When Pigs Flew

By Evan J. Albright

Although Cape Cod would be named for a once-plentiful fish, what this sandy peninsula has truly been famous for has been a completely different, yet equally edible animal -- the pig.

In the 1800s, Cape Cod was renowned for an unusual breed known as the "striped pig." This curious creature was usually exhibited around the numerous Methodist camp meetings, where the faithful from all over New England would flock to Cape Cod to worship and pray. At some point during these pious proceedings, a devout pilgrim could expect to be approached by a stranger and asked if he desired to see the famous "striped pig." If the camp meeting follower agreed, he was led into the woods or taken by dory to an anchored ship where he could see with his own eyes this marvelous creature.

Many a woman at these camp meetings could testify as to the power viewing the striped pig had on their husbands. They would return from these exhibitions unable to walk upright or speak clearly. Their faces would be flushed for hours, and they would smell a little mediciny.

The local constabulary regularly shut down striped pig shows, possibly because the animal was being exhibited without a permit. In August 1848, a Boston man who exhibited the animal near the Eastham meeting grounds was brought before the judge and fined $20. According to the Yarmouth Register, the man told the court he had ample means to "liquidate" his debt to society, but took 30 days in jail instead, so that he would "bring disgrace upon his persecutors."

Pigs often played an important part in Cape Cod’s legal history. There is a famous story told of Nymphas Marston, a lawyer and judge of the 1800s, who once defended a man charged with theft of a pig. Marston told the jury that this had been a case of mistaken identity, that his client had a spotless reputation, that he was a hard worker and honest in his dealings with others. Marston’s plea was so eloquent and persuasive, that the jury deliberated only a few minutes before finding his client not guilty. Once the verdict was announced, the defendant turned to Marston and asked, "So what do I do with the pig?"

"Eat it," Marston replied. "The jury has found you did not steal it."

It was too bad Judge Marston had been dead more than 50 years when John "Cyclone" Antone was brought up on charges of stealing a pig. In the early fall of 1937, Antone told police an amazing tale. He had been sleeping in his small cottage in East Harwich when he awoke to the sounds of someone or something knocking at his door. When Antone called out, he got no answer. He knew right then who it was -- ghosts.

Antone told police he had been bothered by spirits before, so he knew what to do. He got out of bed, crossed himself, then picked up his shotgun and tied a white handkerchief to the barrel. He quietly slipped outside and, to his horror, he saw a diaphronous white form in his yard. Antone gave the evil shade both barrels of the shotgun, and in the hazy moonlight watched the ghost drop like bleached gunny sack of potatoes.

The ghost turned out to be one of his neighbor’s pigs. Police suspected that the only spirits Antone had been bothered by had come out of a bottle (the ghost slayer had recently been convicted of drunk driving). They believed Antone had cooked up the story of the ghost pig to explain his theft of the animal.

Not content with charging Antone with theft, Officer Lawrence Homer searched the law books for an hour and discovered a statute for "pig murder." Antone, who was not only superstitious but also a poor lawyer, pleaded innocent to larceny of a pig, but accepted a guilty plea to the murder charge. Larceny would have sent him to jail for a month; for pig murder, he faced up to five years in prison and a fine of $1,000.

The most famous Cape Cod pig of all was "Juker," owned by Andrew Gomes. For years, Juker delighted the people of Falmouth. He could frequently be seen doing tricks or pulling a little wagon to and from the store for his master. In 1929, Hollywood discovered Juker and starred him in probably the first "talkie" to ever feature a pig. His groundbreaking performance certainly paved the way for later porcine actors, such as "Arnold" on the television series "Green Acres," and more recently, the title character in the Academy Award nominated film, "Babe."

© 1998 Mystery Lane Press

rev/ 4/17/01