Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-10
TO A GREAT AMERICAN
Hi FREDERIC J. mAsKiN.

mated II seems one OF the sattrical
wh!ins OF circumstance that man OF
his caiiber ana complishments
should be comparatively so N.tle
known. Yet this fact is duo in NO
small part TO his own character. II.
had great dislike for ostentation and
notorety. lie even disliked having
any title, such as doctor or "urofe.
sor.' attached 10 his name II pro-
Tess nothing" he would say or I'm
IN good health: cont doctor mo II
YOU must pu, handle to my name.
cali me Mister lie was OF a retir-
ing type. being rather exclusive by ma
ure But wherever he lived for any
time ia the course OF his work a. .,
santa Fe. lac made many warm friends
The story OF Bandellcr's life ts
striking example OF how man vii;
ma the line Or work FOR which h. is
naturally fitted In spite Of circum
stances. lie did not make his frst
field expedition until he was almos,
forty years old lie was born in
switzerland. but came 10 the United
states as :, small child. His father wa.
engaged III a banking and general i'm
port business In Highland. ILL.,, where
nc Was SWISS consul as we'll Bande
her early showed the remarkable ap,i.
tudc as l!ugu!sI that was 10 stand
h!m in good stead later When he was
eight years old ne was writing French
ANA German leti.rs for his r,,ho,,s
consular Office
He learned English rapidly. and also
taught himself spanish In later life
ne became 50 proficient in this Ian
Shase mat he was frequently taken for
= native OF Latin Americ, Nos, y,
his immense stock OF general Know
ledge he delved on, for himself ,o-
ne never attended school after his
eighth year. He was "A tireless worker
i"r ne believed that n man in his field
81, I'd IN.
must he at once historian, an archaic
"Iosist an ethnoloEst and an anthro
poiosist That goal Bandelie- attained
Distinguished for III. Memory.
re was always distinguished for his
iemarkah!e memory. From 1909 10
ucaily temporary blindness, due TO
cataract During this period he went
on with his work with the helm Of
ms wife He had little or no ,roubl,
ia locating references In his large IL
| bFhIy. Almost always when he wanted
Ia particular passage he could refer n
1t without hesitation by volume. and
even by the number OF the page thar
contained it,
Ills passion for certainty and ac
7 " .,Y was extreme. lie projected a
! Whole series Of novels. such AS "Th,
Delight Makers" which should sha,.
| the ilfe Of the Southwest through ri,
'he years OF its carly history. lie had
Sc'c so ia as TO write several chapters
/ "i second hood. laid in the ,iue -,
,"r spanish comqucrors. when n.
touched a point where IL was n.a.
al! 10 describe an ink-wcll OF TIE
| 'ctiod' lie had no such ink-weu ana
ne was unable to ind one. So he laid
aside the book until he should come
/ across suitable ink well Af,cru,rd
ne searched for that tribe through NC
ne museums Of Europe, but he never
FOUND H. and never went on win nj.
book wv" ms
When he made his trip TO Sou,b
america. his first wife died. and r.
i-i'i"' itru, he married Fannie Ri,tcr
WIZ LOT more than twenty years was
WIN hiim in all his field and library
She was peculiarly well fitted
10 be of assistance to RandcIier for
she speaks hucntly half "A dozen mod
rrh languages. and several Indian din
reefs as well. Her influence over IN.
si'u''lS is even greater than was h..
Tor the aboriSincs hold her in sort
VI supcrS'itious regard. crcdtine her
win supernatural powers of Intuition
ana hcalihE. Their camps in tho An
des' says Mrs. Bandcier. often took on
.he asPect OF dispensary. from the
number CT Indians who came TO he
cured u their ailments
/ In her husbands research work Mrs
! ht',"eh' was Of great assistance in
| exploring the archives of MANY lib
rarieS IN many languages She speaks
/ ~ wv '"'t w 'hc library at the city
| ol M';|.co as worse than the dust of
! their desert oncampmcnts She trans
lated for the first time into English
/ the journal of CabcZa dc Vaca on his
| trip from Florida To tho Pacific in the
years l52S-36, which Bandclicr edited
| CahcZa de- Naca was the first European
/ to cross the American continent
! In her husbands field work. Mrs
bandciier was always with him, in
/ mountain and desert. In the museums
f; OF this country are moro than ti00
| human skulls. which the Bandelicrs
! collcctcd in their Investigations and
, all these skulls Mrs. Bandclicr took out
! OF the earth, cleaned and prcpared for
| shipment for the Indians absolutely
refuse 1" touch them.
| Bandclier dind In 1914 In Spain.
! whore he had gone TO do research work
| in the library or Madrid. Ho left I'M
| finished a monumental work on the
| indian pucbI"a or III" mo Grande, from
| colorado to the t:nif Mira. Bandclicr
will pubii.h an much OF his common
| tary 10 this work IN lbs had completed,
as well az hll iho documents he had
purposcd Incorporating with II. She
also intends I" publiah ~ ucW edition
Of the "DnliHhI Mnherh" II project
that VIII have HE hupuOrt Of every
| friend OF American literature. for the
book Is unique nud absolutely Amcri-
can as we'll na u WORK of art
IL WAS unfortunate ii,ni Dnudolier
did not receive moro fniiy during his
lifetime the recognition uittnidc his
torical and archaeological utrUlAa that
was his due. The ao,iins 4eida OF the
! Bandclicr Monument In n hitting rccog.
milton OF one OF our great men.