It never seems to end. But, as someone who was the first to write about Skull and Bones in a major magazine (September ’77 Esquire, reprinted in my collection The Secret Parts of Fortune — see right side rail of this blog) and the first to expose — on videotape! — a key part of the pathetically childish Bones initiation ritual, I once again feel called upon to set straight one of the most persistent Skull and Bones urban legends. That would be the Geronimo’s skull theft story which according to this Times story has now morphed into a lawsuit, the product of a cross breeding of cupidity and stupidity.
The original cupidity and stupidity can be attributed — surprise — to George Bush’s grandfather Prescott Bush, a member of the Yale secret society who boasted, according to a letter unearthed a few years ago, that he had, along with some other idiot Bonesmen, stolen what they were told was the skull of Geronimo.
Since it is one of the dimwit customs of this supposedly elite society that (while ruling the world of course) they commit petty thefts of license plates (with their “secret” magic number 322 in them) and unearth skulls of alleged “crooks,” it was a matter of great pride for thick-skulled Prescott and his brilliant buddies to bring home to the Bones “tomb” in New Haven a skull they had allegedly unearthed when they were stationed at an Army base near Indian territory toward the close of the First World War.
In fact, as I have reported (in The Secret Parts of Fortune), there was, for a long time, a skull reposing in a glass case on a base of turquoise chips, inside the entrance to the Bones “tomb,” a skull labeled “Geronimo.”
But that didn’t make it Geronimo’s skull! When the rumor got out in the late ’80s, the Apache tribe that claimed Geronimo as their ancestral chief even had a meeting with the slow witted brother of George H.W. Bush, who clownishly offered the Apaches the cranium of what — judging by its size — was the skull of a small dead child, not a grown Indian chieftain. He was hosing the “inferior” people (just who was inferior was pretty much established by this meeting).
As nutty and skeevy as they are, they still can’t surpass Ramsey Clark
If you think this is bad,you should look into “The Carlyle Group and Bain Capital LLC. I don’t know how much of a journalist you are,(But you you will read things that would make any Man want to throw” UP”.
Sometimes ‘camp’ with the right and agreeable people works about as well as the insufferable brightness of Rosenbaum which not be available.
Michael, huh?
Somebody should sneak in there and set a video camera up to record their rituals.
Animal House or Bonesmen, we can only hope they all grow up.
This is absurd. We should have dull lifeless rituals, devoid of legend and myth for our elites. The world will be better for it.
I happened to visit Geronimo’s grave on Fort Sill on a Memorial Day. It was well decorated. I assume his family knows more about it than Yale.
Wow, this guy really dislikes the Bushes.
Yes, they sold the chumps at Yale a bill of goods. Revenge for Manhattan, I guess. Personally, I could care less. I’m directly descended from Geronimo, but I wouldn’t care if they had the actual skull. That said, I’m sure they don’t, or someone else who did care would have literally lifted a scalp or two by now.
You can’t write about this without taking a swipe at a Bush? Okay. Your Bush Derangement Syndrome persists. I suppose there are clingers of all manner and BDS is like a binkie for certain people. I’m waiting expectantly, Ron, for your assessment of Mr. Obama’s presidency. It’s going along so well so far, isn’t it?
Barb, what I think Ron is missing is that for the people that got into/ ran ‘Skull and Bones’ the ‘Geronimo skull’ thing was a ‘camp’ way to be together, not seriously believed in though you draw analogies to other ceremonies. Odd in a way, because Ron alluded to the campness of it also in looking out at you holding a skull in front of a neo-Gtohic building in the cover to ‘The Secret Parts of Fortune.’ Lately though, Ron has played the Jewish scold which, you know, might be more fun than camp but probably didn’t suit the occasion. Anyway now the Apaches want to play too; so they get the skull back.
Petty much?
Man, being the token liberal at Pajamas must get a bit boring. The skull of Geronimo? I surprised they didn’t get one made out of plaster or clay. It’s a fraternity. The stuff doesn’t make sense anymore than crossing the line rituals at sea do.
Come on, Ron, didn’t you, circulate if not come up with this crazy rumor, give it validation; let if crossfertilize with the truther movement, and all other strangeness. Right about now, a government composed mostly
of Bonesman doesn’t seem so bad, there all exceptions William Donaldson, almost a caricature from a McCarry novel endorsed the one.
Helen Thomas looks like Geronimo!
Ron, your’re right, another example is the huge number of Jesse James Smith/Wesson Schofield revolvers for which the gullible paid a fortune. James mama likely sold more Jessie guns than S&W sold of civilian versions, and she probably made more money from the gullible than Jessie actually stole. In addition to the gullible rich kids, there really is an Animal House fraternity party prop aspect, especially as to seducing gullible rich sorority sisters. You see evil in these kids where I see an auful lot of John Beluchis.
I will be impressed with Mr. Rosenbaums zeal when he directs it at a large liberal idiot. Till then he’s just another blind man living in a cave.
“Fair play for you, and the world is so blue, and the architecture I’m taking in with my mind, so fine…and there’s only one better way to go, and you say ‘Geronimo’” Van Morrison “Fair Play” from “Veedon Fleece”
Nice to have one of the Jonas Brothers contribute to this blog
Thank you Mr. Finch , my brother lives on the other side of town but he doesn’t post political comment.
Are you providing cover for Mr. Rosenbaum?
courage needs no cover
Ron, I saw this covered in the NYT and immediately thought of you. Google led me here and I must say, very happy to have found you. Am now about to comb the archives in search of references to Chimes at Midnight, Orson Welles, and Bill Murray. It’s been ages! Hope this finds you well! chris
The world needs more lovers of Chimes at Midnight.