The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1867-07-04
ARCH SPECTACLE.

ARCH SPECTACLE. /
A Dubuque Official IN a Tight Place
Il Wceping Woman Kneels Before
Him IN the Public Streets, Insisting
that he Shall surrender her Child
Something over a week since q
scene of peculiar and astounding zig
nificance took place IN the pnAic
streets of villagein Iowa., "naineIess
| here for ever more," bit situated on
the western shore of the Mississippi.
The parties to the drama were a high
official residing in Dubuque city, and
a woman from an adjoining county. |
The circumstances Of the case plainly
indicated that the aforesaid official
was earnestly endeavoring to get rid
of the. woman while the woman was
equally determined not to be got rid
!. of, His thin white hair foated in
the breeze from under the well worn
that SO well known IN Dubuque his
fcoIintenance, usually smiling, serene
/ and placid, bore evidence OF deep per-
plexity and keen vexatioq. The wo
man shawlless and bonnet-less, with
[.iisheveled hair and clothing, tears
streaming from her blood shot eyes
and rolling down. her haggard checks,
was clinging to the coat-tail Of our
\ venerable fellow-citizen, imploring
him to marry her, for he would not
do that, at least to surrender their
]. child to her protection. 20, Judge
Burt!" she exclaimed, s'My dear Mr..
i Burt! Is all my love in vain 7 has
!. Eall my trust been only in a broken
reed? Have you no word Of kindness
for me even when you behold my
pride bowed, in the dust at your feet?
, Gh, Mr.. Burt ! If you have no love
4 left for me, if you have one grain of
, pity for me, if ever you dare hope for
, pardon for sin and JOY in heaven, at
least give me back my child! | know
, it is as much yours as mine-but yon
J have other friends while am friend
: less; the world rs before you; but my
only friend, Y world, is my child
t Dear Judgel 1fit were a case before
+ you in court, and a poor betrayed
? woman who had loved not wisely but
!; too well, would you not decide that
j. 1.-THE poor forsaken mothersnould have
. the child? O., Judge, I never will
I; Ecomplain Of the past, 1 will never
81 trouble you any more, | will only
Q pray for you through all the future
Q if you will give me my child !"
It was a scene TO wiring the hard
4 est heart. We have become 80 &C
. customcd to beholding the wreck o
: hitherto unspotted regulations, t.
r witnessing high names in churchant
Q state black cned with infamy, that i
5 seems asif there were little chanc,
e for anything to occur that could sur
O. prise u.s. yet when such Il scene as W.
n have feebly portrayed above trans
=. pires, in which the name Of one Q
J" our most prominent officials is impli
g Gated, a man as. high in society, il
Is station, shudder strikes through tn,
o community, and we feel as it tn,
it foundations Of social morality wer,
If again resolving themselves into Chao
IS and Night. ,iti0
e We doubt not that our readers vii
It be gratitied to learn the particular
g Of the circumstances to which tn,
r above described s. enc was the Sc
n ,quel; and as impartial chronielcrs o
passing events, we feel it our duty t
o narrate them without fear or favor
;o Last week Sheriff Mahony took al
d insane girl from Dubuque to the lu
IL matte asylum at Mt, Pleasant. On III,
d same train went the sheriff Of wes-
2. tern county, also with an insane wo-
o man in charge. On the routethc lat
6 ter woman acquired a strong liking
T. for Sheriff Mahohy and the girl
70 Furthermore, the idea took possession
,e of her crazy head that he was love.
le Of hers, who had betrayed her trus
a. in him, and that the young lady il
h his charge was their daughter. ,Sh
did not know his name, but havin,
le heard the two sheriffs in their con.
d varsation say somethingabout "Judg
j, Burt" her bewildered wits assume.
o that to be Sheriff Mahony's name
., and she addressed him accordingly
d When part way to Mt. Pleasant tn
o sherlffs separated to take differen
" routes, whereupon the crazy woman
n deemed it was her lover forsakins
g her and taking away their child; ant
Is hence the scene we have described.
It'll Both lunatics were .tinally,safcly i'm
s. INJURED in the asylum, and both ,sher
l. IFS returnee safely me-Sheritf Ma
IS hony doubtless devoutly hoping tina
d if the time ever should come whel
o such applications can rightfully b,
It addressed to him, he may be agar
., mistaken for Judge Burt, Tor any
J. other man Dubuque Herdld.
"