Wilson’s Deadly Bowie Knife Attack in Arkansas Legislature
The Old State House in Arkansas once ran red with blood over a joke about wolves. On December 4, 1837, lawmakers were just talking about a $3 bounty on wolf pelts when things got ugly.
Representative Anthony made a crack about the scandal-filled Real Estate Bank, and its president, House Speaker Wilson, took it personally.
Wilson then grabbed his bowie knife, charged at Anthony, and despite another lawmaker’s attempt to stop the fight with a chair, Wilson used that chair for leverage to stab Anthony dead on the spot.
The historic Old State House Museum now stands as a chilling reminder of when political debate turned deadly.
Governor Conway Wanted a Peaceful Session
Arkansas Governor James Conway called lawmakers to Little Rock for a special meeting in November 1837. He needed them to figure out what to do with a surprise tax surplus.
They planned to pass more than 200 laws to get the young state organized. Conway asked everyone to be nice and work together.
But less than a month in, folks were already fighting about the Arkansas Real Estate Bank. Joseph Anthony had tried to let voters decide the bank’s fate that November.
The Bank Was Crooked From the Start
The Real Estate Bank started in 1836 right after Arkansas became a state. It needed $2 million in state bonds just to open its doors.
By 1837, people talked non-stop about all the favoritism, waste, and special deals happening there. The bank broke its own rules by selling bonds to get money and giving shady loans to friends.
John Wilson worked as both House Speaker and bank president. This made Anthony angry enough to write up complaints calling the bank corrupt.
Wolf Pelts Sparked a Deadly Debate
On December 4, 1837, Speaker Wilson ran a meeting about a Senate bill that would pay $3 for each wolf pelt brought in. The law said folks had to show their wolf skins to local judges for checking before getting paid.
Lawmakers argued about making sure pelts came from Arkansas wolves and who would front the money. Local judges worried they’d have to pay bounties from their own pockets.
This boring wolf bill soon turned into something much more dangerous.
Anthony Took a Jab at Wilson’s Bank
Representative Anthony stood up and suggested a change to the wolf bill that got everyone’s attention.
Instead of having judges sign off on wolf pelts, he said “the signature of the President of the Real Estate Bank” should go on the certificates. Other lawmakers laughed nervously.
Wilson took it as a personal attack since he ran the bank.
Anthony didn’t back down, saying state officials who take oaths should have more dignity than bank presidents like Wilson.
The Speaker Abandoned His Post for a Fight
Wilson asked Anthony straight out if he meant to insult him personally.
When Anthony stuck to his criticism, Wilson jumped down from his speaker’s chair onto the House floor. He pulled out his nine-inch bowie knife and walked toward Anthony.
Anthony quickly grabbed his own weapon, a 12-inch blade some called an “Arkansas toothpick.”
The other lawmakers watched in shock as two of their colleagues faced off with deadly weapons right in the middle of a government meeting.
A Chair Couldn’t Stop the Violence
Representative Grandison Royston tried to make peace between the two angry men. He grabbed a chair and put it between them, hoping to keep them apart.
Wilson and Anthony slashed at each other around this makeshift barrier. Even though Anthony had longer arms and a bigger knife, he couldn’t get the upper hand.
Wilson managed to cut Anthony’s arm, but both men kept fighting as their colleagues looked on in horror.
One Thrust Ended a Lawmaker’s Life
Wilson got clever with the chair Royston had placed between them. He put it under his left elbow for support.
Then with his good hand, he stabbed upward into Anthony’s body. Some people said Anthony threw his knife at Wilson just before the fatal blow.
Anthony fell to the floor and died within seconds, right there on the House chamber floor.
Wilson stood over the body while the other lawmakers stared in disbelief at Arkansas’s first and only legislative floor killing.
Justice Moved Slowly for a Powerful Man
The House kicked Wilson out the very next day, December 5. Royston, who had tried to stop the fight, took over as the new Speaker.
The authorities waited three whole days to arrest Wilson, only doing so after one of Anthony’s relatives filed a complaint. Wilson showed up to court riding in a fancy four-horse carriage with lots of supporters.
A panel of three judges let him out on bail even though he faced murder charges.
The Trial Moved to Friendlier Territory
Wilson’s lawyer Chester Ashley convinced the court his client couldn’t get a fair trial in Pulaski County. The case moved to Saline County, becoming the first murder trial ever held there.
Four different prosecutors worked on the state’s case. During the trial, Wilson stayed at the same place as the judge and paid for all the judge’s meals.
Ashley’s defense focused on how Wilson needed to protect his honor after Anthony insulted him publicly.
The Jury Let a Killer Walk Free
In May 1838, after about five days of testimony from eight witnesses, the jury came back with their decision. They found Wilson “guilty of excusable homicide,” which meant he was basically not guilty.
Some people claimed Wilson hired a mob to make noise outside the courtroom during the prosecution’s final speech. The verdict said Wilson had every right to kill his fellow lawmaker.
Wilson told the sheriff to take the jury to a tavern, his treat.
A Murderer Celebrated While His Victim Was Forgotten
Wilson bought drinks for the jury and a crowd of supporters, who partied through Benton all night long. Anthony got buried in Little Rock’s public graveyard where the Federal Building now stands on Capitol Avenue.
His body probably still lies there since his name doesn’t appear on the list of people moved to Mount Holly Cemetery in 1860. Wilson moved to Pike County and won another election to the Arkansas House in 1840.
He later left for Texas, where he died in 1865, never facing real punishment for killing a fellow lawmaker on the House floor.
Visiting Old State House Museum, Arkansas
The Old State House Museum at 300 West Markham Street in Little Rock tells the story of the deadly Wilson-Anthony knife fight from 1837, when House Speaker John Wilson stabbed Representative Joseph Anthony with a bowie knife during a heated legislative debate.
You can visit Tuesday through Saturday 9am to 5pm or Sunday 1pm to 5pm for free. Take guided tours every hour until 4pm or use the cell phone audio guide for self-tours.
This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.
Read more from this brand:
The post Meet the only House Speaker who stabbed someone during a legislative session appeared first on When In Your State.