Peyote Hearings, H.R. 2614 (1918)

Statement of James Mooney, Ethnologist, Bureau of American Ethnology

Mr. Mooney. To give a fair understanding of this topic would require, I think, more time than it is possible to spend this afternoon on the subject. If you choose; I can give you a brief statement. As a number of our Indian friends have only to-day to remain in the city, you may like to hear their views first. I can wait. [Pause.] Or I can give you a scientific statement based on the professional investigations which I have conducted for 25 years, and then they can give you the Indian standpoint from their own experiences.

The Chairman. We should like to hear a brief, scientific statement. Then, we shall have that as a background for the experiences that the Indians may give us.

Mr. Mooney. I am one of the ethnologists of the Bureau of American Ethnology. In April I shall have filled 30 years' service in the bureau. A large part of my time has been spent with the tribes of the southern plains, who are particularly devoted to the use of peyote and to the religious rite connected with it. For the most part of the first six years I lived as a member of a family among the Kiowa. In connection with a general study of Indian things among the Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, and associated tribes, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho of Oklahoma, and several other tribes in the other parts of the country, I have made peyote a subject of investigation. It is so closely connected with Indian life in southwestern Oklahoma that any ethnologist going there to make investigations soon has it brought to his attention, and I became interested in it.

I have gotten from the Indians their own story of the origin of the religious rite. You must understand that the use of this plant is not an ordinary habit, but that it is confined almost entirely and strictly to the religious ceremony, excepting that it is frequently employed also for medicinal purposes. It is not an ordinary habit in the way that a man takes to drinking whisky. There are certain times, seasons, and reasons for the use of it. I studied the ceremony first as a scientific observer with the Kiowa, and later in pursuance of a special investigation of the subject, I visited a number of other tribes, among them the Mexican tribes of the Sierra Madre, and as far south as the City of Mexico. Besides what I know of the use of peyote among the tribes in western Oklahoma, I know in a less degree of its use among the tribes in Mexico, from whom those to the north have obtained their knowledge of it.

Peyote grows in the arid regions. It is a small cactus, with a root very much the size and shape of an ordinary long radish, and the part used by the Indians is the sliced-off top, dried to about the size of an ordinary silver quarter or half dollar. Here it is [showing a small boxful of samples of peyote]. It has different Indian names in the various tribes. It is sometimes incorrectly called mescal by the whites, but its proper name is peyote, the Spanish derivative

from the old Aztec name. This is the dried top, the blossoming top of a small cactus which grows close to the ground. It grows abundantly about Laredo, Tex., where it is gathered and dried by Mexicans and shipped to the dealers in Oklahoma, who supply the Indian trade. Our tribes, in the ceremonial, eat it dry, using only the top, because, on account of the white blossom center surrounded by circles of white points, they regard it as the vegetable representative of the sun. In Mexico, not only do the Indian tribes use it in the ceremonial way, but the common people of Mexico use it also in a medicinal way. Both Indians and Mexicans slice up the whole plant and make a decoction of it in warm or cold water. What I have here I got myself from a trader, who handled it in western Oklahoma, but I have also dug up the growing plant about Laredo.

The Chairman. Does it grow in Oklahoma?

Mr. Mooney. I do not think it grows in any part of Oklahoma. I know it grows in Texas, about Laredo, and most of the supply comes from there. It may grow also about the lower Pecos. The Mexican Indians find it on the arid plains eastward from the Sierra Madre. We know it was long used, as far back as we have any connected historical record of the Indian tribes of Texas. Some old Spanish mission books refer to it.

The Kiowa story of its origin is that some young men went on the warpath to the south and were gone for so long a time that their friends at home became afraid they would never return. There was a young woman, a sister of one of the war party, who went out to a hill beyond the camp every evening to watch for her brother, in accordance with the Indian custom, and pray for his return. Finally one evening she fell asleep, and a spirit came to her in a dream, telling her that there was something growing out of the ground under her head which would bring her to her brother if used according to the instructions which the spirit then gave her. When she awoke she looked and found a number of peyotes growing. These she gathered and took back to camp, and then, calling the old men together, told them how to prepare everything for the ceremony as the spirit had directed._ They set up the tepee and performed the rite, and in the peyote vision they saw where the young man was lying alone, wounded and starving, and they sent out a party and brought him home to his sister. There -is always a religious myth in connection with the peyote rite. That is the story the Kiowa tell of how the rite came to them. Each tribe has its own story. The Kiowa say the Comanche knew of it before they did. Both tribes say they got it from the Mescalero and Tonkawa, and probably these got it originally from the tribes near the Mexican border, who in turn had it from the tribes in old Mexico. It has come to the more northern tribes only recently.

