Geronimo Descendant Will Ask Bushes to Help Return Warrior’s Remains
By Emily Esterson , 5-12-06
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| Geronimo, and great grandson Harlyn. Courtesy Roy Lohrart | |
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In the days of science, when Billy the Kid gets his own lawyer to fight for his exhumation so his DNA can be tested, Harlyn Geronimo says he's willing to provide a DNA sample to Yale University historians. Geronimo is the great grandson of the Chiricahua Apache warrior Geronimo the Terrible. This past week, the story broke from the Yale Alumni Magazine that the famously secret Skull and Bones society stole Geronimo's skull and has it in its secret tomb.
Harlyn says he has been getting calls from lawyers who want to help him sue the U.S. Government, which owns Fort Sill, Oklahoma where Geronimo's remains were supposedly buried, then stolen by the Skull and Bones Society, of which Prescott Bush (grandfather to George W.) was a member. But while the story recently received national play, Harlyn has been working on the repatriation from Ft. Sill of his great grandfather's remains for about six months. An active member of the Mescalero Apache Tribal Council until he retired five years ago, an artist and an actor who has played Geronimo senior in several documentaries, he was responsible for pushing for a memorial to the warrior in the Gila Wilderness, New Mexico, supposedly Geronimo's birthplace. Harlyn says he wants to bring the bones there, too, to accompany a bronze sculpture and a memorial the Apache leader.
There is doubt, of course, the Skull and Bones society did indeed steal the great warrior's skull -- which is why Harlyn offered up his DNA. But Yale unearthed this letter, written in 1918 by Winter Mead '19 to F. Trubee Davison '18. Writes the magazine: It announces that the remains dug up at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, by a group that included Charles C. Haffner Jr. '19 (a new member, or "Knight"), have been deposited in the society's headquarters (the "Tomb"): "The skull of the worthy Geronimo the Terrible, exhumed from its tomb at Fort Sill by your club & the K -- t [Knight] Haffner, is now safe inside the T -- [Tomb] together with his well worn femurs[,] bit & saddle horn."
If Harlyn's DNA does match, "I would like the Bushes to look into this and return what was stolen," he says.
In the meantime, Harlyn says that Monday, when the Yale story broke in the national news, he got about 150 phone calls from people who were concerned about the desecration of Geronimo's grave -- some calls came from the general public, others came from those who claimed to be descendents. While he has not yet formally requested help from the presidential family, he has called on Native American medicine people (he and his wife Claudine are both medicine people) to gather for a prayer session to seek guidance on how best to proceed.
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Comments
Investigate who was the founder? The indian spirits want justice and righteously they should have. By the way Who is Prescott? What does he have to do with Yale Skull and Bones Society?
Make thing right that is all the Native American People want...
Even if the bones are still in Fort Sill I would like to see them returning to the Gila. Geronimo wanted to return to Southwest and it´s time to make that a reality after another century of dishonor. Geronimo, Apaches and all the Southwest deserves a good monument for Geronimo and the well known history of the region.
10081 STANDIFER GAP RD.
OOLTEWAH, TN 37363
I AM APPALLED THAT ANYONE BELIEVES THAT IT IS O.K. TO DESECRATE ANYONE'S GRAVE FOR ANY REASON! I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO KNOW HOW THIS TURNS OUT!
I BELIEVE THAT THIS "SKULL & BONES" ORGANIZATION OR ANY SECRET SOCIETY, FOR THAT MATTER, IS UP TO NO GOOD!
But this cover-up appears to lead to the highest office in the land. It should recieve a lawful investigation, nonetheless.
And let Geronimo finally return to his beloved Chiricahua Mountains!
I dont think that any one ever forgot what year it was in.. If you recall your history then you should recall that every moment that the natives reminded others of european race that they wanted the land back. that it was a discrase what white man did to these people and this land. As unjustified as it was then and now your white race is still living on this continent running a government and in all sincerity. I dont thing the blame should NOT be on every white, black, oriental person in this continent it was your ancestors who did this was it not. So in each and every aspect the blame is on the white, black, and oriental race becausse you are still living on this continent running a government on a land that was swindled for people. To take the blame off you would have to something self rightouse like give the land back and go back to where your ancestors came from. And dont for get you came from some where before you came to this continent and do not use the I am from the United States cause that is like old scool. Take responsablity of what your ancestors did to learn from your mistakes or your ancestors mistakes cause that is how you become a better person. Look at what the stupidity that your ancestors actions made every mistake that affects your race and how you became a color not a person. BLACK WHITE those are not races but colors and every time you get help to see this you should show your gratatude by returning the respect and consideration. I am not telling you this because I care about how the children of those who ruined this conitnet are going to learn I am telling you this because My children are living in this continent and because of your ancestors stupidity I dont fell like mine should pay by becoming as ignorant as the white or black race.
We are all the same beast! God has made us all from the same muds as them! The only differences that exist between us has only been caused by our isolations from one another! We must learn to get along with one another for like it or not, this white man is a Native American as well! The only difference between our cause brother is that your heads are buried in the sand and I must struggle against our common foe and risk persecution! Its expected of your people and you have allowed yourselves to become complacent on your prison lands! Let us keep to the subject namely the ruination of such hateful folk of covert skull and cross bone societies bent against white, black, oriental, and native American folk as a fraternal order of leaders of our Nation who wrongfully think themselves as hidden from the law they must staunchly serve!
