Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-12-07
A MIDNIGHT BURIAL.
TRUE STORY OF THE FIRST MASONIC
FUNERAL IN ARIZONA.
ts.sin.s to Sequence of Peculiar I,,-
cidcnts the Ceremony Was Delayed
and Was Not Completed Until the
SUN Peeped Over the Hills.

=
cidcnts the Ceremony Was Delayed
and Was Not Completed Until the
Sun Pceped 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. NJ. Williams of Cairo. Ills, will
doubtless interest your readers. give
it, as nearly as possible. in his own
words:
In 1850 was in Arizona as super
intendent of the st. Louis Mining COM
pany, located OH the San Pedro river,
short distance west of what is now
known as Tombstone and 40 miles east
of Fort Buchanan.
On one occasion 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 arrived there and Introduced
myself, as none of US had ever met be-
fore, l was greeted with that cordial
hospitality known only to those who
have lived OH the frontier or in mining
camps by Mn. II. G. Grosvenor of Gin
cnnati, the superintendent. with two
others who occupied positions ut the
mines.
One of these, Mr.. j. L. Mason,
found seriously indisposed; the other
sent to Fort Buchanan to bring DIR. j.
II. ID. Irwin. surgeon at the post.
then devoted my time to the sick man,
who was growing more feeble each
hour. He told me If lie died he wanted
to he buried with Masonic lonors.
had "tried" him and found him to
be bright third degree Mason.
promised to do all 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 We're not over
G5 Americans in the territory outside
of the troops. the talling of life by the
Indians was daily expected. In this
emergency it dcvolved upon me to ar
range for the burial of our friend.
sent peon messengers to Tubac and
other places where Americans were
| known to be to come to my aid.
During the day selected a beautiful
spot oversliadowcd by Il large mesquite
tree and there had Il very deep grave
dug. as in that country the coyote is a
sird of hycua. that will unearth any
corpse if not laid deep in the ground.
This work was done by poems. while
stood guard To keep the Indians from
surprising us.
BT midnight the messengers ] had
sent out commenced returning with
the few who could come With them. I
or three Masons. who. like myself,
were rusty" in the Masonic burial
ritual. We opened the trunk OF the
deceased hoping to find something TO
guide us in fulfilling his last request.
The only thing we discovered was an
Episcopal ritual. Tho folloW'i;.- per-
sons composed the funeral coii - Or
C. Il. Hughes, j. Howard Wells. Viii
liam S. Oury. II. c. Grosvcnor. Colo
nci Titus. S. Warner and myself
We had determined to bury the body
at night. II the darkness. having no
| light except n candle in one of the old
time perforated - lanterns 10y which
could read ;!!e ,.lvice.
After lowering the body into the
grave commenced TO read the serv-
| Ice. | stcod close TO the head of the
grave and Mr.. Howard Wells held the
F, lantern behind me. \ rustling sound
was heard. 1t was supposed TO come
from lurking Indians. and every one
looked out for himself. The man hold
ing the lantern dropped it into the
grave, and fell in after it.
There I was with the corpse in IL
deep grave. l had my pistols and
Sharps carbine with me. and ! real
lied that il the Indians pecred into the
listened. Not sound was heard. My
companions had. suppose. secreted
themselves and no doubt thought
had done the same.
After the lapse of about four hours
day began to dawn. and as stood
upon the corpse ono rotiins We're in use
in Arizona at the time of this occur
renee. the dead being simply wrapped
in their blankets) and cautiously look
| CQ over tue Dtllll> OI tle grave 10 t;iise
in the surroundings.
soon saw my comrades. one by one.
emerging from behind rocks. where
| they had hastily secretcd themselves.
no one knowing where the others were.
| called aloud for help and was sooi
assisted from the prison i'm which l
had been confined for fully four hours.
and as this is the first Masonic funeral
that was ever held in Arizona think
it deserves a record.
After comparing notes we discovered
that the mesquite tree under which we
were hodiii our solemn service was
the roosting place of Il colony of crews.
our intrusion having disturbed them
and thereby causing us to stampede.
AS the sun rose above the mountain
tops We returned to the grave and
completed the reading of The ritual
! and covered our friend with the clods
of the valley and left him sleeping
where he will rest until the resurrec-
,ion morn.-Evelyn B. Baldwin in Ne,r