I am ready.  An officer should always do his duty.”  The sheriff stated to him that he had a warrant, duly executed and authenticated, and asked him if he should read it.  “I will waive that, Mr. Sheriff,” replied the Justice.  The sheriff then handed him the warrant, which he read, folded it up and handed it back, saying pleasantly:  “I recognize your authority, sir, and submit to the arrest; I am, sir, in your custody.”

Meanwhile a petition had been prepared to be presented to Judge Sawyer for a writ of habeas corpus, returnable at once before the United States court.  As soon as the arrest was made the petition was signed and presented to Judge Sawyer, who ordered the writ to issue returnable forthwith.  In a very few minutes U.S.  Marshal Franks served the writ on the sheriff.

While the proceedings looking to the issue of the writ were going on, Justice Field had seated himself, and invited the sheriff to be seated.  The latter complied with the invitation, and began to say something in regard to the unpleasant duty which had devolved upon him, but Justice Field promptly replied:  “Not so, not so; you are but doing your plain duty, and I mine in submitting to arrest.  It is the first duty of judges to obey the law.”

As soon as the habeas corpus writ had been served, the sheriff said he was ready to go into the court.  “Let me walk with you,” said Justice Field, as they arose, and took the sheriff’s arm.  In that way they entered the court-room.  Justice Field seated himself in one of the chairs usually occupied by jurors.  Time was given to the sheriff to make a formal return to the writ; and in a few minutes he formally presented it.  The petition of Judge Field for the writ set forth his official character, and the duties imposed upon him by law, and alleged that he had been illegally arrested, while he was in the discharge of those duties, and that his illegal detention interfered with and prevented him from discharging them.

Then followed a statement of the facts, showing the arrest and detention to be illegal.  This statement embraced the principal facts connected with the contempt proceedings in 1888, and the threats then and thereafter made by the Terrys of violence upon Justice Field; the precautions taken in consequence thereof by the Department of Justice for his protection from violence at their hands, and the murderous assault made upon him, and his defense by Deputy Marshal Neagle, resulting in the death of Terry, and that he, the petitioner, in no manner defended or protected himself, and gave no directions to the deputy marshal, and that he was not armed with any weapon.  The petition then states:  “That under the circumstances detailed, the said Sarah Althea Terry, as your petitioner is informed and believes, and upon such information and belief alleges, falsely and maliciously swore out the warrant of arrest hereinbefore set out against your petitioner, without any further basis for the