The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-06
FAMOUS OLD INDIAN INN.
Whoro Cherokee Politicians Ter Years Met
and Plotted.

&nU fIOtl6U.
Tho Oldest hotel In Indian Territory, the
National ct Tahlequah. will entertain the
councillors Of the Cherokee nation this fall
for the last time and will cease to be the
rendezvous for politicians OF the once
proud and powerful Cherokee people. For
over sixty years the venerable hosiery has
been receiving guests. says the. Kansas
Civ Journal.
For that period It has also sheltere
nearly all the chiefs OF the Cherokee nation
and the members Of the Indian council
About It's firePlaoes many a deep laid plot
the bills now Incorporated into the laws
OF tho Cherokees we're drawn up in the low
ceilinged rooms Of the old hotel.
For years Tahlequah was designated in
the Biographies as the capital of Indian
Territory, although in reality 1t was never
more than the capital OF the Cherokee ma
ton. So superior we're the Cherokees, how
ever, to the other tribes in the science Of
political manipulation that they exercised
a great influence over the politicians of the
other nations and thus indirectly became
the center Of the government in the Terri
tory. It was in the old National Hotel that
the political prowess of the Cherokees was
fostered.
The National was built in 1914 by "Aunt "
Susie Taylor. wife OF Dick Taylor. well
known Cherokee. 1t was opened immedi-
ately as a tavern, as hotels were called IN
those days, and soon became the popular
stopping place of all leading men in the
Indian Territory. The hotel stands just
north Of the square in which the nationa!
capitol building of the Cherokees Is located
place for Cherokee lawmakers to stop.
During the period Of the civil war all
business enterprises were practically sus-
pended in Tahtequah and consequently the
old tavern, which had been running six
teen years, was closed: 1t became the ar
had possession Of the town. Every room Of
the building was stacked full of arms and
ammunition. These supplies, were afei-
ward captured by the Northern troops,
and the hotel became an arsenal for the
Federal troops until the close Of the war.
After the war the National was again
opened as a hotel. and Mrs. Elizabeth Al
berty, generally known all over the Terri
tory as Aunt Eliza, took charge OF the
place. She is a native Of Cherokee, and
before the war graduated from the National
class Of 1857 and later taught in the Chero-
kee male seminary. She did more than
any other person perhaps to foster these
two institutions, which have. been the
pride Of the Cherokees for over half a CEN
Cherokee girls and given them an education
in these Institutions that she cannot re-
member the number. Although we'll along
toward the seventies, Aunt Eliza Is still
| running the hotel, and Ia as full Of vim as
she was q score Of years ago.
y slept in this room in 1857, again in 1883
and tonight find myself resting before the
same fireplace said guest Of the hotel
the other day, "snd the room looks just
like it did when first stopped in it,
In that very room Chief Lewis Downing
founder Of the Downing party. and one Of
| tho most famous executives of the Cicero
| KEGS. died In the same room Senators
plat. Teller, Stewart and many other mer
OF national renown found shelter while ir
the Indian country, bent on business OF
pleasure. During the great deadlock in 1885,
between the National and Downing parties
Federal authorities called Chief Mayes anc
the counselors of the Cherokees together ir
the pe rlor Of the National Hotel and gave
them until o O'Clock Of the next day tc
| settle their difficulties.