The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-12-09
From the Dubuque Tribune.
TRIAL AND EAECt TIOS OF PATRICK
O,CONNOR, AT TIE DUBUQUE
MINES.
BIZ A SPECTATOR.

Ia giving a detailed historical account q
the trial and execution OF Patrick OCon
nnr, at the Dubuque Mines, IN the summer
ot 1884, we are aware that there are
many persons stili living who participated
IN bringing about coasumInalion OF Jus
tice on that occasion; rs we'll as many wht
were witnesses OF the solemnlty attending
its closing scene. And as the account we
design giving Is based entirely upon ouf
recollection Of the affair, and OF those
primitive days OF border settlement, II
doubtless may contain sone error. Ii THIS
should be the case, we invite correction
OF the same; as the object we have in view
| is TO record true historical account OF al
the circumstances attending the same.
Soon after the Treaty between the U. 5
and the Sac and Fox Indians in 1882
which resulted in the extingulshment O
| Indian title to the la nds embraced 10 the
present staleot Iowa, permanent mining
locations and settlements began 10 be
made iE the vicinity OF the present City ol
Dabnoue; and at The close OF The winter oI
! 1884, Congress attached The country ac,
auired under the Treaty to the Territory
ot Michigan for Election and Judicial pur
poses.
Up to that period, no Judicial tribunals
existed in the country, except those ere al
ed BY the people for special purposes -
Difficulties Of civil character were usu.
sliy settled by arbitration; while those oil 3
criminal character were investigated by 8
Jury composed of twelve men, and when
condemnation was agreed upon the yer
dict Of guilty was accompanied by the sen
tence. Such was the judicial character 0
the Special Terms of Court which were
held at that time in what was known as the
| Back Hawk Purchase.
And now tor the subject Of this Memoir.
Patrick O'Connor was born in the yea
lofl795, in the county OF Cork, Ireland
emigrnted to the u. S. in the year 1926
and soon after arrived a, Galena, in the
State Of H., whore he embarked in mining
operations. Having fractured his left ee
j ia the Fall of 1923, on board OF steam
4 boat in Ferre river, il was found necessa
fy to amputa,e the limb, which operation
was performed BY Dr.. Pnlleo, Of Galena.--
In this situation O'Connor became an oh
jecl OF charity and public regard. A sub
scriplion paper was put in Circulation
among the miners and citizens of Galena
aud liberal donations OF money subscribed
for his support. In the course OF time, ne
was enabled to get about with the assist
ance of a wooden leg, when he began Il
display a brawllng and qusrrelsome dis
position which soon rendered him no long
er an object Of public sympathy. And il
order to awaken renewal of public feel
ing 10 his behalf, lie set fire to his cabin il
!. Gaiena, which came near destroying con
tsuous buildings filled with valuable prop
erty. The fraud was detected, and ex
posed by Mr.. John Brophy, towards whom
lUConnor ever after entertained deadly
|hatred, and declared determination t.
kill him. While passing the Grocery Q
Mr.. Brophy, at Galena in the evening
soon after, O'Connor fired the contents o
a loadcd gun through the door with tn
view Of killing Brophy. Falling toaccom
pIish his object, and being threatened witt
some Of the provisions of Lynch Law, h'
left Galena and came TO tho Dubuqu
Mines in the Fall Of 1883, where he enter
ed into mining partnership with Georg
O'Keate, also Il native OF Ireland
O'Keaic was an Industrious, sober and in
tie ligcnt young man, about % years olt
: land much respected by all who knew hin