[The subcommittee's questioning of Mr. Mooney on points of chemistry and law, and his description of the ceremony's physical conduct — closely paralleling his 1896 Therapeutic Gazette article, separately held by this archive — are omitted here.]

Statements of Otto Wells (Comanche) and Arthur Bonnicastle (Osage)

STATEMENT OF MR. OTTO WELLS, SPOKESMAN, COMANCHES.

Mr. Wells. I hold official position under agency government. Mr. President, I can't say very much more. Mr. Mooney has explained the whole thing to you, and what he has said is all true — that we use this peyote in religious ways and sickness. These boys here [pointing to other Indians present] can explain better than I can ; they use it in their sickness and have been cured by that medicine. The only thing I like to mention is about the Indian Mr. Mooney mentioned — his name is Setkopti — Paul Setkopti — ■ I saw him with my own eyes that he had these hemorrhages. Two years before he died I went to his camp and sat up with him and fixed this peyote for him to stop these hemorrhages. Therefore that we have this medicine, it is valuable to us ; to whom it is used to it is valuable.

Another thing that I would like to say is that Father Isidore Ricklin [Father Isidore Eicklin, Catholic missionary among the Kiowa, Anadarko, Okla. He is the only missionary I know who has actually witnessed the ceremony for himself. — J. M.] has told me that 'this medicine is the best medicine that any person could take for his stomach. He has used it and quite a number have used it. They claim it pretty good medicine.

STATEMENT OF MR. ARTHUR BONNICASTLE, SPOKESMAN, OSAGE

INDIANS.

Mr. Bonnicastle. Just Want to say a few words. Mr. Mooney has covered the question that is before you — that is, pretty well. Some of the Osages learned in some way that this question was coming up before this board to-day and they requested me to come and be present this afternoon at the hearing.

The Osages have been using peyote for the last 15 or 16 years, and its use was taught to them by_ John Wilson. It is used in religious ceremonies and as medicine in cases of sickness, and the Osages

thought that if this body of men would recommend to Congress to pass the bill through, stopping the use of peyote among them it would be an injustice, because they don't use it to excess and use it to good advantage — use it in religion and their prayers and in times of sickness, and they don't use it between times of religious meetings. It is a sacred plant to them, and it is scarce. They use it Saturday nights and Sunday, up until noon, and in times of sickness they don't use more than one, two, or three, which they boil, taking the tea therefrom. In their religious ceremonies, women are allowed to use not over five and the men seven of these peyotes. That is the Osage custom.

Mr. Knox. Did you ever use it yourself?

Mr. Bonnicastle. Yes, sir.

Mr. Knox. What is the effect, that you are conscious of?

Mr. Bonnicastle. It trains the mind to higher ideas in worshipping God. The principles laid down in the use of this peyote as it is taught in these meetings by the leader, teaches the Indians to things that will lead to better life in worshiping the Almighty ; that is, to train the mind to that end. I don't see any bad effects from its use.

Mr. Aters. After you have used it, does it leave a desire or craving to use it frequently?

Mr. Bonnicastle. No ; we don't go beyond what the leader gives out.

. Mr. Atee. How is the leader selected? Do the people who use it vote for him ?

Mr. Bonnicastle. No ; he takes it upon himself to teach the use of it.

Mr. Knox. Where were you educated? I notice you use good English.

Mr. BONNICASTLE. At Carlisle.

Mr. Knox. Did you use it at Carlisle ?

Mr. Bonnicastle. No, sir; after I came back. My health was not good at school.

Mr. Knox. Do you think it had any effect?

Mr. Bonnicastle. I was sick and they made tea and I took it at times. Had the stomach trouble. It was quite helpful after it was made into tea.

The Chairman. After using it, are Indians able to go to work on Monday morning?

Mr. BONNICASTLE. Yes, sir. It don't interfere with their business or interests at all.

The Chairman. How much does it cost to the Osages, about?

Mr. Bonnicastle. We send down to Laredo, Tex., for it, and it sells from $2.25 to $3 per thousand.

