Illinois Cannon Found

[J. Donaldson]

I couldn't think of a better way to title the thread, but the Illinois State Military Museum has recently recovered a cannon missing from their collection through the help of the FBI.

Story here.

Apparently the gun was borrowed in the 1970s for a reenactment and never returned. Has anyone heard of this before?

[The Egyptian Homeguard]

Re: Illinois Cannon Found

Yea, sadly it's true that the Illinois government was stupid enough to loan stuff like that out... now they're just stupid about other things...
From the Southern Illinois end of the state. TEH

[fortdonelsonrelics]

Re: Illinois Cannon Found

Actually - it was found with the help of two relic dealers. The FBI would have never known about it if those guys would have never contacted them.

John Walsh

[Dan Wambaugh]

Re: Illinois Cannon Found

I would be really interested to hear the back story on how/why it was stolen and how/why it was found. The above article seemed to have everything except the actual story of the loss and finding of the cannon.

[fortdonelsonrelics]

Re: Illinois Cannon Found

I believe the names were withheld due to embarrasment from the family - per request of them.

However, family member inherits gun after death (not knowing its history), family member doesn't want gun, gun attempts to get sold, (all cannons are on a registry owned and stolen), gun shows up stolen, FBI is contacted.

John Walsh

[David Fox]

Re: Illinois Cannon Found

If the tube was initially borrowed with consent for a reenactment (or whatever) and not returned, under the law it wasn't 'stolen', per se. The offense would be criminal conversion. ...The Old Judge.

[fortdonelsonrelics]

Re: Illinois Cannon Found

I guess, then, it would be interesting to know - if the guy was still alive and it was found that he had it - could charges had been pressed?

John Walsh

[Dan Wambaugh]

Re: Illinois Cannon Found

Would even the statute of limitations have expired in this case?

[Brian Baird]

Re: Illinois Cannon Found

Dan & John,
Unless Illinois has changed it's laws, the statute of limitations for property in Illinois is 7 years.
Brian Baird

[David Fox]

Re: Illinois Cannon Found

Regardless of the criminal possibilities, title to this sort of property remains with the true owner. You'll recall that in recent years North Carolina recovered an orignial 1776 copy of the Declaration of Independence which, as I recall, had been liberated and went north in the closing days of the Civil War. Which raises the question: what IS legitimate war booty?