Hi June,
This is an article from “The San Francisco Call,” from January 11, 1900. I had never previously heard mention about this cannon, but will start asking around.
From John Vonderlin
Email John ([email protected])
PESCADERO’S PET CANNON STOLEN
January 11, 1900 The San Francisco Call
A Special Dispatch to the Call
REDWOOD CITY, Jan. 10 The citizens of Pescadero were greatly surprised last Thursday morning when they learned the brass cannon which has been one of the chief ornaments of the city for the last thirty years, had mysteriously disappeared in the night. Constables of nearby towns were notified and watched the roads carefully.
Constable Wagner, of San Mateo, on receiving notice of the theft, set out for Spanishtown. He had not proceeded far before he found two young men who had the captured gun carefully concealed in a wagon. They gave their names as Fred Lummis and John Rose, and their residence as Haywards. (sic) They said they had seen the gun beside the road and thinking it had no owner placed it in the wagon.
The young men are of respectable appearance and had considerable money in their possession. They have retained a lawyer to defend them and the citizens of the little town are rejoicing at the recovery of their noisy toy.
The gun was purchased thirty years ago for $250 and its voice has been heard at every celebration in the little town since that date.
—————–
—————–
While the correspondent seemed to be unsure whether the cannon was a noisy toy, a cannon or a gun and couldn’t decide if Pescadero was a liitle town or a city, I was glad to know the defendants were of respectable appearance. But, that might be because my brother is watching a documentary on the “Dapper Don,” or the “Teflon Don,” John Gotti, near enough for me to be distracted.
I’m going to ask some of the history buffs of Pescadero, if they’ve ever heard of this or the custom of shooting the cannon off during celebrations. So far, I can find no other mention in the Newspaper Archives of what obviously wasn’t the “Trial of The Century, (even though it was in January of 1900) but will keep looking.” Enjoy. John