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Where Are They Hiding Geronimo's Skull?
by Tim Giago, LAKOTA
NATION JOURNAL
Notes from Indian Country, Winter 2000
SAN CARLOS APACHE RESERVATION, ARIZONA: Ned Anderson is the former Chairman of the San Carlos Apache of Arizona. He is on a one man campaign to get the skull of his beloved Apache warrior, Geronimo, returned to its rightful burial place.
Anderson is convinced that the skull has been used in weird fraternity rituals at Yale University since about 1918 after it was taken from Geronimo's grave at Fort Sill, Oklahoma by Prescott Bush, the grandfather of president George W. Bush. In 1983 several Apache leaders discussed the idea of having the bones of Geronimo returned to Arizona for re-burial. The meeting between the Apache leaders at Fort Sill resulted in several papers picking up the story and putting Ned Anderson's name temporarily in the spotlight.
A short time later a disgruntled member of Yale's Skull & Bones Society contacted Anderson by letter and suggested that the remains of Geronimo had been pilfered by Prescott Bush while he and five other officers were stationed at Fort Sill in 1918. The stolen prizes were taken back to New Haven, Connecticut to a place known as the Tomb, the home of the Skull & Bones Society.The bones, a horse bit and stirrups were placed in a glass display case where members and visitors could view them as they entered the building.
The secret informant sent pictures of the bones on display along with a copy of a Skull & Bones ledger which held notations about the 1918 grave robbery. The informant provided the information that the bones were used in the Thursday and Sunday night rituals of the Society and Geronimo's skull was always placed on a table in front of the participants during the ceremony. Hardly believing his own ears, Anderson went to New Haven to confirm the allegations and satisfied that it was true he contacted the FBI to take control of the issue. According to Anderson, his attorney informed him that if he would turn over every bit of evidence he possessed to the FBI they would then take on the case. Anderson rejected this offer.
Anderson then met with Jonathan Bush, the brother of George Bush (Sr.) in Manhattan in 1986 with nothing of substance happening from the meeting. Instead Anderson believes the meeting was used as a stalling tactic in order to give the Society time to conceal the remains of Geronimo. The secret letter that revealed the whereabouts of the bones mentioned that Prescott Bush and the other grave robbers used carbolic acid to rid the skull of the remaining flesh and hair.
Attorney Endicott P. Davison representing the Skull & Bones Society denies that the club had Geronimo's skull. He claimed the ledger describing the theft of the bones was a hoax. Ned Anderson considers the concealment and cover up as "a sacrilege and national disgrace." He said "Everywhere I have turned for help I have run into barriers. I contacted Arizona Congressman Morris Udall before his death and Senator John McCain and they were not able to help me. I just want to get my day in court, so to speak, and have a congressional hearing so I can present my case and my evidence," Anderson said.
Anderson is angry that he has been accused of orchestrating the whole scenario and his detractors have tried to convey the message that it is all "make believe." Although he served as chairman of the San Carlos Apache from 1978 to 1986 he is reluctant to go to the tribal council for support because of the political turmoil now permeating his tribal government. "The situation at San Carlos is getting worse and it is much worse than it was several years ago when your newspaper covered the story," he said. Anderson said he feels that he is being held in abeyance. "I do have the so called smoking gun and that can bring all of this into perspective and I am sure that the evidence I have will substantiate all that I have said about this."
The former tribal chairman was adamant in his charges and angered over the fact that some would accuse him of seeking to get personal publicity for his actions. At press time he was about to call Valerie Taliman, the producer of the national radio talk show, Native America Calling, based in Albuquerque, N.M. to get air time to make his views known to the other tribal leaders in America.
Where are the bones of the revered Apache warrior, Geronimo? I must agree with Anderson that if his bones and skull have been used for childish rituals by the Skull & Bones Society at Yale, it is indeed sacrilegious and barbaric. If George Herbert Walker Bush, the former president of the United States participated in midnight rituals using the skull and bones of this great warrior, he owes every Indian in America an apology.
Bohemian Grove Action Network is currently researching this story in cooperation with Ned Anderson of the San Carlos Apaches. In a recent interview with Mr. Anderson, it was stressed that back in 1918 the government had not put granite or stone markers on this grave. However, after attempts by Native Americans to reclaim Geronimo's remains, there would be a motivation to make the grave inaccessible.
BGAN is also researching Yale's Skull and Bones Society and the bizarre rituals in which three generations of Bush men have participated.
Help with research is needed and much appreciated.
Past President George Herbert Walker Bush is a longtime member of the Bohemian Club/Grove. He resides in Hillbillies' Camp, along with Donald Rumsfeld, President George W. Bush's newly appointed Secretary of Defense.
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