They then hurried me off, put me in a wagon without serving any process, and were for hurrying me off without letting me see or bid farewell to my family or friends, or even allowing me time to get my hat or clothes, or even suffer my wife or children to bring them to me. I then said, "Gentlemen, if you have any legal process, I wish to obtain a writ of habeas corpus," and was answered,—"G— d— you, you shan't have one." They still continued their punching me on both sides with their pistols.
Brutality of the Arrest.
Markham then sprung and seized the horses by the bits, and held them until my wife could bring my hat and coat. Reynolds and Wilson again threatening to shoot Markham, who said, "There is no law on earth that requires a sheriff to take a prisoner without his clothes." Fortunately at this moment I saw a man passing, and said to him, "These men are kidnapping me, and I wish a writ of habeas corpus to deliver myself out of their hands." But as he did not appear to go, I told Markham to go, and he immediately proceeded to Dixon on horseback, where the sheriff also proceeded with me at full speed, without even allowing me to speak to my family or bid them good bye. The officers held their pistols with the muzzles jamming into my side for more than eight miles, and they only desisted on being reproached by Markham for their cowardice in so brutally ill-treating an unarmed, defenseless prisoner. On arriving at the house of Mr. McKennie, the tavern-keeper, I was thrust into a room and guarded there, without being allowed to see anybody; and fresh horses were ordered to be ready in five minutes.
I again stated to Reynolds, "I wish to get counsel," when he answered, "G— d— you, you shan't have counsel: one word more, G— d— you, and I'll shoot you." "What is the use of this so often?" said I. "I have repeatedly told you to shoot; and I now tell you again to shoot away!" I saw a person passing and shouted to him through the window, "I am falsely imprisoned here, and I want a lawyer." Lawyer Edward Southwick came, and had the door banged in his face, with the old threat of shooting him if he came any nearer.
Another lawyer (Mr. Shepherd G. Patrick) afterwards came and received the same treatment, which began to cause considerable excitement in Dixon.
A Mr. Lucien P. Sanger asked Markham what was the matter, when he told him all, and stated that the sheriff intended to drag me away immediately to Missouri, and prevent my taking out a writ of habeas corpus.
The Timely Interference of Mr. Dixon.
Sanger soon made this known to Mr. Dixon, the owner of the house, and his friends, who gathered around the hotel door, and gave Reynolds to understand that if that was their mode of doing business in Missouri, they had another way of doing it in Dixon. They were a law-abiding people and Republicans, and gave Reynolds to understand that he should not take me away without giving me the opportunity of a fair trial, and that I should have justice done me; but that if he persisted in his course, they had a very summary way of dealing with such people.
The Prophet's Appeal to the People of Dixon.
Cyrus H. Walker.