Statement of Francis La Flesche, Bureau of American Ethnology, an Omaha Indian

Statement of Francis La Flesche, Bureau of American Ethnology, an Omaha Indian

STATEMENT OF MR. FRANCIS LA FLESCHE, BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY, AN OMAHA INDIAN.

Mr. La Flesche. I have had numerous opportunities to study the use of the peyote among the Poncas, the Osage, and my own people, the Omahas. I had heard extraordinary stories told about its effects, about the immorality that it produced, and about the promiscuity of the people who used the peyote at their meetings. I expected to find evidence of the truth of these stories.

When I went among the Osage people, some of the leaders of the peyote religion were anxious for me to attend their meetings, and wishing to know what effect this " medicine," as they called it, had upon each individual, I accepted the invitation. I attended a meeting at which the gentleman who has just spoken to you, Mr. Arthur Bonnicastle, was present, and sat with him. At about 6 o'clock in the evening the people entered their " meeting house " and sat in a circle around a fire kindled over some symbolic figures marked in the center of a shallow excavation in the middle of the room. The peyote was passed around, some of it in pellets of the consistency of dough, and some prepared in liquid form. The drum was ceremonially circulated and accompanied by singing. From all that I had heard of the intoxicating effects of the peyote I expected to see the people get gloriously drunk and behave as drunken people do. While I sat waiting to see fighting and some excitement the singing went on and on and I noticed that all gazed at the fire or beyond, at a little mound on top of which lay a single peyote. I said to the man sitting next to me, " What do you expect to see ? " He said, " We expect to ■ see the face of Jesus and the face of our dead relatives. We are worshiping God and Jesus, the same God that the white people worship." All night long the singing went on and I sat watching the worshipers. It was about 5 o'clock in the morning when suddenly the singing ceased, the drum and the ceremonial staff were put away, and the leader, beginning at the right of the door, asked each person : " What did you see ? " Some replied, " I saw nothing." Others said, " I saw the face of Jesus and it made me happy." Some answered, " I saw the faces of my relatives, and they made me glad." And so on, around the entire circle. I noticed that there were only a few who had been able to see faces, the greater number of the men and women saw nothing. It was explained to me by the leader that these revelations come quickly to those whose thoughts and deeds are pure. To those who are irreverent, they come slowly, although they may come in time. This meeting, as well as others that I have been permitted to attend, was as orderly as any religious meeting I have seen in this and other cities.

I am thoroughly convinced that these Indians are worshiping God in their own simple way, and if their religion is interfered with by the Government or anybody else, and it is suppressed, the consequences will be very grave.

During the morning the women prepared the food which had been contributed by the members, while the men sat and waited until they were called to the place, where about noon the meal was served. When all were seated, the leader asked a member to offer prayer. The prayer was such as I have heard among white people. I saw no signs of intoxication.

I do not know about the medicinal qualities of the peyote, whether it can cure consumption or any other disease that the human flesh is subject to, but there is one disease it has cured — the disease of drunk-

About 15 years ago, my people passed through an extraordinary experience. White men came among them, generally known as " bootleggers " to sell whislry and lemon extract. What the whisky was -made of I don't know— these "boot-leggers" would sell anything that could produce drunkenness. My people fell into the habit of using this stuff — manufactured by white people — and kept using it until they were in the very depths of degradation. In their drunkenness they attacked men, women, and children. Crimes have been committed that have never been heard of, crimes that have gone unpunished, and white people and Indians alike became afraid to go out at nights on the road for fear of meeting drunken Indians. There came a time when there was a lull in this storm of drunkenness, and after awhile we heard that the peyote religion had been adopted by the Omahas, and there were not as many drunkards as before the introduction of it.

Practically all of those of my people who have adopted the peyote religion do not drink. The peyote plant does much toward destroying the appetite for intoxicants. Moreover, any use of spirituous liquors is forbidden by the teachings of the new religion.

I have a respect for the peyote religion, because it has saved my people from the degradation which was produced by the use of the fiery drinks white people manufacture.

Commissioner Knox. Do you know of any individual men who were drunkards and who by the use of peyote ceased drinking and became sober men?

Mr. La Flesche. Yes, sir ; I could mention a number.

[Statements of Thomas L. Sloan (Omaha attorney) and the documents Mooney submitted for the record, including a reprint of his 1896 article, are omitted.]

Statement of Fred Lookout, Chief of the Osage Tribe of Indians

STATEMENT OF FRED LOOKOUT, CHIEF OF THE OSAGE TRIBE OF INDIANS, PAWHUSKA, OKLA.

