The letter following explains the situation and is herein given:
SECRETARY RATHBUN’S STATEMENT.
“Mr. J. M. Willson, Jr., Secretary Society of Friends of Seminole Indians, Kissimmee; Fla.
“Dear Sir:—Replying to your letter of the 24th inst., I beg to say that about six weeks ago a Mr. ——, about whom nothing is known here, wrote to the National Museum and offered to present certain Indian relics which he had obtained in Florida, including a skeleton of an Okeechobee (not Seminole) chief. Assuming that these objects were properly acquired by him, he was notified that they would be accepted. No further word or the objects arriving, it has, therefore, been supposed that he disposed of the relics elsewhere. The heading of his letter paper indicates that he is the secretary and general manager of an amusement resort, called Island Park, at —— Pa., and it is not impossible that the relics were taken there.
“Although I find that the name of the chief was mentioned in Mr. ——’s letter, the fact that he spoke of him as belonging to the extinct Okeechobee tribe entirely misled the Museum authorities who did not associate him with the Seminole Captain Tom Tiger, about whom so much has lately been printed in the papers until the receipt of your letter to-day.
“I cannot express too strongly my abhorrence of the act of Mr. ——, whose desecration of this grave I consider outrageous and sacrilegious. The man had no connection with this museum or any branch of the Smithsonian Institute, as he seems to have claimed several weeks before he sent in his letter.
“You can readily understand, therefore, that the museum will be only too glad to coöperate with your society in securing the return of the remains and of any objects that may have been taken with them from the grave. If they should be received at the museum they will be promptly forwarded to Florida.
“I have forwarded your letter to Mr. ——, at the address given in his letter, viz: Box 531, ——, Pa., and I have also written him.
“Trusting that this unfortunate matter may soon be satisfactorily adjusted, I am, dear, sir, very respectfully yours,
“Rathbun,