 He was appointed as Acting Administrator of the Gambia on 12 September 1870, succeeding Major Alexander Bravo.During his brief tenure, a third petition of Gambians against cession to France was submitted to London, a census of the colony was conducted, and the publication of "The Bathurst Times", the first Gambian newspaper, began.In May, Thomas F. Callaghan was appointed as substantive administrator, and in August Anton died on his return journey to England of dysentery.