Excitement at Silvia Switch

DELANEY, ALEXANDER, MALLOY

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 4/10/2009 at 23:18:32

Maquoketa Excelsior
August 11, 1898

Silvia Switch, that little station on the narrow gauge, just across the line in Dubuque county, has excitement enough to chronicle, and, the post office and postmaster figure conspicuously in all the excitement. It is not long since the post office was broken into and robbed and last Sunday night there was another attempt to break into it. Two fellows named Delaney and Alexander, both of Otter Creek, this county, were in Silvia Switch that night and intoxicated. Phil. Malloy is postmaster and keeps a general store. He didn’t want the fellows in his place of business and locked the door on them, when they proceeded at once to force an entrance with clubs, rocks etc. Malloy immediately opened fire with a rapid-fire gun and shot Delaney in the leg, which put an end to the assault. Malloy immediately telephoned to Dubuque, telling what he had done and saying he would give himself up. The sheriff of Dubuque county went and got him next day and he was to have had his preliminary hearing today. He will undoubtedly be cleared.