But again, how is it that every single biographer of Taney did not include this claim in any of their works on the Chief Justice? If there was a shred of truth behind it one would think that they would have detailed it. But none of them have.
Taney wouldn’t have known of an arrest warrant since it was never served, so it wouldn’t have been mentioned in any of his papers. Unless his biographers knew of Ward Lamon’s memoir they likely wouldn’t know of it at all.
Moreover its existence is controversial. The only mention of a warrant for Taney’s arrest is in Lamon’s memoir. It has some credence because Lamon was someone whom Lincoln would use for such a task. Lincoln had appointed him US Marshal for DC and he was around Lincoln all the time. Lincoln could certainly have been angry enough with Taney, for the Merryman decision as well as Dred Scott. But Lamon’s sole testimony is a thin thread so there’s room for doubt.