The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-07-05
VOLUME XVIII.---NO. 81.
INDIAN "MEDICINE MEN.v
The Latcat Trick af the FaEsrs 70 Victim
iEe tho CrcdulOus Public.

The newest and clcverest dodge in the
advertising way is that recently invented
by the proprietor of n patent medicine.
The doctor was at Niagara not long ago,
and, like all other visitors to that high.
priced resort, was attracted by q number
of genuine" Indians that sell moccasins
and other aboriginal products. One
party there furnished him with sugges.
ton that he has since used profitably.
They were Indians in full war paint, with
tomahawks and bows and arrows, and
they had q camp not lar from the Falls.
In the centre of the enclosure was fire
with q big kettle suspended over it, and
from this the Big Medicine Man ladled
n yellowish mixture from time to time,
selling it at a handsome price to the too
credulous tourists. 1t was an Indian
medicine Of rare efficacy, was warranted
to cure any disease known to humanity.
The sight was suggestion that the
doctor seized on the instant and in few
days he had secured several Indian war.
riors from the remnant of tribes that live
near Rochester ard Syracuse. When he
first hired them they wore "store
clothes" and talked English like their
2eighbors: but after they had dnnned
their Hefeaths-cd suits aud painted their
red faces after the manner Of the warriors
of the plains they dropped their English
ways and manners and became at once
wild Indians Of the Apncho and Crow
variety. Then the enterprising doctor
bought lot Of common herbs and big
kettle, and, having established his In.
dians in camp, began to manufacture
and sell his famous remedy. All that need
be said Of it is that it is entirely harm
less, even if it does not possess the cura.
tive properties claimed for it. He got q
physician with the gift of the CAB" to do
the talking up" of his medicine and was
soon making money rapidly. The sue.
cess of the first party was so great that
within short time the doctor had or.
ganized five or six others, the supply of
wild Indians in the Northern part of
New York being seemingly incxhausti.
BILE. To add to the attractions the
Indians were shown in full war rig and
went through the ceremonies of we'd.
ding, a funeral and the election Of chief
in sight of the epublic, and then closed
the performance with war whoop calcu.
lated to chill the blood of oil who heard
them. Combined with this was series
of variety acts and the admission TO all
was only ten cents.
In all Of tho exhibitions the leading
man is the lecturer, whose duty it is to
expatiate on the exce!lency Of the medi.
icine and to tell the gaping audience that
the tribe" is travelling for the good of
humanity, and that the admission fees
and profits on their sales of medicine are
to go for the building of school house
in their fur away Western home. The
stuff is represented to cure every imagi.
nable disease and sells largely for dol
lar bottle. 1t is thought that the rage
for this species Of "raking" will eventu-
ally depopulate the Indian villages in
New York State, as the noble red men
are aversc to work i'll any form and eager.
ly seize any opportunity that enables
them to live we'll without it, They
receive from SO to $l2 a month, with
board, lodging and such little washing
as they require. Philadelphia Times