Arizona State Capital Ghosts

Arizona became a state on February 14,1912. Each year the Statehood Day programs become more exciting with the anticipation of the big centennial celebration only a few years away. This year the Statehood Day activities were held at the State Capital Museum on Thursday, February 11, 2010.

A couple of years ago, I had the honor of speaking at the Capital Museum for their Lunch Bunch program. I talked about my book and all of the historic haunted hotels and inns folks can visit as they travel around Arizona.

For several years I researched Arizona history at the State Archives Library while they were still located in the State Capital Building. One of the archivists approached me one day and said, "You know, Debe, there are ghosts in the State Capital Building, too. Look it up sometime."

And, indeed I did. Tuesday, May 7, 1912 was just another busy working day at the State Capital. Workman were doing maintenance construction on the outside of the building and attending the landscaping. There were about 150 people inside the Capital Building, and legislation was in session. Upstairs, in the Arizona legislation chambers, politicians were discussing laws that would shape our new state. Downstairs, next to the ground-floor entrance, the clerks in the Surveyor General's office worked quietly in their world of maps and land records.

Just before noon, violence suddenly erupted downstairs near the entrance of the Capital Building. Frank Coffman barged in, turned to his right, and without saying a word, fired four fatal shots at the chief Surveyor General clerk, Granville Malcolm Gillett. Coffman then stepped back to the center of the rotunda and fired the gun once more-shooting himself in the heart.

The popping sounds from the gun caught everyone off guard. They couldn't imagine there would be a shooting in such a place. Many thought it was noise from the construction or just the explosion of a harmless bomb by a practical joker. These days we would all be running for cover!

A coroner's jury determined that Coffman was motivated by an insane fixation on a land deal. Convinced that Gillett had cheated him, a note was found in his pocket stating he felt he had been swindled in a real estate transaction and decided to take things to the limit. His suicide and Gillett's unexpected death would be a good reason spirits could linger behind at the State Capital Building.

See for yourself! Visit the Arizona State Capital and museum!

Contact:
1700 W. Washington
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Info (602) 926-3620
Tours (602) 926-3628
Fax (602) 256-7985

capmus@lib.az.us
http://www.lib.az.us/museum/

Entrance Fee
Free

Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday- Closed