The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-03-26
BisInarck's Second
Oldest Resident Is
Stricken in Wilton
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Hams Z key to his office, In which the
General practiced law for the first
time, ana refused to charge rent.
General Williams proposed that the
county be named for DR.. Burleigh
when he was = member Of the Terri
toriAl Legislature in 1872-73.
Moved. To Bismarck
Nj. Williams decided to move from
Yankton to Bismarck when he read
In . st. Paul Newspaper. In the win
ter Of 1911, that the contract for con-
struction Of the Northern Pacific rail-
road from = point 80 miles east Of the
Missouri river to what Is now Bis
marck had been let to his friend. Dr..
.Burleigh, and DR.. Keith, q Minne-
Apolis man. He thought that Yank-
ton never would have q t~ranscontin-
entail railroad and wanted to locate on
one.
General Williams In his early days
assisted in the prosecution Of several
murder cases, the most notable among
them being against: Anabal CALM
eaux, q French squaw man who shot
Alexander Buchel ut Pease's Island
and was sentenced to fine years In
the Detroit reformatory; a man
named Griffin who shot and killed
Charles Rider at Painted Woods;
and Private Duffy, who murdered
rendered, . bandmaster at Fort sully.
Helped Make This Capital
MI. williams played a great part In
moving the territorial capital to Bis
marck. establishing the state univer-
sity ut Grand Forks, the state agricul-
tural college at Fargo. the penitenti-
ary ct Bismarck, and the state hos
pital for the insane at Jamestown.
He modestly disclaimed credit for
himself, however. He admitted he
was one Of the actors in the little
drama which meant so much to the
future history Of North Dakota. but
he declared that history has never
given credit where credit is due.
George H. Walsh, Grand Forks. VIII
liaras once said. was responsible for
his election to the speakership Of the
territorial legislature and establish
ment Of the university at Grand
Forks.
The question Of removal Of the cap
ital came up at the 1882 session Of the
Legislature at Yankton. The u. S
government appropriated $200,0 900 for
the legislative expenses. This money
was absorbed biannually at Yankton,
causing q great amount of envy
among other towns. Bills were in
kNn1ssNAA - rAuanSn %ha na~l<n1 -
Mitchell, Redfield, Huron, Pierre
Watertown. Sioux Falls. Aberdeen
and several other places.
Hit Upon Scheme
Governor Ordway then hit upon the
scheme Of q capital commission that
the capital might be moved from
| Yankton with as much grace as pos
sible. Members Of the commission
were Alexander Hughes, Burleigh F.
spaulding, George A. Mathews. Alex.
ander Mckenzie, Henry H.. belong
John p. Beling. M. D. Thompson
Charles II. Myers, and Milo w. Scott
The commission met at Sioux City
Iowa, but was required to take action
in Yankton. Yankton politicians
i AAVWSvCAs AA0A AANOUOACO AVAVCO 0AAO
had secured q court order enjoinine
the commission from taking any &C.
ton. But the commission took actor
as its train passed through the city
It failed to, stop and the injunctio,
lcouid hot be served by the sheriff
Bismarck was selected as the new
site when the commission met a
Fargo June 2. 1882.
Bulls for the establishment of Bur.
leigh. Dunn. Mercer, Mclean. Nc
Kenxie, Mcintosh, and Hettingel
counties were put through by Mr.
williams. Hcttinger county was
named In honor Of Matthias Hettinger
the father of the wife of MIR. VIII
liarns.
Born In Connecticut
Erastus Appelman Williams was
born in Mystic. Conn, Oct. IA, 1850
the son Of Daniel r. and Matilda Ap.
pelman Williams. He received hi
education In the public schools. but
this was limited. He worked about