Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-06-06
A SCRAP OF HISTORY.
The Killing of J. J. Anthony in the
Arkansaw House Of Repre-.
sentatives.
An Account OF the ARRAY Read
Before the Historical Society.

WASHINGTON, HEMPsTEAD CO.. ARK. I
t August l, 1879. J
Hon. G. B. Moore, Secretary Of Arkansaw
Historical Society:
Z DEAR SIR:-In compliance with the
l request contained in your favor of the
24th Of June, ult., l submit the fol-
lowing as my recollection of the cir
oumstances connected with the diff
Guilty, which resulted in the killing Of
the Hon. j. j. Anthony, in the hall
of the House of Representatives, Of
the State of Arkansaw, by the Hon.
John Wilson, Speaker Of the House, on
the 4th day OF December, in the year
1887:
Mr.. Anthony was Representative
in the General Assembly from the
county of Randolph. He was a gen.
tleman of fair education and more
than ordinary intelligence, and some
what inclined to be very dictatorial in
matters connected with the trans
actions of the business before the
General Assembly. Mr.. Wilson was
a Representative from the county of
Clark, and, at the.time, Speaker Of the
House.
When the representatives met in
the hall or the morning of the fourth
of December, 1887, the Speaker, Colo.
mel Wilson, was not present, and some
member Of the House was called tenn
porarily to the Speakers chair to serve
during his absence. 1t was known to
some of the members of the House, as
we'll as to manyof the citizens of Little
Rock, that a difficulty existed between
Colonel Wilson and the Hon. Robert
McCamy, aSenator from the county of
Washington, growing out of remarks
made by McCamy in regard to Colonel
Wilson's capacity, etc., as President
of the Real Estate Bank, to which
position he had then very recently
been elected. A ~belligerent CORES.
pondence was had between them, but,
through the interposition of friends,
without going to the field of honor.
Wilson's absence from the House was
caused by his being engaged in settling
the difficulty between himself and
McCamy. Wilson was not an edu.
Gated man, but a very fine parliamen
t%arian-a gentleman of good common
sense, possessing a high sense Of honor,
perfectly fearless, and a most honora-
BILE, honest and high-minded gentle
man.
There had been a short time previ-
GUS to this a very hot contest between
A. H. Davies, Of Chicot county, and
Roswell Beabe of Pulaski county, for
the Presidency OF the Real Estate
Bank. They we're both gentlemen Of
high character and standing, and
admirably qualified for the position,
being finely educated and possessing
great financial ability. Their friends
and supporters were equally divided,
and consequently neither could be
then elected. 1t was very necessary
at the time that the bank should have
a President, and Colonel Wilson was
elected to that position for a tempo
rary purpose. he was wholly unqual-
fled for the position, and so regarded
himself, and only took the place tenn
porarily, in order to facilitate the
operations OF the institution. He was
a stakeholder in the bank, and a zeal
Gus friend ofthe institution.
Mr.. McCamy aud Mr.. Anthony
we're both opposed to the bank, aud
were on very intimate terms.
Some time after the organization of
the House, on the morning of which l
speak. Col. Wilson came in and re.
sumed his seat as Speaker. The first
business, / think, hat was transacted
after he took his seat was the recep.
ton of a message from the Senate,
announcing the passage of certain bills
by that body, among which was "a
bill to encourage the killing of Evolves,
and one clause of which provided for
the payment of three dollars for each
wolf scalp, produced to some Justice
of the Peace of the county in which
the wolf was killed, the same to be
paid by the county treasurer, upon the
production Of the proper receipt from
the Justice Of the Peace. This bill
was tsken up and read a first time,
when the rules Of the House we're sus
pended and the bill read a second aud
a third time. A motion was then
made to lay the bill on the table, which
motion was decided in the negative
Mr.. Pelham, a representa- re from In.
dependence county, then moved to
amend the bill by striking out the
word county" and inserting the
word State so as to make
the amount paid for wolff
scalps payable out of the State treasu-
~ instead Of the county treasury,
This proposition produced a very live
ly excitement in the House, and the
yeas and nays boing demanded, the
proposed amendment was adopted by
a vote Of % in the affirmative to 20 in
the negative.
Mr.. A. H. Davies, Of Chicot, a very
intelligent and influential member,
was very much opposed to the passage
Of the bill in its amended form. and
proposed to further amend it by the
addition Of another section, declaring
that all wolf scalps, SO produced and
proven, should be good currency
throughout the State, and receivable
in payment Of all public dues, etc.
Mr.. holland. Of Independence, then
moved to amend the proposed amend.
ment Of Mr.. Davies, by requiring the
certificate of the Justice Of the Peace,
before whom the scalp was proven, to
accompany the scalp when 50 used as
currency.
Mr.. Anthony then proposed to
amend this proposition by striking
out the word Magistrate, and 10.
sorting in its place the words, "the
President Of the Real Estate Bank
of Arkansas"
The speaker very promptly asked
Mr.. Anthonyif he intended to be per-
sonal. Anthony made no reply, but
assumed rather a naughty and defiant
air. The Sneaker then reouestad him