The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-16
SMOKED PIPE OF PEACE
RED MEN HELD A POW-wOW FOR
THEIR NEW CHIEF.
Great IncohOnee ThOma G.. Harrison
Warmly Greeted i'm TOmlinsOn Hall
by Mayor and Others.

Thomas G. Harrison, of this city, re-
proved Order of Red Men, at Norfolk. Va.
was given a reception by the Indianapolis
tribes of the city and many visitors from
out of town marched to the Grand Hotel
to greet the new chief. Between 600 and
200 members of the order were in line,
many carrying torches, and the majority
giving the original Indian yell. Mr.. Har-
rison was met with cheers as he stepped
from the hotel to enter his carriage. The
parade then started with Mr.. Harrison,
Mayor Bookwalter. officers of the grand
council, past officers, officers of the Degree
of Pocahontas and distinguished visitors In
carriages in the center of the long line.
The march was direct to Tomlinson Hall.
The streets were illuminated with a red
glare from the torches and rang with pro-
longed and blood curdling'' yells as the
marchers passed.
AT Tomlinson Hall a large crowd had
assembled to await the coming of the SUI
preme chief and his followers. A. ban was
seated on the stage and as Mr.. Harrison
entered it struck UP a weird, monotonous
tune set to the step of an Indian war
dance, and rising above the long-drawn-
out notes was a constant tum, tum, tum
from the tom-toms. Yell after yell
drowned the sound, and when it died
away the music continued increasingly and
with unchanged expression until the chief
was seated.
N. b. Robinson acted as chairman of
the meeting. He first introduced DR.. G.
A. Robinson, of Greenfield, who invoked
the blessings of the Great Spirit upon the
assemblaSe, the order and its leader. He
then presented Mayor Charles Bookwalter.
recently initiated into the mysteries of the
modern Indian council. The mayor was
greeted with cheers. 1t was whispered
about that he had just become a member,
and he took occasion to tell all about his
experience in passing from the land of the
paleface to that of the redskin. He spoke
highly of Mr.. Harrison. He said Indiana
had been to the front in secret order work
and several men from this State had been
honored with high positions, but Mr.. Har-
rison was the first native to be placed at
the head of a great order.
THOSE WHO SPOKE.
l.. w. Otto, grand sachem, spoke in be-
half of the State organization. He named
the steps by which Mr.. Harrison had grad
ually climbed to the highest position in the
order. He said the newly-elected high
chief had been a State officer for fifteen
years and during that time the order in In
diana had grown from less than 1900 to
$1,000.
Thon as H. Watts, of Alabama, was in
troduced as the "silver-tongued orator of
the South" He said the demonstration
was an Endorsement of the action of the
great council in electing Mr.. Harrison for
its chief. He said it was not an nappro-
pirate time to speak of RedmenShip, and
gave a brief history of the order and also
of the native Indian. He said the national
order had grown from a membership Of
1000 In 1910, to a great organization of 30O,-
600 in 1900.
James ~Sedgwick, of Martinsville, read a
resolution prepared by the Degree of Poca-
hontas, thanking the great council for
choosing Mr.. Harrison as the great in
cohonoe. A surprise to Mr.. Harrison and
the audience as we'll was the next number
on the programme. Wilson Brooks, Of
Chicago, an officer Of the Illinois organi-
cation, presented Mr.. Harrison with a sill
yer cup, given by the Indianapolis tribes
of Redmen and Degree of Pocahontas.
Mr.. Harrison said he did not know how
to express himself under the circumstances,
but finally regained his composure and ac-
cepted the gift with a short speech. He
said he felt that the gift was IN honor to
the position as much as to himself and
thanked the members for their token of
friendship and appreciation. The inscrip-
ton on the cup read, Presented to the
Great I~ncohonee, Thomas G.. Harrison, by
the Improved Order of Redmen of Poca-
hontas of Indianapolis, Ind, Sept Is,
1892"