William Tang Sharon (January 9, 1821 – November 13, 1885) was a United States senator, banker, and business owner from Nevada who profited from the Comstock Lode.

He moved to Virginia City, Nevada in 1864 as manager of the branch of the Bank of California and became interested in silver mining.

Sharon was a business partner of Darius Mills and William Ralston, as well as the Nevada agent for the Bank of California.

Those assets included the Palace Hotel in San Francisco and Ralston Hall in Belmont, California.

He was also the father of Florence Emily Sharon, who married Sir Thomas George Fermor-Hesketh, 7th Baronet.

After the court hearing, Judge Sawyer encountered the Terrys on a train between Fresno and San Francisco on August 14, 1888.

Sarah Althea Hill Sharon Terry suddenly stood up, screamed obscenities at the judge, and fumbled in her handbag for her revolver.

When Marshal John Franks and others attempted to escort her from the courtroom, attorney Terry rose to defend his wife and went for his Bowie knife.

[15][16] While being transported to jail and while serving their sentences, Terry and his wife repeatedly threatened to kill Judge Field.

Both David and Althea were indicted by a federal grand jury on criminal charges arising out of their behavior in the courtroom before Justice Field.

In May 1889, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to review the order that invalidated Althea Terry's marriage contract with Senator Sharon.

[citation needed] The newspapers followed the case closely and repeatedly speculated about the likelihood of an attack on Field.

At 7:10 am, all of the passengers disembarked the train to eat breakfast in the railroad station dining room at Lathrop, California.

The conductor immediately sent word to Constable Walker that both men were on board and requested that he come at once to the railroad station, but he couldn't be found right away.

The account in the San Francisco Chronicle the next day reported that Terry slapped Field on his cheek.

Neagle announced to the 80 to 100 people in the dining room, "I am a United States Marshal and I defy anyone to touch me!"

Neagle provided a document issued by the U.S. Attorney General appointing him as a special Marshal to protect Field.

The United States Attorney in San Francisco filed a writ of habeas corpus for Neagle's release.

Neagle's defense was based on the letter from Miller to Marshal Franks, which gave him federal authority to act as a law enforcement officer.

On March 2, 1892,[22] she was found insane and committed at age 42 to the California Asylum at Stockton, where she lived for 45 years until her death.

[23][24] Sharon was buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery in San Francisco; and his remains were moved to Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California.

[25] The prolonged legal battle over the Sharon fortune was the inspiration for Eleazar Lipsky's novel The Devil's Daughter (1969).