Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1877 — Making a Piute Doctor. [ARTICLE]

Making a Piute Doctor.

It has been a question unsolved by many how the doctors of the tribes of Indians got their sheepskins. We have of late heard of several executions for inability to bring about a cure among the Pintes, and now wo have the par-ticulars-at hand of how they elect- a successor in case of the death of a medicine manor woman. All the adult members of the tribe arc called together; a white round stone is provided for each and all except one, and that is a black one; these are put ill a sack together and passed around, each hand drawing out a pebble. The one drawing the black stone is thereafter to act as medicine man on; woman, as the case may be, for women and men have to take tlipir chances of drawing. The doctor-elect then must qualify liimself as best he can—the more the better—for he will have a longer lease of life; because, on the death pf his third patient he is put to death in a summary manner. Sometimes shot, again stoned to death, and at others burned.—Aurora Herald, It is stated that of wifemurderers in New Yortc within five years not one has been hanged, r