Mr. Tillman. Give your name and the position you occupy in the tribe, and a preliminary statement about yourself, before you proceed on your statement about the purpose of this bill, which is to prohibit peyote among the Indians.

What is your name, age, and tribe ?

Chief Lookout. Fred Lookout, 50 years of age, chief of the Osage Tribe of Indians.

Mr. Tillman. What is your residence ?

Chief Lookout. Pawhuska, Okla.

Mr. Tillman. Go ahead in your own way and make whatever statement you desire to make, and state to the committee whether you favor the continued use of the drug or whether you are against it, and you may cover the subject fully in your own way.

Chief Lookout. We use this peyote in the worship of God among the Osage Indians. We worship it in a manner that is the right way. We are praying to God when we use this medicine that is known as peyote, and the Osage people, my people, use it to a certain extent. They use it in the right way. There is no harm in it. I like it and I am in favor of it.

Mr. Tillman. Go on and finish your statement and then we will ask you some questions.

Chief Lookout. For myself, as chief of the Osage Indians, I use this peyote myself. When I use it I use it in the right way. I live up to it in worship to God. I understand that some of these Indians have been using it the same as we have, and I want the committee to know that we do not use it the same way. The Osage people, as a member of the tribe, I know use it in the right way, and we use it like people going to church. We have our regular meetings. We do not use this peyote every day. We do not use it everywhere we go. We use it in the right way. We have church houses, ourselves, among the Osage people. We have our gatherings there and worship to God and use this peyote as we think is the better way amongst our own people. I use it myself and I know by using it I live in a better way, and I like it on that account. My people are doing very well, and for that reason I like the use of this peyote. Since the use of peyote amongst the tribe of Osage Indians my young people, or my young men, have developed quite a good reputation. They are living up to their words. They are living under the laws of the State where we live. They are prosperous; they are gaining; and they are living a better life and making money, settling down in their homesteads and raising their own cattle and horses and everything. By using this peyote they have lived a whole lot better life. On the other hand, before they began to use peyote, my people would use whisky and it ruined a lot of our people. They would ruin their lives and ruin their homes. They did not have anything. They have gone to nothing, and since the use of this peyote they have gained. I recognized the way they were doing and this is the reason I am in favor of this peyote. I want the committee to hear what I have got to say. And that is all.

Mr. Tillman. What effect has peyote upon you when you use it?

Chief Lookout. It does not have any effect upon me. When I eat ' this peyote I worship with it; that is, I worship to God Almighty. It does not have any effect on me.

Mr. Tillman. How much do you take at one sitting or at one meeting?

Chief Lookout. Four or five or seven is the limit. Seven is as high as we eat it.

Mr. Tillman. Does it give you visions of the hereafter, and does it not bring about the faces of your dead relatives, and does it not have the effect of causing you to see visions ?

Chief Lookout. No, sir ; I do not see anything like that. I do not see anything. I do not see a hereafter.

Mr. Tillman. How much does it cost? Is it an expensive drug?

Chief Lookout. About $2 a hundred.

Mr. Tillman. Does it have any effect upon you? If not, why do you not use something else that is less expensive and more easily obtained ?

Chief Lookout. I can not find anything that I can buy for less, only whisky, and that makes a person drunk.

Mr. Tillman. Did you use whisky before you began to use this bean?

Chief Lookout. I was a terrible drunkard before I ate this peyote.

Mr. Tillman. And do you want this committee to understand that the use of peyote has destroyed entirely in you the appetite for whisky, and that you do not want whisky any more and prefer peyote to whisky ?

Chief Lookout. I have quit the whisky entirely, but I am using this peyote. ^

Mr. Tillman. Do you think that the use of peyote destroyed the taste of whisky in you ?

Chief Lookout. No, sir; I do not.

Mr. Tillman. How many members of your tribe use peyote ?

Chief Lookout. Most all the full-blood members of the tribe.

Mr. Tillman. Is this a Christian religion, or is it a mere worship of peyote, or the drug itself ?

Chief Lookout. We worship God Almighty ; we worship to Him.

Mr. Tillman. Then explain to this committee where you get any authority from the Bible for the use of this bean in worship.

Chief Lookout. I do not understand about the Bible. If the Bible gives any authority for the use of this peyote, I am not familiar with it.

Mr. Tillman. Then where do you get vour authority for the use of it?

