Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-10-24
ONLY WOMAN
EVER lxNcHED

market town OF DoWDleNiiie, III h'ou
ern times the center OF rich mining
camp, rude and prosperous. But DOW
melville bears the unique and unsav-
ory reputation or having lynched a
woman There Is no other authentic
case like IL In Western history the
'chiyalry OF the pioneers might have
been selective. II was, as a rule. even
4 and INSCRIPTIONS. but in this case II
was lost in the sayagery and barbar-
ism which actuates a mod.
! The victim was a Mexican woman.
' by name Juanita, "a years old. she
was pretty and had dark skin and
hair OF her race. IL is said that her
character was net of the best. and she
was living in the house of monte
dealer. whose name has not come
down to us, and who stepped back and
let the mob take its course without
protest.
On the evening of the Fourth OF
July 1851, there vas a great celebra-
ton in Downieville. John b. Weller
candidate for Congress, had made
: speech from a platform raised in the
center OF the town. close to the hotel
Miners had come in from camps ana
diggings for miles up and down the
muddy length of the Yuba. and the
hllarity was great. Among others VINO
became exceedingly merry was Joe
Cannon, an Australian, who together
,, with two companions ranged through
the town drunk and jovial.
Cannon was one of the most popu-
lar men in the district. He Is de-
scribed as a cheerful easy going giant,
over six feet in height, weighing 24o
pounds. In their riotous course
through the cabin of Junita and the
monte dealer. Friends of the woman
declared that Cannon with brutal IAN
guage had attempted to break down
the door of the cabin. His friends
persisted that all he had done was 10
strike the door in a spirit OF upsy
revelry, and so powerful was the blow
Of the giant that he burst it from its
frail hinges. After this the men de-
parted. The next morning, whens Can
non had recovered his senses. he was
told of the damage he had done. he
at once declared his intention OF going
to the monte dealers cabin and pay
ing for the broken door.
1t was said by the Mexxicans that
whether or not he went TO the cabin
for the purpose of paying. ne renewed
his language OF the previous night,
and that Juanita. crouched in the COR
ner, had listened to it. still and hery-
eyed Whatever words passed. Can
non went to the doorway, where the
broken door hung loose. and, standing
with hand on either post, looked IN
to the cabin. Suddenly from the cor
ner where she. sat Juanita rose and
! rushed upon him. Before he could
move she had driven a knife hilt deep
into his chest. The force of the blow,
for one so small and fragile, was
amazing. 1t was given as Charlotte
Corday had struck hers that ended
the life of Narat-"sheer through the
clavicle into the lung"
Cannon fell where he stood, strick-
en- to death. He lived an hour. Two
thousand men stood about him as he
died, and then in body marched to
the house Of Junatia. She was ready
for them, made no plea for mercy and
showed not the least fear There was
stoical, almost cynical calm in the
manner she faced the situation that
added a last touch of horror 10 the
grisly performance She asked for a
few minutes delay until she arranged
her dress and made her will. This
latter she did verbally. and then, sur
rounded by the miners, she calmly
walked to the platform that had been
used the day before for the Fourth
OF July exercises. Here a travesty
of a trial was had. Juanita sitting
calmly and sometimes smiling in the
midst of her judges.
she camp was by this time in
frenzy Of excitement Some men re-
/, allied that one of the most barbour
acts in the history OF the far West was
about to be perpetrated. and vaily at
tempted to stem the tide DR.. c. d.
Aiken arose and testified that the wo-
man was not physically fit to be hang
ed. Before he could further explain
he was hauled down and thrown from
she r,fasforun A NJ Thaver Of Nevada