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Collection: Directories and Documents > Pamphlets
Juanita - The only woman lynched in the Gold Rush days (PH 20-9)(1967) (36 pages)
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Page: of 36
several other passengers climbed out and dusted themselves off. The Star reporter wrote that he arrived in
Downieville “somewhat dilapidated ’tis true, from the
effects of our journey, but the sight of the stars and
stripes and of a multitude of people, each fired with
patriotism in commemorating the anniversary of our
nation’s birth, soon gave us new energy, and caused us
to forget the fatigues and hair-breadth ’scapes of the
day, and to join, as heartily as the best Downievillian
of them all, in re-baptizing by immersion the memory
of our glorious ancestors, and bringing fresh before
us their wonderful achievements.” It was a long-winded
declaration, but pretty well caught the spirit of the
occasion.
Afternoon turned into evening and evening into
night as the roistering miners continued the celebration
by the light of whale-oil lamps. Fred Cannon was as
popular along the Yuba River as any miner you could
name, and that night he was certainly as drunk as the
next man. Sometime after midnight, he reached the
apologetic stage of inebriation and searched out an
erstwhile friend with whom he had had a difficulty. The
two made up and drank several bottles of champagne
while each tried to out-do the other in singing ribald
songs.* They soon felt the need of some fresh air and
Cannon, amannamed Lawson, and another miner named
Charley Getzler staggered out of the saloon and down
the street. Arm-in-arm they threaded and jostled their
way through the crowded streets and along the board
sidewalks. Whether by design or chance, they were
opposite the entrance to Josefa’s cabin, when Cannon
fell against the door, tearing it from its flimsy leather
hinges and casting him sprawling into the house. He
laughingly lurched to his feet and picking up a scarf
from the floor, tied it around his neck.
What happened at this moment is a disputed point
in California history. Some maintained that Cannon intentionally broke down the door with the idea of making
advances to Josefa. It was even asserted that he had
been fruitlessly pursuing her for some time, but that
she had spurned his attentions. Whatever the truth, it
is definitely known that Josefa was in the room when
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