Chief Lookout. All of my people use this peyote, and some other member of the tribe came to me and persuaded me to use it. That is how I came to use this peyote.

Mr. Tillman. Does it have any effect on you ; and if it does not, and if the appetite does not grow on you the more you use it, why do you use it ? Does the appetite grow on you ?

Chief Lookout. No, sir.

Mr. Tillman. How many members are there of your tribe — about 2,100 or 2,200?

Chief Lookout. About 800 full bloods.

Mr. Tillman. Do all the full bloods use this peyote?

Chief Lookout. Most all of them.

Mr. Tillman. Do they use it outside of the religious ceremonies? Do they use it privately ?

Chief Lookout. No, sir ; they do not.

Mr. Tillman. About how often do they have these ceremonies?

Chief Lookout. They do not use it regularly. They use it every two weeks or every week. They have these, and one man will give a meeting over there [indicating] ; maybe after about two or three weeks another man will give a meeting; and that is the way they use it.

Mr. Tillman. Who buys this stuff, and where do they get it?

Chief. Lookout. We send for it. We have it ordered from the

[Extended cross-examination on the price, mail-order supply, and distribution of peyote is omitted.]

Statement of Paul Boynton, Former Student of Carlisle, Cheyenne and Arapahoe Tribes

STATEMENT OF PAUL BOYNTON, FORMER STUDENT OF CARLISLE AND FORMER INTERPRETER OF THE AGENCY, CHEYENNE AND ARAPAHOE TRIBES.

Mr. Tillman. Please state your age.

Mr. Boynton. Forty-nine.

Mr. Tillman. What tribe do you represent ?

Mr. Boynton. The Cheyenne and Arapahoe.

Mr. Tillman. You are an intelligent Indian, and talk English well. Go on and make your own statement.

Mr. Boynton. I am half Cheyenne and half Arapahoe.

Mr. Tillman. Tell the committee what you desire to about this peyote bean, and what your wishes are with reference to this bill that is pending before the subcommittee.

Mr. Boynton. I am one of the delegates from the Cheyenne and Arapahoe country that was selected by the society, or Peyote boys as we know it. I don't know whether I was sent here just because 1 know so much about it, or just because I don't know anything about it, but I am here now before the committee to state the facts that I have proven myself by my own practical experience and knowledge of this herb. I am not a man that uses the herb like the rest of them — my fellow men. I use it once in a while. How I came to use the herb was something about 25 years ago. But I find now that I did not go into it like I ought to. Some of these men here of my own tribe, both Cheyennes and Arapahoes, know just who I am and what I was — one of the worst gamblers, the greatest drinker. In fact, I was a robber, robbing the gambling games, shifting the cards just to get the money from those people ; and I heard that when they used peyote they would quit drinking. Well, I didn't know so much about that, but I wanted to prove it myself just to see —to find out whether it had any power to make me quit drinking or not, and all my evil habits. I went and used this peyote two or three or four times. Of course, I did not see into it at once, but gradually in time I began to see. There was something mysterious in this that I could not explain; there was something very mysterious that I could not tell. It had something to do with me — to raise my ideas, it seems like.

I began to feel as though by using peyote, in my conscience I ought to live right, I ought to talk right, I ought to think right. I began to see the difference in whisky and peyote. When I used to use liquor I was out on the streets, probably not knowing half the time what was taking place during that day ; my thoughts were not mine ; I did not know them. But when I used peyote my thoughts were serious about nature, about my future; I felt seriously when I was under the influence of this herb. I went further and saw and proved what people had told me —that it was medicine to cure diseases. Then I went and watched and proved, and saw for myself at certain times that certain people were made well. I looked further into this. I saw that it not only cured fever or all kmds of ailments, but I went further into this; I saw that I used to be continually sick; I was sore all over. I had disease which was caused by my evil doings, my evil habits. Those made me continually ill every day. Through the conscience of this peyote I was made well,

because I could think higher, I could see that there was something greater than the medicine itself. I saw that God planted the herb that I was using, so I says, " I am going to use God's herb. If there is such a thing as all things are possible to God, why something must be possible, because God planted this herb and blessed it, and I am going to take God's blessing."

