Old Politics Or Whose Ghost Is It Anyway? Part One

 

The building that housed Arkansas State assembly is now the subject of great debate in the city of Little Rock, Arkansas.  The debate isn't on whether the building is haunted not because it is.  The debate is on whose ghost is doing the haunting.  There are some that believe the status of a Speaker of the House, who killed another representative in 1837.  Others believed the ghosts is of a man, who almost succeeded in taking over the governorship in 1872.  The question has never been answered. 

Perhaps, you, the  reader can figure it out.

The first part of this ghostlore concerns to representatives, Colonel John Wilson and Major J.J. Anthony.

One day in 1837, Colonel Wilson presided the assembly emotion was brought up for a bill that would allow hunters to collect a bounty of hides by Representative Amos Kuyendall.  Everyone agreed that the bill was a good idea.  The debate on the bill was how exactly the cash poor magistrates would pay the bounty.  Several ideas were brought up and shot down.  One representative suggested the hunters be given certificates instead of cash.

Major J.J. Anthony say that at this point and loudly stated his solution. “We don't need certificates.  All we have to do is have the hides signed by the president of the Real Estate Bank.”

Many of the representatives baffled by Major Anthony's statement or assumed he was drunk.  The only person in the assembly at knew with the major was talking about was Colonel Wilson, who was the president of the Real Estate Bank.  The Colonel and Major had an adversarial relationship.  The Colonel the value of the bank notes in circulation with his signature on them was being called into question.  In other words, Major Anthony was saying wolf hide with Colonel Wilson’s signature on it would be comparable to a legal tender from U.S. bank.

Colonel Wilson as the Major to explain himself.

No response came from Major Anthony. He just stood there.

Colonel Wilson been told Major Anthony to sit down and to get the floor to someone else.

Major Anthony's response was the opening up his coat and putting his hands on his hips.  On Major Anthony's belt a scabbard with the 12 inch Bowie knife in it.  Major Anthony was silently challenging Colonel Wilson.

Colonel Wilson take the challenge and the two representatives as began to fight.  The fight only lasted a half minute Encarta wilson's life would be forever changed.  Colonel Wilson avoided execution when the jury decided he committed an excusable homicide.  Colonel Wilson was kicked out of the assembly.  He never held office again.

Many believed that it is Colonel Wilson's spirit, whose gloom is still felt in the old building.

Second Part Of Article

Old Politics, Or Whose Ghost Is It Anyway- Part Two

 

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