“On the 14th of December last, Maj.  Joseph J. Anthony, a member of the Legislature of Arkansas, was murdered, while performing his duty as a member of the House of Representatives, by John Wilson, Speaker of that House.

“The facts were these:  A bill came from the Senate, commonly called the Wolf Bill.  Among the amendments proposed, was one by Maj.  Anthony, that the signature of the President of the Real Estate Bank should be attached to the certificate of the wolf scalp.  Col.  Wilson, the Speaker, asked Maj.  Anthony whether he intended the remark as personal.  Maj.  Anthony promptly said, “No, I do not.”  And at that instant of time, a message was delivered from the Senate, which suspended the proceedings of the House for a few minutes.  Immediately after the messenger from the Senate had retired, Maj.  Anthony rose from his seat, and said he wished to explain, that he did not intend to insult the Speaker or the House; when Wilson, interrupting, peremptorily ordered him to take his seat.  Maj.  Anthony said, as a member, he had a right to the floor, to explain himself.  Wilson said, in an angry tone, ‘Sit down, or you had better;’ and thrust his hand into his bosom, and drew out a large bowie knife, 10 or 11 inches in length, and descended from the Speaker’s chair to the floor, with the knife drawn in a menacing manner.  Maj.  Anthony, seeing the danger he was placed in, by Wilson’s advance on him with a drawn knife, rose from his chair, set it out of his way, stepped back a pace or two, and drew his knife.  Wilson caught up a chair, and struck Anthony with it.  Anthony, recovering from the blow, caught the chair in his left hand, and a fight ensued over the chair.  Wilson received two wounds, one on each arm, and Anthony lost his knife, either by throwing it at Wilson, or it escaped by accident.  After Anthony had lost his knife, Wilson advanced on Anthony, who was then retreating, looking over his shoulder.  Seeing Wilson pursuing him, he threw a chair.  Wilson still pursued, and Anthony raised another chair as high as his breast, with a view, it is supposed, of keeping Wilson off.  Wilson then caught hold of the chair with his left hand, raised it up, and with his right hand deliberately thrust the knife, up to the hilt, into Anthony’s heart, and as deliberately drew it out, and wiping off the blood with his thumb and finger, retired near to the Speaker’s chair.

“As the knife was withdrawn from Anthony’s heart, he fell a lifeless corpse on the floor, without uttering a word, or scarcely making a struggle; so true did the knife, as deliberately directed, pierce his heart.

“Three days elapsed before the constituted authorities took any notice of this horrible deed; and not then, until a relation of the murdered Anthony had demanded a warrant for the apprehension of Wilson.  Several days then elapsed before he was brought before an examining court.  He then, in a carriage and four, came to the place appointed for his trial.  Four or five days were employed in the examination of witnesses, and never was a clearer case of murder proved than on that occasion.  Notwithstanding, the court (Justice Brown dissenting) admitted Wilson to bail, and positively refused that the prosecuting attorney for the state should introduce the law, to show that it was not a bailable case, or even to hear an argument from him.