El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-03-18
NJ 'G|NTY GUN
TAKEN By
REBELS
General Belief Is That In
,surrectos Have Ell Paso's
Historic Cannon.
BLUE WHISTLER
OF VAL VERDE
Captured by Confederates,
Bought in for Macmillan,
Saluted Presidents.

The blue whistler" the old brass
McGinty club cannon which has been
guarding the city hall has been stolen
It disappeared late FRIDAY night and
was last seen skidding along behind
an automobile when was speeding
down the county road. presumably on
its way to join the insurrecJo army as
the first unit OF an artillery force
The cannon. which is the property
Of the Pioneers association, has been
standing in the small park west Of the
CITY hall since the 1910 annual picnic
OF the Pioneers association At the
picnic the cannon was on display at
Washington park It had been taken
from the rear OF D. W Reckharts
assay office for this annual occasion
and afterwards was placed in front or
the city hall as a relic OF the old FL
Paso When the irsurrecto troubls
started a strong chain was placed
around the cannon and it was fastened
to the drinking fountain This chain
was no hindraree to the kidnapers
of the old cannon. however, for it was
missing Saturday morning when the
city hall employees came TO work
Were Originally L. :. Artillery.
The stolen field piece was original
" q part Of the United States federal
artillery. which participated in the
battle of Val Verde near San Mar
eial. n NJ. during the Civil war It
was made in \ IS IN the Springfield.
Mass, arsenal for the use OF the Unit
Z ed States government II was sent to
the southwest with the United States
artillery troops at the beginning OF
the civil war. according to D. w
Rsckhart. 1t was captured with It's
mate the five FOUNDER by Mai. Teal.
- 81 70
at Val Verde A number OF the can
ncn which were captured by the
COnfedsrates were buried in New Mex
leo, as il was Impossible 10 transport
them. The blue whistler" a name
the federal soldiers had given it be-
cause It emitted a blue smoke and
the balls whistlsd loudly when it was
discharged. was not among those
buried and after the war il was
brought to Ell Paso and sold at auc-
ton by the United States govern
ment-
Bought for .Haxfmflfan.
Samuel and Joseph Schultz. think
ing that they could dispose OF the
field piecc to the army OF emperor
macmillan. the operating in Next
&C. bought the two cannon. paying
$1,000 each for them. according to Mr.
Reckhart- The Macmillan war In
Mexico was stopped by president Jua-
rez and the expected sale OF the brass
pieces was called off The cannon
We're then stored in the basement OF
the building which stood where. the
Lorgwen stables now stand. and left
there until they were presented TO the
McGinty club by Joseph ard Samuel
Schultz and were made a part Of the
McGinty artillery. the other field piece
being a steel cannon which was made
by W. n Small from a piece OF steel
shaftisg. These cannon were used
for firing salutes by the McGinty
club.
When president Benjamin Harrison
and president Mckinley were IN Ell
PasO. the artillerymSn of the famous
FL Paso Organiza ton loaded the old
guns TO the muzzle and fired a presi-
Dental salute that is still rUmbling
around in the Franklin mountains. the
McGintyites say
Fired When War Declared.
The last time the csnnonz were fired
was when president Mckinley declared
war on SPAIN Seventeen minutes after
the declaration of war was signed by
the president the McGinty club met
in a body on McGinty hill and fired
the old field pieces until they were so
hot they could not be handled.
After the McGinty club disbanded
in 1903. the two big brass cannon
were presented by the McGinty club
to d. ". Reckhart its president. The
five inch gun and the small steel one.
which is the personal property OF Mrs
Reckhart were placed on exhibition
at the Pioneers exhibit in the cham
Der of commerce On the muzzle OF
the five inch gun are dark stains
which, it is claimed. are the blood