The Green Forest tribune., 1912-08-02

reSentdtlNeS ana Will use IudL TOOn as an exhibit hall. He is at work now, through his agents, gathering an eX- hibit of agricultural products from every county in the state and hopes to have the exhibit complete by next fall
 The State Museum Association, at it's own expense, has fitted up three rooms, which are used as headquarters for the association and for the various chapters of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and other organiza- tions of that character. These rooms are occupied subject to the will of the next legislature.
 The history of the old statehouse IS closely interwoven with that of the state since Arkansas was admitted to the union as state in 1886. The con struction of the capitol was begun three years before that time, during the administration of Gov. Pope, the last territorial governor. The site chosen for the 5tatehouse was declar- ed at that time by Gov. Pope to be one of the most attractive that could be found on the banks of the Arkansas river The grounds, upon which the capitol stands, now worth many thous- ands of dollars, were secured by Gov. Pope in 1883 at nominal cost. A DOT ton of the site was donated by Col. Chester Ashley, Joseph Anderson, R. c. Byrd, William D. Woodruff and A, H. Sevier and the remainder was pur- chased by Gov. Pope for $500.
 The plans for the capitol were pre- pared by Gideon Shyrock of LeXing- ton, Ky, who had drawn the plans for the Kentucky state capitol. The archi- tect followed closely the lines adopt ed in the plans for the Kentucky structure. When the plans were re- ceived they were found to call for a
 building much more costly than the territory of Arkansas could afford and it was necessary to revise the plans
 to bring the cost of the building with in the amount that was available. Work on the building was begun in l 1883 and continued until 1886, when
 the exterior was finished but it was not until 1S40 that the building was entirely completed.
 During the session of the first legis-
 lature that convened after Arkansas | became a state, the new capitol, then still in an uncompleted condition, re- ceived baptism of blood and on the 1 floor of the room which has been used | i1, rapnpf vaor.c n e tho canota pbap,bpr l there still remains a stain which, ii l is declared, was made there by the l life-blood of J. J. Anthony, represen-
 tative from Randolph county, when
 he was slain in a knife duel by John | Wilson, speaker of the house of rep
 resentatiyes, during an open session
 of the house in 1887. During a debate
 in the house on trivial matter, An. thony offered a resolution, which was construed as a thrust at Speaker Will son. The speaker became enraged and
 ordered Anthony to take his seat An
 thony refused to do so This enraged
 Wilson still more and leaving the
 chair he advanced down the aisle to.
 ward Anthony, drawing a knife as he did so. Anthony stated he has acted
 in jest, but Wilson refused to be
 pacified. Anthony then also drew 8 knife and stepped from behind his desk GO await Wilson's onslaught. Grandson D. Royston, who sat nearby thrust chair between the combatants but the latter struck at each other over the obstacle. Suddenly Anthony's knife was struck from his hand and he was left defenseless. Wilson rais- ed the chair and plunged his knife into Anthony's body, Anthony expired almost instantly.
 Speaker Wilson was immediately expelled from the house and Grandson D. Royston was elected speaker in his place. Wilson was indicted. but when tried in Saline county on a change of venue he was acquitted on the ground of eXcusahle homicide. The killing and the subsequent acquittal of Wilson, caused a tremendous sen. sation throughout the state. The story of the blood-stain on the floor of the senate chamber is still told to visitors to the statehouse.
 Many other stirring scenes have ! been enacted within the walls of the Iold capitol. During the Brooks -Bax- ter war, especially, there were excit- ling days about the old building. The ! istatehouse was the fortress of the Brooks forces, after Gov. Baxter had been elected from the executive off. ces. A memento of these strenuous times still stands in the old state house grounds in the form of the Lady Baxter" an old cannon which was abandoned by the Confederate forces in Little Rock during the Civil war and which was ressurrected by the Baxter forces. The Lady Baxter was one of three cannon which were placed upon the river front and train ed upon the old state capital, while the Brooks men were entrenched there. The old gun was never fired. as plans for an attack upon the old capitol were thwarted when the com- mandant of the federal military post at Little Rock, acting under orders from Washington, threw a cordon of regulars between the opposing forces. This action prevented what might have been bloody battle in the statehouse grounds.
 and then-Jackson fell unconscious to the floor and laid there.