David Smith Terry (1823â€"1889) was a Californian jurist and
Democratic politician, who was the fourth Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of California, and an author of the Constitution of 1879. He
also won a duel with U.S. Senator David C. Broderick in Broderick's
second duel in 1859. Terry died on August 14, 1889, when he was shot
by Deputy US Marshal David Neagle after he attacked Associate Supreme
Court Justice Stephen J. Field.Terry was born in Todd County,
Kentucky. In 1831, his family moved and settled in Brazoria County,
Texas, until Terry himself moved to California in 1849. There, he read
law, joined the bar and was active in Democratic Party politics.In
1855, he took up the cause of the "Widow Sanchez". Maria Encarnacion
Ortega de Sanchez, the widow of a wealthy rancher, was being cheated
by local authorities, including the Sheriff, William Roach, who took
her fortune under the guise of guardianship. After kidnapping Roach
with the help of a local gunslinger named Anastacio Garcia, they held
Roach in a jail cell in Stockton until he agreed to release the
widow's gold. But Roach had bribed a guard to ride to Monterey and
urge Roach's family to hide the gold. The treasure was hidden
somewhere in Carmel Valley by Roach's brother-in-law, Jerry MacMahon.
MacMahon was killed in a barroom brawl before he could reveal the
location of the money.In August 1855, he was nominated by the American
State Party, or Know Nothings, for the short term remaining on the
seat held by Alexander Wells, and won the election. From November 15,
1855, to September 12, 1859, he was a California State Supreme Court
Justice, serving as the 4th Chief Justice of California from September
18, 1857. David S. Terry Biography, NetWorth, Height, Age, Weight, Family, Married, Son, Daughter