The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-05-02
AN INrEREsrING OLD GUN.


 Ject of Curiosity to Strangers-W Wouldn't
 Celebrate for Democrats-Last Used in
 the Campaign of 's4-Said to Have Been
 Formerly Rebel Cannon.
 Orange, Conn.,, May Many pas sengers on the Berkshire division of the Consolidated road, between New Haven and Derby, have seen the old cannon which lies between the track and the grocery store of Scobie Bros, across the street from the depot. This old cannon has been noticed by great many for the postmaster frequently receives letters from antiquarians and relic hunters in different sections of New England, one man even writing from Philadelphia to inquire it's history and to find out if he could buy it. Just how this old cannon came to be lying in it's present lowly and unhonor- ed position seems to be a mystery, though there as several romantic and thrilling rumors connected with it. The correct one is believed to be that it was condemned by 8 rebel ordnance inspec- tor, and at the close Of the late war was bought and sent north by an Anso- nia company. Several republicans of Orange afterwards cluhbed together and bought it to celebrate some repub- lican victory. This seemed to raise the envy of the democratic faction and they swore a goodly oath that the re- publicans should never fire it in honor of a republican triumph The repuhIi- cans, however, closely guarded their pet, and its resonant voice was heard after every party victory or at the more patriotic Fourth of July celebrations. 1 Party seeling ran high in 1884 and the | democrats determined they would have | the cannon. or bust Just how they | proceeded to capture it has always been a party secret, but capture it they did, and hid it in the hay mow on the farm | of George Short. The republicans searched high and low for their cannon, dragging the river and even turned up several acres of the turf around the green. Their search was unrewarded, however, and they mourned the loss as party calamity, little dreaming that the democrats were secretly laying in l a store oe ammunition, and that they would hear their pets voice raised in l impotent protest, rolling from hill to l hill across the valleys and meadows l of the town proclaiming a democratic administration, for when the news of 1 Cleveland's election was confirmed a l party of democrats proudly trotted out the cannon mounted it on the wheels of an OK cart and proceeded to perforate the atmosphere and break the windows of the farm houses, the patent medicine bottles on the shelves of the Country l grocery store, as well as the peaceful | slumbers of the sorrowful republicans. 1 But the cannon was republican; it kicked about the celebration, as only an 1 obstinate cannon can, and finally it got hot over the matter and proceeded to | go off itself Just how it happened will never be known for George Short, who was thumbng the piece, declares he never moved his thumb from the firing hole, but there was an explosion l as they were ramming down the turf, and Will Nolon, H. l.. Taylor, w. L.. Beecher were badly burned and filled | with powder F. J. Rourke, another | prominent democrat, had his clothes al- most all blown off. None of them were badly injured but certain it is that the democratic party in the town has never recovered from the shock, and the cannon, which had always acted | so becomingly at the republican meet l ings was hauled to it's present resting l place where it has been lying ever | since.
 It ought to be mounted and placed in the center oe the green, but as no one knows to whom it belongs it will prob ably remain in it's present position till the action of time and the elements have destroyed it's resemblance to the old fashioned artillery.
 Experts who have examined it say it is of a model far more ancient than any that were used in the late war.