The Press., 1900-12-27
A MIDNIGHT BURIAL.
TRUE STORY OF THE FIRST MASONIC
 FUNERAL IN ARIZONA.


 FUNERAL IN ARIZONA. Owing to Sequence of Peculiar Inc cidents the Ceremony Was Delayed and Was Not Completed Until the Sum Peeped Over the Hills.
 The following true narrative of the first Masonic burial in Arizona, as re- lated to me by my old friend, Colonel W. M. Williams of Cairo, Ills, will doubtless interest your readers. I give it, as nearly as possible, in his own words:
 In 1860 was in Arizona as super intendent of the St. Louis Mining com pany, located on the San Pedro river, short distance west of what is now known as Tombstone and 40 miles east of Fort Buchanan.
 On one occasion I made visit to the Santa Rita mines, located in another part of the territory. These were man. aged by Cincinnati parties and were known as the Heintzleman mines. When I arrived there and introduced myself, as none of us had ever met be- fore, I was greeted with that cordial hospitality known only to those who have lived on the frontier or in mining camps by Mir. H. c. Grosvenor of Cin- cinnati, the superintendent. with two others who occupied positions at the mines.
 One of these, Mir. J. T. Mason, l found seriously indisposed; the other l sent to Fort Buchanan to bring Dr. j.. B. D. Irwin. surgeon at the post. ] then devoted my time to the sick man. who was growing more feeble each hour. He told me if he died he wanted to be buried with Masonic honors.
 had tried" him and found him to be a bright third degree Mason. l promised to do all l could to carry out his request. He died before morning, and the messenger sent for the doctor had not returned, and it was uncertain as to when. if ever. he might return.
 As in those days there were not over 65 Americans in the territory outside of the troops. the taking of life by the Indians was daily expected. In this emergency it devolved upon me to ar range for the burial of our friend. l sent peon messengers to Tubac and other places where Americans were known to be to come to my aid. During the day l selected beautiful spot overshadowed by large mesquite tree and there had very deep grave dug, as in that country the coyote is a kind of hyena. that will unearth any corpse if not laid deep in the ground. This work was done by peons. while stood guard to keep the Indians from surprising us.
 | By midnight the messengers l had sent out commenced returning with the few who could come with them. found among those who arrived two or fhree MasOnS. who, like myself were rusty in the Masonic buria ritual. We opened the trunk of the deceased. hoping to find something tt guide us in fulfilling his last request | The only thing we discovered was ar Episcopal ritual The following per sons composed the funeral cortege: Dr c. B. Hughes. J. Howard Wells. Will liam s. Oury. H. c. Grosvenor. Colo | nel Titus, s. Warner and myself.
 
 l at night. in the darkness. having nc | light except a candle in one of the ole time perforated tin lanterns by whict I could read the service.
 1 After lowering the body into tht grave l commenced to read the serv ice I stood close to the head of tht l grave, and Mir. Howard Wells held tht lantern behind me. A rustling sound was heard. It was supposed to come from lurking Indians. and every on' looked out for himself. The man hold ing the lantern dropped it into th' grave. and fell in after it.
 There 1 was with the corpse in { deep grave. l had my pistols ant Sharp's carbine with me. and real ized that if the Indians peered into thu grave I could fill 1t with dead bodies. listened. Not a sound was heard. M. companions had, suppose. secrete' themselves and no doubt thought had done the same
 After the lapse of about four hour day began to dawn. and as l stoo' | upon the corpse (no collins were in us in Arizona at the time of this occur renee. the dead being simply wrappe' in their blankets) and cautiously look ed over the brink of the grave to talk in the surroundings.
 | l soon saw my comrades. one by one emerging from behind rocks. wher they had hastily ,secreted themselves no one knowing where the others were I called aloud for help and was 500 assisted from the prison in which had been confined for fully four hours and as this is the first Masonic funera that was ever held in Arizona l thin it deserves a record.
 Il After comparing notes we discovere that the mesquite tree under which W were holding our solemn service wa the roasting place of a colony of crows our intrusion having disturbed theI and thereby causing us to stampede.
 As the sun rose above the mountai tops we returned to the grave an completed the reading of the ritus and covered our friend with the clod of the valley and left him sleepin where he will rest until the resurre' tion morn.-ESelyn B. Baldwin in Ne
 York Masonic Standard.