Norwich bulletin., 1914-09-23
PLAINFIELD
Campaign Time Recalls Famous Pur- Joining of pr. Burgess Cannon Boom at Packer Postoffice.

The famous Dr. Burgess cannon was purchased by the democrats of thls town many years ago and III course of time came into the hands of the late Dr. Frank Burgess of Moosup, who guarded it with jealous care. Just prior to the Blaine-Cleveland presi- dential election in 1884 some of the Moosup republicans determined to get possession of the cannon and have some fun. The doctors hostler was not a good democrat and he forgot to lock the stable door one night and three boys Gold enough to know bet ter) worked harder than they ever did in their lives transferring the can non from the doctors barn to Edwin Miners premises.
 They called it a joke, but the doctor called it stealing. and something must be done, so two nights later three other boys Gold enough to vote), With a horse with muf11ed hoofs and wagon with muff1ed wheels, moved the can- non to a barn at A1myville, where It was hidden under the floor.
 Tn the meantime, to say the doctor was mad would be putting it mildly. Finally he centered his wrath on Ed. Miner and had him arrested and tried in a court at Central Village. MT. Mil ner proved his innocence to the satis- faction of the court Che being in Prov idence on the night in question: but not to the satisfaction of Dr. Burgess.
 A few months later the cannon took another midnight ride, and this time landed in a well On deserted farm On the Moosup pond road. There it re- mained for years-long after the death of Dr. Burgess-when a party of ''boys' who were growing gray picked it up and took it to the Almyville ma chine shop to be put in shape for the glorious Fourth. But the Hon. Edwin Milner had had the name and he was 1o od fo na he took the late A. B. Sprague into his confidence and the old cannon took another midnight ride and landed in the hands of MT. Sprague, who gen. erously loaned it for the Fourth. Where the old cannon is since the death of Mr.. Sprague is not known. Most of the actors in this joke are dead, but some remain who must look a little shamefaced when. while re- proving the boys of today for their pranks, memory asks Who stole the doctors cannon?"
 Local Notes.
 Walter Gladding of Providence spent Sunday at Samuel Whitfords, where Mrs. Gladding. has been for several weeks.
 MT. Greenwood and party caught 320 bullheads in Packer pond one night recently.
 Rush at Packer Postoffice.
 Business will now boom up at the little postoffice in Packer. During the last days of campaign the mails are usually heavily loaded from that point records. C. B. Montgomery has on the way 300 pounds of republican con- gressional matter to mail out and Saturday he made arrangements with a protective tariff association to fold, direct and mail 25.000 protective docu- ments, cards, novelties. etc. during the first two weeks of October. Packer might as well get a share of the po- litical mail as for it all to go to the city offices
 William H. Briggs. one of the Plain field railroad carpenters. is i'll.
 Hon. Richard Freeman of New Lon don, republican candidate for con gress; his brother W. Milton Free man, also of New London; Hon. Hoxie Lillibridge, candidate for Windham county sheriff, and Charles B. Bragg formed one of the many auto parties in town Sunday.
 Political Contests.
 The most interesting town contests this year appear to be those between Lawrence Krouss, republican, and James German, democrat, for assessor, and between James Ward of Waure- gan and Henry Dorrance of this vil- lage for board of education. There is also said to be fight on between S. A. Coffey and J. Arthur Elliott, two democrats, for selectman.
 William B. Beckley of Bridgeport, Thurman E. Slavic of Greenwich and William Kennedy of Port Chester, N. Y., made up an automobile party that passed through here Monday. James Dolan of Jewett City, Ernest Fox of Greeneville and Mrs. Shea of Jewett City were recent guests of J. Doyle of South Plainfield
 Mrs. Elmer E. Handy was a Sun day visitor in Packer, attending church | there.
 Three Sons in English Army. James Walker of Lawton Heights | has just received word from England | of three sons marched off to the war | His father, another brother and a friend arrived here just before King | George, wanted troops