive and Terry said: “When I get out of jail and Judge Field returns to California I will meet him and it will not be a very pleasant meeting for him.” A number of other witnesses also testified asto the affair in the court-room. Deputy Sheriff Woolsey, who had charge of the Alameda county jail while Terry and his wife were confined there, testified that he often conversed with Terry and the latter told him that ho always carried a knife. He called tbe judges and marshal “curs” and said he would yet iive to see them in their graves. He* was very abusive of Judge Field. An Oakland newspaper reporter testified that Mrs. Terry had once told him that she would probably kill Judge Field some day.