Arrest of Mahony

MAHONY

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 12/6/2007 at 20:15:03

Dubuque Herald, August 15, 1862:
The Arrest of Mr. Mahony-
Rumors of the possession, by certain authorities, of special orders to arrest Mr. Mahony had reached our ears as early as two weeks ago-rumors from sources which we knew were reliable.
On Thursday morning, about half past three o’clock, the family of Mr. Mahony was aroused by a loud knocking at the door, when, after it had been frequently repeated, his wife looked out the window to ascertain its object-Mr Mahony being in a sound sleep, having been up the night before in attendance on a Judicial Convention at Delhi. She was informed by the person at the door that he was Mr. Gregory, from Cedar Falls, who desired to see Mr. Mahony at the office on urgent business. She replied that it must be very urgent business, which could call he up at that hour, and she did not believe that he would come down. She then awoke him, whereupon he came to the window, and asked his visitor what was wanted, getting for an answer, as before, that it was urgent business, which must be at once attended to.
By this time two or three men, armed with muskets, became visible inside the yard, and from the back window others could be faintly discerned
Mr. Mahony, thinking that a mob had surrounded his house for the purpose of inflicting on him some personal indignity or injury, gave one shout to awaken the neighbors, and withdrew his head, when P. H. Conger, Deputy United States Marshal stepped forward and said to him that he was there to arrest him and that he must come down quietly and open the door. To this Mr. Mahony complied, telling him at the time that he should have considered it more the part of a gentleman had he made known the object of his errand at once, rather than by stratagem to attempt to entrap him.
Guarded by a file of soldiers, H. M. Hoxie, U. S. Marshal and Mr. Conger conducted him to the levee on board the steamer, Bill Henderson, where we saw him about 6 o’clock. He was arrested, we were informed, on the strength of the general order lately issued by the War Department, and by virtue of a special order, which the Marshal said he possessed, but would not exhibit. He was courteously treated and permitted to see his friends, of whom quite a number paid him a short visit. The affair got noised around on the streets by noon, producing a great excitement. Once in a while a few sneaking Abolitionists could be seen with merry countenances, laughing heartily at the success of the affair, and congratulating each other that a dangerous enemy was got rid of. There were but few such crowds however. The most of the men who heard it gave themselves up to a little reflection, with what results anybody who was a physiognomist could tell. In a time of profound peace, (here at least), where the courts were exercising their functions and proper cognizance could be taken of any violation of law, Mr. Mahony is arrested and without being made acquainted with the nature of his alleged offense is hurried away to imprisonment.
The boat was bound to Davenport where we understand were other political prisoners lying, awaiting transportation to Washington. One of them is C. C. Mann, late Democratic candidate for the office of Treasurer and Recorder of Polk County.
Mr. Mahony was perfectly resigned to his fate, and assured us that not one word of that which he had written or spoken could he be induced to retract. He was not guilty, and consoled himself with that.

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