Arizona republican., 1896-04-02
PRE-COLUMb[AN MASONS Rites by the Savages Preserved. Introduced by ToItec or Aztec
 Races. The Opinion Of an Indian We'll In- formed in Tribal
 Lore.

The following is respectfully sub mitted as supplemental to an article in your issue of March 12, headed Prehistoric Free Masonry" in which the question is raised whether or not any of the aboriginal races of North America ever had recourse ito the ben efits of Free Masonry.
 Several years ago, while on the con- tributory staff of an eastern metropoli- tan paper, interviewed on this sub ject civilized and cultured Indian, and later on had the results thereof published. But as have n0t that ar ticle at hand I can only give a conden- saItion thereof from memory. | This Indian, then nominally con- nected with the Sioux nation under Red Cloud and Spotted Tail, was not hereditarily one of them, but had his origin in a tribe encountered earlier and farther east-in Minnesota, I think. He had not only a good Eng fish education, but was a regularly trained and licensed medical practi- tioner. Though a full blooded Indian, he had the polished and varied ac- complishments of one who has mingled only with the most cultured men and women of the world. He was then about 70 years old, but well preserved in all respects, and his wife was a white woman of elegant style and at tire. He was also cattle raiser of considerable means on a range in northwestern Nebraska, since oblit- erated by the hungry wave of home stead emigration. I believe he is now dead.
 Since early manhood he had been in 1 government employ as a commissioner treating with tribes and relics of tribes scattered over the United States and British America, and for several years prior to the Custer massacre in 1876, and afterwards as occasion demanded, he served the government as scout, interpreter and in'tervenor among the hostile tribes. His knowledge of the Indian tribes was therefore as com plete and accurate as was possible to any one man.
 ! After discussing with him the his tory Of the aborig.nes Of the prairie
 
 Doctor, is it true that Free Masonry has ever existed among Indian races | were those most noted in United States history members of that broth erhood?"
 To this replied, in dio.ion not only grammaticaliy correct, but peculiar in it's recitative style and poetic measure of sound and accent:
 That there has for ages existed , among the American aborigines an or der of nobility which could command the recognition and respect of modern
 Masonry I am quite sure; but whether
 the two ever had Q common origin, or
 each was 9 like inspiration from Di-
 vine wisdom to two different races, , that is a question With which I have
 labored with the devotion both of
 modern Mason and an Indian; but so , far it vain
 Since that time in early manhood } when the Great Spirit swept aside from me the mists of barharis1n and
 let fall on me the sunlight of oiviliza- ton, have had an ambition to become } the Josephus of the red men; to hand down to American literature an ac- l count of his wars and his antiquities
 But alas, there has never been among l the Indians any other record than the 5 noltched sticks of the old men intelli- gfble only to themselves, reminders to
 the Wavering memory, and prompters
 to the garrulity of old age. The
 notched stick, interpretable by its
 keeper only, was not handed down to 5 posterity. The history of his time 5 and tribe which the barbarian Homer recited at the campfire, were sung = never again when death had sealed his g lips.
 t 50 when began to gather the ma 5 terial for my antiquities I found none
 authentic but those already in United
 States history. When I perceived
 among the survivals of the tribes
 signs and traces of symbolic Masonry, and l asked their chiefs, sages and old men whence and how they obtained those sacred relics, they replied in v variably, From our fathers But whence, and how to them? And they
 replied, That is buried with them and
 the past. Again ! asked, 'Wlat bene-
 it does u'li5 wisdom confer upon you ? : The enob&ng Of cur lives Lastly l o inquired, Why in this advanced age n perpetua e the mysticism and hailing e signs of the hoary past?' TO the e end,' ssid they, that when we enter e the re3lr-s Of eternal morning the good e and wse and great Of all ages past
 may rec9grize US, greet us and take
 us into communion with them for
 evermore'
 !, "So O. ray antiquities of this sort o