The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-12-27
BODY OF FAMOUS
indian WARRIOR
LIES IN EARLHAM
Former Richmond Man Tells
Of Impressive Funeral Rites
for Indian Chief.
VOL. XLIr


Out on hillside in Earlham Gene
terry lies the body of a famous old In
dian chief. Kaw.Haw.Chaw. He was
buried there on August 3, 1865 with
impressive Indian rites.
Two Richmond men were there
when the old chief was buried, and
remember the services. One was w.
K. Bradbury, who Is in the insurance
business here. Another is Isaac Har-
wood Pedrick, who was born near
Easthaven.
Pedrick, who is now in California,
writes OF the ceremonies attendant
the burial of the chief, in California
newspaper. His story of the burial!
and ceremonies follows:
One summer day there arrived at
Richmond, Indiana, by train, a group
OF Indians. They were of the Fox
Wing. OF the Sac and Foxes, COM
hined tribe, and were then homeward
bound from visit to Westinghouse
petitionary visit to the Great Father,
as the Indians are wont to call our
President. BY the time the little party,
some ten or twelve in number, had
reached Richmond, their chief, Cav
Haw-Chaw, meaning in English Climb.
ing Bear. had fallen Ill, and so ill that
its members halted their journey and
asked for assistance. Suitable shelter
was offered, but the Indians declined,
saying that they much preferred to
camp. They were carried accordingly
to site little out of town and ad.
poining the historical National Road.
Though, perhaps. they had no in
terest in the latter, they did have an
interest in knowing that they were on
the same elevation occupied as a
camping ground many years before by
the Shawnee tribe of Indians on their
removal from Ohio to the Far West.
The site could not have been other
than pleasing to the Shawnees, for
there they remained three or four
days, and doubtless as pleasing to the
Foxes, it being an elevation disclos-
ing to view hills, forest and beauti.
full little valley at the foot OF the site,
carrying winding stream-a feature
OF nature always attractive to the
Red Man.
But neither pleasant surroundings
nor medical skill saved their chief. He
passed away after a few days, and
they voted to inter his body on a near
by hillside showing its breast toward
the setting sun and overlooking the
adjoining stream and valley. The
hour announced for the interment and
the attendant rites was for the mid.
afternoon; but the coming on of
thunder strom delayed the burial un.
til towards five o'clock.
The writer was by accident nearby
at the time. and when he saw the In
dams emerge from the camping
ground-all except the four bearers
walking single file, one behind the
other-he followed them across the
wide road and toward the green hill
side which had already been appro-
priated by their white brothers as a
cemetery. The firm stepping Of the
tribesmen and their erect forms. al
most wholly hidden under their long
falling hair and closely drawn blank.
cts, the latter descending from should
er to moccasin, indicated, though these
pilgrims we're now mourning at the
bier Of their chief, that beneath the
strange yelling were men of resolu-
ton and purpose.
Two score or so Of whites who had
been waiting in the cemetery express
sed their sympathy by joining the cor
tege as 1t neared the burial spot and,
upon reaching it, arranged themselves
as fringe about the darker group,
awaiting the ceremonies Of the Indian
burial.
Standing in a circle about the grave
the tribesmen fell into utter silence
and afterward. one by one stepped
forward. looking into it as if to ap-
prove or disapprove of the tomb pre-
pared by the Pale Faces as last rest
ing place for their noble chief. When
all had resumed their places, man
of impressibe mien, probably the sub
chief, gave a signal to lower the cas-
ket. That done, the circle again be-
came silent and seemingly as motion
less as statues. During this time
more than one on.looker glancing at
the dark visages one after another,
endeavored to fathom some of the
thoughts that lay behind them; but
the impassive faces of the mourners
disclosed almost nothing readable by
the whiteman.
A little later the quietude Of the cir
Gle was again broken. At signal
from the subchief its members, half
turning from the grave, massed them
selves in single file behind him SO
that the entire party. with him as
leader, could easily and orderly en-
circle the tomb. Then beagn state.
ly and solemn marching around it.
AS the leader completed the first cir
cult he cast some article into the
grave. Other offerings followed. one
or two OF each circuit, until all the |
nnourners had in like manner made an |