San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-09-24

southern states as popular Indian
scout. Cannon is only 81 years of age,
but to look at him you would think that
he was much older. His hair is white.
his face is fnrrowed by the cares and
privation's Of his past life. and his
body is considerably bent. One leg is
permanently famed by bullet and
his body Is SCARED considerably by
many wounds received in
BATTLE WITH THE INDIANS.
Yet Cannon ia one of your jolly old
boys. Time may Outwardly effect such
as these, but their hearts and spirits are
kept verdant by their mate genialitv.
Cannon has n history that cannot fail
to be of interest to our citizens. He
was born and raised on the Cannon
homestead on lIOsOya street, in the lot
where DR.. lIadra resided prior
to his departure for Austin, and
which is now owned Jointly by
the Nette heirs and Sam Maverick The
| Cannon home stood in the open space
that now stands at the side Of the pres
ent house, all trace Of the old house has
long since passed away and there is not
n stone there to tell the story of the past.
| Fifty years ago the large George blocks
that now stand on the Alamo plaza was
not built, neither were the jacals that
| Il
| stead you could command fine view OF
| the Alamo, Its spacious grounds, and its
enclosure, and see all that was going on
at that building. When the
ALAMO WAS BEsTEGED,
| CannOn's father was one of its few he
roic defenders and Mrs Cannon, her two
| daughters and her sons were at the
homestead. 1t can well be imagined that
| tharn Qtinptinnafn WatRhpFg a thp
| Cannon homestead anxious for the fate
| of the father, and it can be readily I'M
derstOOd that the fathers eye was often
turned upon the happy homestead that
was soon to be dCsOlated by an historic
tragedy.
Mr.. Cannon and the LIGHT reporter
met Yesterday and had long talk ever
affairs upon the varied scenes indicated
and the details given in the fOrepart OF
| this article are based upon information
| furnished courteOusly by Mr.. Cannon.
The LIGHT will let Mr.. Cannon tell his
| own story, as to facts and circumstances
| connected with the Alamo, which If
true, throws another
LIGHT UPON THE HISTORY
| of those times:
IL was about seven years DID," said
| Mr.. Cannon, "when the Alamo was be-
sieged and taken by Santa Anna. That
| is 30 years ago, but my memory is as
clear as it can be, for the incidents of
| that time are indelibly engraved upon
my memory by the melancholy CirCum-
| stances. My poor father was in the
! Alamo and met death there. | know
this building well, for | visited father
here several times before the awful end.
| Here (pOinting to the first door on the
left hand side as you enter the Ala
MOI was Travis room, the next
room was the magazine, and
| further on was the dungeon,
or place for the confinement of
| prisoners. The first room upon the right
hand side Was the guard room. On the
| day upon which the capture was effect
ed watched all from the end of our lot.
The plaza was black with Mexicans,
who covered it and who created per-
feet babel. saw
A LADY AND A CHILD
brought out and placed upon horse.
| That was Mrs. Dickinson and the child
of the Alamo. Then they disappeared,
and know not where they went, but,
of course, it's well-known fact that
she was honOrably treated, and liber-
ated. Lieut.. Dickinson, her husband.
died In jumping. After an interval
three men were brought out, each held
by Mexicans, and from a distance it ap-
peared that they were then almost dead.
Some say that five were thus brought
out, but / am positive that there were
only three. These men were led to the
south side Of the Alamo, almost in front
of where the temporary police station
now stands. The first man brought out
wore q bright red scarf. That must have
been David Crockett, for he always wore
that scarf. They held him up and then
Mexican soldier approached and placed
musket near his body, aiming at the
region of the heart. There was
very loud report, the Mex
leans holding the heroic victim re-
leased their hold, and a corpse fell
with dull heavy thud upon the ground,
the two others were served in like
manner.
| Towards night the Indians swooped
| down upon our home and in a short time
after, my little mother, that's what al
ways call and think OF her, my two
sisters and my brother lay on the floor
OF that homestead,
| wELTER' sc ~ I'M r GORE,
so wantonly sacrificed by their murder
GUS fiends. They would have murdered
me, but Madame Candallaria, the aged
| biOAiCdn Lhul, huOHu W many VI OuI
citizens, saved me. A short time after
wards an Indian found me, put me on
his horse, and we went away. Mrs.
Hess and Mrs. John Albertson and child
were among the party captured that day
by Yellow VOLTS band. While we were
encamped on the banks of the Frio river,
| saw an Indian knock Mrs. Albertson
down with musket, and wantonly
butcher her. l could tell you many ex-
citing scenes of my life, but suppose
have told you enough for one day. But
before we part let US go over to see Lit
tie Mothers grave.
Mr.. Cannon and the LIGHT man
walked to the side of the old homestead
on Losoya street, and here Mr.. Cannon
pointed out the lines of the old home
stead and continued his story. Here
stood the house and here is the place
where understand good friends placed
the bodies of my beloved that they
| so FOUL Ky MURDERED.
Strange to say that in all the time that
has elapsed since those days, no one has
ever dared to build above their grave, al
though there are buildings all around it.
The lot is mine, but to-day will sign
| quit claim deed in favor of Mr.. Maver-
lex, on the condition that he will reserve
| the little lot that contains their graves
as sacred. | have an ardent wish to see
monument erected there, and fervent
desire that when my end comes
may rest In the same place and my ashes
commingle with those l love. Oh my
| poor murdered little mother, my sister
| and my brother, you were foully dealt