Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-05-21
MEDICINE MAN TALK
J. Webb Jones Suggests a Possible
Use for the Ceremonial stone.
A Far West Experience.
The Legal Aid Bu-
reau's story
! Dy GEORGE NOy ,IcCAJN


statement that may throw light on this
interesting subject - .
j. Webb Jones. of wissahickon. who
dclves. into geology and kindred sciences,
related to me an experience, unique In it's
way, in the Far West.
IL had to do with Indian medicine men.
About twenty five years ago." says Mr..
Jones, II was riding through the Shoshone
Indian Reservation early in April. Powder
River. was filled with ice at the time.
we met detachment from the Indian
Agency that had been sent out TO determine
why SO many dead Indians were floating
down stream.
Later. in Lander, wyo, met the officer
In charge and he told me they had discov-
cred the cause.
1T may have a bearing on the uses for
which, the Spring Mountain stone was in
tended
U7NHERE had been IN epidemic of pneu
l. nonia among the Indians. continued
Mr.. Jones, and their medicine man had
prescribed for them after this fashion
"A covering of skin over cross bows, like
wagon top, was constructed close to the
rivers edge. 1t was little larger than
would cover STOPPING man, and was closed
in tight
I'm the center of this tepee or tent was
followed out basin the size of a bucket,
and filled with icy water from the stream.
The pneumonia victim, stripped, stopped
over the puddle of water while hot stone
was rolled into Il.
g As the steam arose the patient stood IL
as long as he could and then broke away
and out of the tepee, diving head foremost
into the ice filed stream.
This icy dive was part of the medicine
mans prescription.
''The agency official told me-" said Mr..
Jones, that the steam bath was and had
medicine men for most all ills, but he hardly
thought it much good for pneumonia.
THE percentage of deaths from the treat
mel ment was geg,sed by the number of bodies of
Mr.. Jones also directed attention to the
which the ceremonial stone was found is a
glacial moraine.
He thinks that perhaps the rare minerals
foreign to that section, of which / spoke In
( the same connection, may have been carried
from great distance In the glacial drift.
His experience and observation are inter-
csting, in connection with these subjects.
THE amateur geologist who discovered
l. the rare minerals in the vicinity of Per-
bonneville. in the Spring Mountain district,
was Frederick IIilbiber.
1t was mentioned Mt the time that Mr..
Hilbiber was retired worker of Whining
ton, Del, past sixty years of age, who in
his later years is devoting his time to the
study of nature.
A letter from Wilmington friend tells
me that Mr.. Hilbiber has a we'll earned
reputation in that city rs an authority on
early editions.
"IIis little shop" says Mr.. Robinson.
in Wilmington was lined from floor to cell
ing with books.
There were, too, mineral specimens by
the hundreds.
''IIe directed in his quiet way many a
happy small boys interest aud attention
along lines that opened up pleasant vistas
and lanes for future hobby riding
ONE of the characteristics of the old min
" craogist and book lover is given by Mr..
Robinson in the following:
''lIe found through the Salvation Army
some early records of the first Quaker meet
ings in Wilmington.
II know for n fact that he had the chance
to sell the two volumes for $500 to Phia-
delphian. but insisted that he first give some
Wimingtonian q chance, since they related
more to Wilmington than to Philadelphia.
THE Wilmington man offered him 500,
and he gave over the books without mention
of the higher offer.
That is the way he loved books and men
Don't you think those of us who know
him might feel glad and proud to have num-
bered him among friends indeibly stamped
in memory"
A CLEVER idea was put across at the
n first staff dinner Of the Legal Aid Blu
reau of the Department of Public Welfare
When the guests assembled they found
beside each plate mimeographed sheet
filled with figures.
Likewise, with such cryptic lines as Ex-
tortion, Ukrainian. Prohibited by Rule.
Lithuanian, War Risk Insurance. Sheriff's
Office, Newspapers, and about seventy other
subjects.
Only the initiated knew at first what thev
meant. The visitors quickly caught on,
however. At the top of the page was the
legend:
department of Public Welfare. Bureau
of Legal Aid. Report of the first nine
months"
On the reverse of the sheet were printed
the menu and the names and the speakers.
TNWENTY years ago the idea of the city
l. supplying attorneys and legal advice TO
poor citizens would have Just about caused
James McManes and "Bill' McAIullen toc
roll over in their cnskcts. ~
''Patcrnalism gone mad" would have
been the verdict, doubtless, of these oldtime
practical bosses.
Just the same. in the nine months prior
to April ! last the Legal Aid Bureau han
died 1922 cases for citizens.
There were more women than men helped
by 302.
One fifth of this number were colored
people.
In addition to these activities. II, 1854 men
and women poured their troubles into the
ears of the members Of the staff
Money recovered for these poor claimants
in that time exceeded $4,000
A CONSPICUOUS item sets forth the fact
"A that the Philadelphia newspapers fur
nishcd 22S3 OF these cases.
This was only exceeded by the number
sent to the bureau by its friends
The smallest number-one casc--was sent
by the British Consul
Although the majority were attempts TO
gouge the poor by those who knew that thew
could not afford to retain a lawyer, or prof-
itcering landlords cheating poor tenants.
the Tenants Protective Association sent
only four persons to the bureau for advice.
Sad be it to relate, but the ajority of
those applying for legal aid or advice were
Americans 4561 of them.
The Irish came next
Russia contributed 217, and of Jews
there were 210
One lone Egyptian. two Turks. three
Chinese and four Syrians brought up the
rear.
Odd as it may seem, thirty one cases were
settled over the telephone
There were several hundred others that