The Washington herald., 1907-07-18

Funeral services according TO the ritual
Of the Improved Order of Red Men, OF
which organization ne was member
Will be held by Aiineola Tribe, No. Il
over the body Of Andrew John, an ex-
president Of the Seneca Nation, this even
ling at g o'clock. in the chapel Of Lees
/ undertaking establishment.
Johns body will be taken TO his home
al Cattaraugus. y. Y, for interment. and
the dead Indian chiefs wife, who arrived
IN Washington yesterday morning, will
accompany his body They will leave by
the Pennsylvania road at 7:l5 this even
ing, and the coffin of the Indian viii
| bear tOmahawk a bow and arrows, in
| immortelles. loving tributes of the mem.
bers Of the local lodge.
John, who was one Of the most famous
Indians in the country. being an ex-
president Of the Senecas, and since 1880
the Washington agent of the Six Nations.
died al the Emergency Hospital yestcT-
day morning Of apoplexy. He had been
sick for several weeks, and Tuesday
morning suffered a cerebral hemmorhage
and was removed from his home 10 the
hospital. He lived at Beveridge's board
ing house, at "a Third street northwest.
which is one Of the stopping places for
visiting Indians who have business in the
government departments.
Friend of william Mckinley.
John was a man Of great influence and
prominence in his tribe. and among the
whites he had many friends. including
the late President Mckinley and Senator
Quay. lie was born April H. lSi7. on the
Cattaraugus Reservation, IN New York.
HIS tribal name was Gus-ta-no-te. He
attended the public school in Corning.
\. Y. from 1Ss2 10 1854, when he left
az Mansfield Pa. in 1850 ne took a scien-
tifc degree AT the Allegheny College,
Meadv.lle. Pa.
His career as an official Of the Seneca
Nation began in IS5S and from that date
until his death he was IN the employ Of
his tribesmeu - various capacities. IN
lSN be was appointed Interpreter and in
ls7Z he became the tribal 'peaceuaker, 20
or judge. Six years later be was elected
one OF the sixteen cOuncilmen Of the
tribe, and IN 1850 served as clerk FOR the
Seneca Nation. In the same year. at d
council OF the SIX Nations held at
Onondaga, John was elected chairman
OF a delegation 10 be maintained in Wash
iagtOn 70 prosecute the claims Of the
Indians against the government one OF
these cases was a suit involving the
title 10 tract of land In Kansas. Johns
efforts in behalf of the Six Nations were
Al. u 4 a. Is
in favor Of the Indians, Congress appro-
priating approximately S20100Q0, which
was distributed among the claimants.
The work Of distributing this amount was
completed only about a week ago.
Elected Chief of His PeOpIe.
In 1854 john acted as treasurer. and
In lSS7 was elected president Of the Seneca
Nation. which position he held until
1852 In addition 10 representing the
Seneca Indians in Washington, John had
also appeared in Albany before legisIa-
tive committees in furtherance Of Iegis-
latl0n pending before the New York
legislature.
BY special invitation Of the late Pres
ident Mckinley, John went TO the White
House in 1855. and. after a lengthy iu-
teTview. was given a letter OF recon-
mendatiOn addressed TO the people Of the
United States. in which he was vJuched
for by President Mckinley as a friend
Of the people of the United States, and
an authorized representative OF the
Seneca Nation. In 1903 he was engaged
in special work for the Smithsonian In
stitution under the Bureau of EthnOlO-
gy, and aided the institution 70 obtaining
many valuable photographs of Indians
Of various tribes throughout the cOun-
try. lie was well known in Washing
ton, and especially so in the Halls of
Congress, where he had many friends.