The case was thereupon
submitted with leave to counsel to file briefs at any time before the
27th of August, to which time the further hearing was adjourned.
Before that hearing the Governor of the State addressed the following
communication to the attorney-general:
"EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
"STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
"SACRAMENTO, _August 21, 1889_.
"Hon. A.G. JOHNSTON,
"_Attorney-General, Sacramento_.
"DEAR SIR: The arrest of Hon. Stephen J. Field, a justice of
the Supreme Court of the United States, on the unsupported
oath of a woman who, on the very day the oath was taken, and
often before, threatened his life, will be a burning disgrace
to the State unless disavowed. I therefore urge upon you the
propriety of at once instructing the district attorney of San
Joaquin county to dismiss the unwarranted proceedings against
him.
"The question of the jurisdiction of the state courts in the
case of the deputy United States marshal, Neagle, is one for
argument. The unprecedented indignity on Justice Field does
not admit of argument.
"Yours truly,
"R.W. WATERMAN,
"_Governor_."
This letter of Governor Waterman rang out like an alarm bell, warning
the chief law officer of the State that a subordinate of his was
prostituting its judicial machinery to enable a base woman to put
a gross indignity upon a justice of the Supreme Court of the United
States, whom she had just publicly threatened to kill, and also to aid
her in accomplishing that purpose.
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