I am sorry that your resentment is so strong. I will never accept your insults, curses, and especially not your death threat! I turn that all back upon you! Keep your curses to yourself and yours! And as to our ancestors mistakes... Maybe your ancestors should have made such mistakes which has taken this nation and made it the greatest Nation of the World! I'll never apologize for that nor for what I haven't done to your people! You did your people wrong by your reply, I have lost a great deal of respect and sympathy for all of them now just because of you and your stupid mistake even though the rest of your people have nothing to do with your ignorance! Just as you ignorantly blame all of ours! I have no idea what I see you as! As far as I am concerned now I never see you nor your children! Congratulations you have lost my vote and my sympathy! I doubt very much you'll see any change with such hate!
PS
Stop redirecting my quotes coward!
The Iroquois destroyed many nations etc. but they are not anymore an independent nation (or group of nations), so there is very little they are able to do to correct their sins in history. The question is now of Geronimo´s bones and I think it´s best for the reputation of USA, and best for Apaches and all of us if Geronimo´s bones are returned to the Southwest. It woud be a good symbolic deed to end the certain period of history, which is ugly in many ways. Geronimo is one of the most famous names of that history. He deserves a final resting place in his homeland.
I see this Magee person as coward
A MANGEE COWARD!!
Please remeber to take your medication on a regular basis. The doctors say that it won't work if you don't take it every day.
I hope that you feel better soon.
Scott
Let em first start this reply as all curse words back at ya! What I am hearing hear is potential fertile grounds for terrorists in roads to this Nation that us White folk shall keep a stricter eye upon! You don't know me nor my children and you should never now! I talk of proven history that yours don't want to know and yours talk of only history that has been filled with hate and lies! Keep the biological threat of mange to yourself! Stop blaming history for your failure! What happened too many generations ago are by gones! What matters now is how you adapt to it not how you use it to rationalize your failures in society still! Their are plenty of Native American Indian folk out there that are real happy in white man's world now that they are off the reservations! Sounds like you folk need to get off the religious psychedelics!
PS
This is a white man's invention that you are freely spouting off upon. On a white man’s web site! Brought to you by your most hated enemies the good old US of A defense department! Good chance you hate and want to mange them and all their children too! To Hell with that! I say we need to keep a closer eye on these parts! Alert the Homeland security white boys! Hooya!
"
Yeah about the bones before I was so rudely interrupted! I did some further research on my own as well and found an interesting article you may want to check out http://skullandcrossbones.org/articles/skullandbones.htm
The article has this sounding like some harmless frat that so happens to have a skull that they have called Geronimo for years! And that one of your tribal chairman was given the skull no contest but turns out it wasn’t Geronimo’s! To follow is an excerpt from it!
“As noted, for many years the society has possessed a skull that members call Geronimo. In the 1980s, under pressure from Ned Anderson, a former Apache tribal chairman in Arizona, the society produced the skull in question. The skull didn't match Anderson's records, and it was returned to the society's tomb. Anderson wasn't finished. He reportedly took the issue up with his congressman, John McCain; McCain tried to arrange a meeting between Anderson and George Bush, who was then the Vice President. Bush wasn't interested, and the matter was dropped. "We still call it Geronimo anyway," a Bonesman says. The issue of Geronimo's skull never surfaced in the public record during the bitter contest between McCain and George W. for the Republican nomination.”
Believe it or not! I do! But then again what does this MBA white boy know whom has been slanderously accused of being a “mange lying pussy coward” and was given a death threat! But anyhow just to show what a white guy I am about this, I won’t sue those idiots for it nor notify the local authorities! Instead back to the subject of this article.
There are already over 5200 signatures
http://www.petitiononline.com/Geronimo/petition.html
Open letter to President Bush
Senate selects committee on Indian affairs
I am writing to complain about a grave injustice, the injustice is that the stolen remains of a Native American are being held by the Knights of the Skull and Bones a secret campus society at Yale University. The remains a skull and femur bone was stolen from a desecrated Native American grave At fort Sill Ok. In 1918. The “bonesmen” claim the are the remains of GERONIMO the Society use’s the remains in its ceremonies This is a despicable act of anti native racism regardless of if the bones belong to Geronimo or not A Native American grave has was desecrated according to the “bonesmens” own documented statement, the act is made even more despicable by the fact that nothing has been done about this across almost 100 years even though (or maybe because) several American leaders including President Bush Have been “bonesmen” and The presidents grand father Prescott was reportedly one of the “bonesmen” who stole the remains. This anti native American racism is not new It go’s back through Presidents Grant an Polk clear to Washington, then it as called manifest destiny. What is the excuse in this century?
This is memorial day Geronimo is American hero he was risking his own blood and flesh fighting for freedom of His people who are Americans But no memorials exist for Geronimo nor are giant faces of Pontiac, Black kettle or Mangas Colarado carved into the black hills By the way what ever happened to Mangus’s skull?. There are parks With dashing figures on horse back Named for Generals Sullivan. Howard, Miles and Crook even Colonels Brooks, Chivington, Carrington and Whitside. Custer got a National Forest and he Lost. Sitting Bull, Red Cloud and Crazy Horse Won they got Nothing named for them.
Last week Geronimo’s grand son appealed to you on CNN,Test the remains to see if they have his DNA if they are Geronimo he deserves a what any veteran gets he should be interned near the land he fought for AND loved. He was never captured he surrendered on a promises of freedom never kept.
Happy Memorial Day
TS Jonathan Morse American Ojibwe
talking about yourself and telling me what a doctor tells you aint gonna turn your lies into the truth. sorry but you are a lost case. a waste of time and need to stop lying natives were here still running there lives as before you entered this continent, they never left they were rebuilding what you destroyed while you wee here and you based it on what they represented, justified family life. So stop lying you just plain CRAYOLA white ignorant. Admit the truth and et on with your life, even better than that go ack to Europe if you know where your CRAYOLA WHITE but came from idiot.
As it was in the past Justified and Honerable!!!