As an instance of one of the main proofs I am going to tell about my wife. She was sick for about six months. Something it seems like was growing kind of here like. [Indicating.] It was sticking out like that, and I kept coaxing her to go to a doctor. Of course, she was afraid they might operate on her. In time she had gotten down in the bed ; could not sleep. I had to sit up on the chair, side of her, and she was crying at different times through the night because she was paining. 1 offered to hire doctors — Indian doctors. She would not do it. Well, of course, I was so worked up I didn't know what to do. So I says, " I am serving God through the conscience of this peyote; I am serving in my blind way, and if the power in my prayer will cure my wife I am going to try and prove it." I went to work and told my wife. I says, ''I am serving God, but I know that on your part there is no God, you are not serving God with me," I says. " But I am serving God, and I am going to use God's herb so that soreness will be gone, because I have learned to see and feel in my heart that all things are possible to God," I says.

She says, "All right; all right. I will take the herb just as you will give it to me." I took the herb. I think I must have had about 15 in a quart. I put these there in a quart and boiled it, and I took and strained it in another cup, stirring it, and it was clear, and I let it cool off. In about an hour afterwards it was cooled, and my thought was by giving God's herb to my wife she would be well. I took this cup full and I prayed for my wife, telling her I was taking God's blessing that he blessed when he created this world. I told my wife. " Now, wife, you are taking God's herb and you must have your whole faith in it! ' I believe God will make you well, and if there is such a thing as all things are possible to God, I have asked God that I wanted to prove this; I wanted to see this disappear; leave you; and I do hope that my prayer will be answered."

Then we sat there, both of us, and my daughter was sitting there, all of us sitting there, and I said, " I hope God will bless my prayer and this soreness will leave you." My wife took this drink. In about 10 minutes afterwards I took her another one and give it to her Then I prayed again and told God I would like to see this soreness go; that my wife is the only one that cares for my home. Why, in about half an hour my wife says, « Paul, I am kind of sick; I want to throw up." I says, •' Yes; thank you : that is goad. Our prayer is answered; my prayer is answered. God has blessed us. I savs " I have asked God to take this away right before our eyes. Now God is going to take it out; God is going to prove his blessing through this herb. The blessing is in this herb and has gone into your body, and I know that God is going to take this out. Now, get up and throw it over there." i t i, i

She got up and sat down on her knees and threw up and I had my hand over her forehead, and she threw up, and it was something green like that came out. After she throwed up she lay down again, and I am very sorry to say I did not go and investigate about this, but next morning — it must have been about 8 or 9 o'clock — when she woke she got up herself and she woke me up and said, " Paul, come here and feel this." I woke up and she was standing on the side of my bed, and we could not find that big lump that was there. I says, 'God took it out, and from this time you must learn to worship with me and serve God together and use God's herb," I says.

Now, gentlemen, we have been accused by the parties, the church people probably, that this degenerates us. No. My own physical appearance ought to prove it to you. Do I look sick? There is not a thing I can complain of in my body. I use the herb. You see I am trying to express my thoughts in a sensible way. I would not say that the taste cured the taste of the whisky; the taste of this peyote cured the taste of my appetite for liquor ; no, sir ; I would not say that. But the idea, the principle in it — the religious, holy idea that I got in the effects of it — is what helps these men following this religion.

Mr. Tillman. God would not need this little peyote bean to work wonders with you.

Mr. Boynton. What is that?

Mr. Tillman. God would not need to use this peyote bean to work such wonders on you or your wife. Can he not do these wonders without the use of this bean?

Mr. Boynton. Why, the power of prayer and of faith I had in God, asking God that we would take his herb, one of his gifts. I believe he put that power to have that effect on that soreness.

Mr. Tillman. You think that is the only drug that he put any power in to cure human ills?

Mr. Boynton. Sir?

Mr. Tillman. You think that is the only drug he put that power in to cure human ills ?

Mr. Boynton. I believe there is more than that; it cures sin, spiritually.

Mr. Tillman. You do not send for a white doctor when you get sick, do you?

Mr. Boynton. No, sir.

Mr. Tillman. Would you prefer now to use this peyote and your prayers rather than to have a white doctor treat you for disease of any kind?

Mr. Boynton. I will first pray. I will serve God first.

Mr. Tillman. You believe in faith cure and prayer?

[The remaining cross-examination, in which Rep. Tillman read into the record Dr. Harvey Wiley's chemical analysis of peyote alkaloids and pressed Boynton on faith healing versus professional medicine, is omitted.]

Statement of Cleaver Warden, Arapahoe Indian, Tribal Delegate

Mr. Tillman. Does anyone else want to make a statement?

