History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/John Mahin
JOHN MAHIN was born on the 8th of December, 1833, at Noblesville, Indiana. He learned the printer's trade in the office of the Bloomington (now Muscatine) Herald in 1847. In 1851 the name of the Herald was changed to the Muscatine Journal and in July, 1852, Mr. Mahin became its editor, a position which he has held for nearly fifty years. In 1856 the daily edition was established; it was first a Whig and later a Republican paper and one of the firm, unflinching advocates of temperance. In 1872 Mr. Mahin was elected on the Republican ticket one of the Representatives in the Legislature. He served many years as postmaster of Muscatine and was for a time Inspector of the Post-Office Department. In 1888 he was nominated by the Republican State Convention for Railroad Commissioner but was defeated by a few votes for a candidate who was more acceptable to the railroad companies of the State. Mr. Mahin was one of the most fearless and uncompromising foes of saloons and in his warfare upon the liquor traffic had incurred the enmity of the liquor league. On the night of May 10, 1893, his residence was destroyed by dynamite placed under it by conspirators in the interest of the saloons of the city. Two other residences belonging to persons who had been active in trying to enforce the prohibitory law were destroyed. Threats had been repeatedly made against the men who were active in prosecuting the violators of the law and on the night of the destruction of the homes they were occupied by the families consisting of eighteen persons, mostly women and children. While the homes were wrecked, the inmates fortunately escaped the horrible fate intended for them. Arrests were made and one of the wretches, Matt Woods, was proved to have been the person who threw one of the bombs. He was sent to the penitentiary for ten years. He refused to divulge the names of the other conspirators and they escaped punishment. Mr. Mahin's loss was about $6,000 but it did not silence his war upon the saloon lawbreakers.