The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-07-14
is HE A MAGICIAN?
WRINKLED AND OLD AND IGNORANT
BUT He CLAIMS GREAT POWERS

Squirrel. the Medicine Man of the Caddoes,
has Secluded Himself and by Some Mys-
terious and Unknown Hocus Pocus is
Making the Red Men Believe that He is
Causing the Unprecedented Rains-Ohio
Man Gets a Divorce in Oklahoma to the
Astonishment of His Wife-Oklahoma
News.
Guthrie, o It, July 13.-(speciaD-A
story comes from Minco that would be
doubted if its source We're not known,
and the man VINO tells it noted for his
unimpeachebie veracity.
In short the great Medicine man
among the Caddo Indians, whom the
Indians all over the western part of the
territory have been talking about has
been found, and he is an actual rain
maker of the George MATHEWS kind.
Lewis Hornbeck is a reputable citi-
zen of Minco who eschews lies and
fakes, VINO is very popular with the In
dams, and who is respected all over the
territory, so that what is given below,
no matter how impossible and ridicul-
Gus il may appear, can be taken as the
bare unvarnished truth.
Some two months ago, the Indians
all over the western part of the terri
tory began to talk about the predictions
Of a Medicine man in the Caddo tribe.
In substantiatiOn of their belief in this
Medicine mans prophecy Of flood the
Indians moved TO the high lands. There
they have remained during this UMPIRE
coded wet summer.
Now Lewis Hornbeck Of Minco is
erecting a telephone line through the
Wichita and Caddo Indian reserva-
tons. and this is the unique article he
sends back to the Minco Minstrel,
which was published today:
81 had been hunting the principle
men Of the Caddo tribe for hours. trav-
cling horseback in the steady driZZling
rain, only TO find each house deserted
as I came TO it. Finally 1 found a
white family on Caddo Georges farm
who told me the CaddOs were all in at
tendance on their Medicine man who
was making rain. Getting the direction
I succeeded in finding the place, and
after stalking out my horse to grass 1
took 10 one Of the houses for shelter.
The big Medicine man goes by the
frisky name of Squirrel. He was off in
a little cabin all to himself, deep in his
secret conjuring art. / wanted to get
at him so as TO learn the mystery Of
rain-making myself but was not allow
ed that exalted privilege. However, I
questioned old Caddo George pretty
closely as he and / and Chief White
bread sat in a good dry room near by
and listened to the steady down pour
on the roof. George questioned me, too.
and started out with the remark that
some white folks didn't believe the
Caddos could make rain. and wanted TO
know what 1 thought. After being soak
ed for five or six hours just previous to
the question, and hearing the regular
drip from the shingles over me at the
time, I admitted by belief in the power
of the Medicine man, much to Georges
delight. I told him we had medicine
men with us. too, who claimed to make
rain, but that as a general thing they
only succeeded in making a pretty good
salary, and so far as water was con-
cerned they couldn't hold light for the
Caddo Medicine man. He asked how
they worked. and thought / knew no
more about 1t than he did. I told him
they used a variety Of medicines in lit
tie bottles and poured il on fire to go
up high and smoke and make the rain
come down TO see what was the matter
and to put the fire out. He said he I'M
derstood me- which was more than
did, and seemed to pity the crude ig-
norance of the white man on this es-
sential accomplishment. George told
me the Caddo Medicine man didn't use
bottles Of stuff nor any other kind Of
prepared medicine. hut wouldn't tell
how he worked things. His reticence
showed me plainly enough that George
didn't know any more about his Medi-
cine man worked than did about mine
but he had sense enough not TO give
himself away as I had done. ! learned
that Squirrel had begun his incanta-
tons on Monday and the rain began
falling on Tuesday; he was to keep t
up until Saturday, when he would quit
so would the rain; that 1t was not right
to do such work on Sunday, therefore
he began on Monday 70 stop on Satur-
day and would rest on the seventh day:
that the rain would fall on the white
men and their crops just as il did on
the Caddos. but that the Caddos We're
generous and had no objection. At din
ner time I was asked in and had a seat
across the table from Squirrel. He IS
a large man. old. with many wrinkles
about his face thin. short moustache
quiet and dignified Of manner. and a
full blood Caddo Indian. Being the on
ly white man at the table. or anywhere
else in the vicinity. 7 was not able 70
take part in the jokes that went rapid
" around among the merry CaddOs
likely as not at my expense. But I was
hungry and never stopped % inquire
and that was a remark by Whitehead
that when a white man came from
town among them the CaddOS gave him
plenty to eat, but that when a Caddo
went to town the white man never ask
ed them anywhere but into the stores.
I said yes" and quit right there: that
is quit talking hut went on with my
dinner. Bob Dunlap. an educated Cad
do. was present and acted as interpre-
ter. I wanted whitehead. who is the
chief Of the CaddoS, and George - go
with me 20 see the agent on business,
but they declined because K was neces-
sary for them to stay with Squirrel in
order to make his medicine strong. It
Is still raining. and my verdict Is that
as rain-maker the CaddO Medicine
man is success"
WIFE DIDN'T KNOW 1T.
Guthrie. o. Il, July 13.-(Special)-
The divorceof Odell Wilson( a prom
inent New Yorker, which was granted
here less than a year ago. viii be Wig
orously attacked in the courts. Wilson
sued his wife for divorce in the district
court here in the early part of 1884 for
extreme cruelty and abandonment
The suit was regular and the divorce
was given Wilson one month ago
William Wilson, a prominent citizen OF
Cleveland. O., wrote the district clerk
here. and in his letter he statti that he
had Just learned. TO his great surprise.
that his father had obtained divorce
in the court here. and that his mother
and three other children. who also liv-
ed at Cleveland. were as much surpris-
ed as himself. Wilson was informed OF
his fathers decree and he has employ
ed counsel and Will make a vigorous
attempt 10 have MS fathers divorce
set aside. All the parties are quite
prominent and rich
There can be no doubt that Okiaho-
mas divcce reputation is spreading
The eastern papers are taking more
- and COZ, ss.rt1ar- lr- o. L.