Mr. Waldo. There are two who want to be heard.

STATEMENT OF CLEAVER WARDEN, ARAPAHOE INDIAN, TRIBAL DELEGATE, FORMER AGENCY INTERPRETER.

Mr. Warden. I am from the Arapahoe Tribe.

Mr. Tillman. State whether you are for peyote or against it.

Mr. Warden. I want to give to the committee as briefly as I can the testimony that I know from my own practical experience at home. That will perhaps substantiate the support of peyote on the part of the Indians who are using this herb in Oklahoma and perhaps at other places throughout the United States.

First, I want to tell the committee that I have to a certain extent been in the employ of a scientific institution. One of them is the Chicago Museum and another is the New York City Museum, and I have worked under Mr. Mooney and some other people and I have made somewhat of a careful study of my people in every way they do, in their mode of life particularly, and more especially trying to look into a proper way of carrying out their doings. Now, Sitting Bull, an Arapahoe Indian, was at one time a scholar of home missionary in Utah. That man came into Our country as a member of the Arapahoe and Cheyenne tribe of Indians, and he started to teaching there and he did a good many things contrary to his teaching. One time he came on to my place where we had a meeting at home: a social meeting. There he had an opportmiity of coming into our presence. He was in a condition I was sui'priscd to see when he came into our meeting. You would not begin to recognize him from his photo. He sat there with his eyes all twisted up, his nose one side, and his mouth every direction, slobbering, partially paralyzed: had a partial stroke of paralysis. He could hardly take a seat. He was put to one side there and perhaps he was told what to do. Gentlemen of the committee, in that tent there is order, and where there is order there is contentment; where there is a Godly feeling prevailing. After being there that night and by the use of this peyote, he walked out with the rest in the morning.

There came a man from Watonga, a white man brother of ours. He pointed to him there; he said, " Our best friend there at one time is a wreck from evil practices; he disobeyed the law. He so admits. Look at him, size him up; what do you think of him? He is not going to get well; he is going to die." I says. "No; he is going to get well." "How is he going to get well?" he says. I says, "If he goes at these meetings with good intentions, goes to proper places, he will get well." That was my faith for him. That is one instance.

Now there are several. I think a good many, who know my own experience.

Mr. Snyder. What happened to Sitting Bull? Did he come out all right ?

Mr. Warden. He come out of it. He is there now well, perfectly well. He can smile, he can tell you how he came out. how he con- (juered. He is there now a Christian. He is home in all peace and contentment of Godliness. There is no such thing as immorality surrounding his home. He is there listed as a Menonite member now. That is the work of peyote.

Now take the case of the daughter of a friend of mine attending the school there in the district. I was called to come and look after

this girl. Upon inquiry I found out she had accidentally swallowed a couple of pins. One of them she said she vomited up; the other was in her throat. The physician, under the direction of the superintendent, was instructed to look after the girl. They had tried every way to obtain a means of getting it out by examination, but they' failed to do it. They had tried; I do not know what they did. She told me that they had felt her neck and stuck their fingers in her mouth and looked inside, and she said she did not want to tell. But I brought her home to my place to my family ; she belongs to my f amily on account of marriage. We gave her what we thought would be soothing for her system — food, something of vegetable kind. That didn't help at all. Then I concluded, I said, " Here I am. knowing these people in my neighborhood that are being made well by this peyote; why would not it be a proper thing for me to take her of her own free will." We took her and she swallowed that like we do. Sometime afterward she was out and she says, '' I had a fit from this; I can't swallow the pin that sticks in there." It was in her throat. " Now." I said, "We are going to try again." So we gave her the peyote. On that day in the morning she had peyote in her system and she was running around with my boy and she came back to the house. She was out chasing rabbits with my boy, and my wife asked her to gather .some wood and take it to the kitchen, and she did, and when she went out there and while she bent over there she coughed, she said, and that pin dropped on top of the wood. It was all clotted with blood, just a little of the pin in sight. That is an illustration, Mr. Chairman.

Now, I will not go very much further, but it is enough for me to convince the committee of the good of peyote to say this. I was a student at one time at Carlisle, Pa., and I know when I returned home I was in such a shape as Paul Boynton was. I know that, because I had a hemorrhage — if I wished to enjoy life and see the good doings of others I must do what they do, and of my own free will I conscientiously went and joined that society. I was made well upon that.

STATEMENT OF REUBEN TAYLOR, WESTERN OKLAHOMA