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Very rare booklet of Indian By laws.
Improved Order of Red Men
—OF—
ROCKLAND LAKE,
NEW YORK.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I.
Name, Etc.
Section 1. This body shall be known as KAKIAT TRIBE NO. 267 of the Improved Order of Red Men, of Rockland Lake, New York, and as such shall possess such power and authority as its Charter, the Constitution and Laws of the Order prescribe as belonging thereto.
Sec. 2. The regular stated councils of this tribe shall be held on the third sun of every seven suns of each moon at the eighth run, setting of the sun—(except during Buck, Sturgeon and Corn Moons, when the councils shall be held on the third sun of the first and third seven suns)—and the council fire shall be kindled within fifteen breaths after the time above specified; should there not be a quorum present at the time above specified and such lack of quorum continue for one run after the time above specified then in that event the council shall stand adjourned until the next stated
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council as above provided.
Sec. 3. In the absence of the Sachem, Senior Sagamore and Junior Sagamore, the Senior Past Sachem of the Tribe, present at the run named to kindle the council fire, shall take the stump.
ARTICLE II.
Adoption Fee, Etc.
Section I. Adoption fees into this tribe for palefaces shall be as follows: Between the ages of 18 and 30 great suns, five fathoms; from 30 to 35 great suns, six fathoms; from 35 to 40 great suns, seven fathoms; from 40 to 45 great suns, eight fathoms; and one fathom additional for every great sun over 45 great suns to fifty.
Sec. 2. Each brother shall pay into the wampum belt on the first stated council in each and every moon the sum of five feet as dues.
Sec. 3. Any brother wishing to deposit his Dismissal Certificate, Withdrawal or Transfer Card in this Tribe shall pay the same sum as the adoption fee for a paleface of his age as provided in Article II, Section I.
Sec. 4. No paleface shall be balloted for until a report is furnished the Tribe, properly signed by the Investigating Committee, who
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shall make a strict investigation of his health,
character and fitness to become a member of
this Tribe; also to inquire as to the health of
his wife, if he has one.
Sec. 5. Any brother suspended for non-pay-
ment of dues who wishes to be reinstated into
this Tribe shall pay one Great Sun's dues and
an additional sum of five fathoms.
Sec. 6. The re-instatement of a brother un-
der the foregoing section shall not be deemed
complete until he shall have paid into the wam-
pum belt the amount provided for in the fore-
going section, and he shall not become bene-
ficial until six moons after his reinstatement.
ARTICLE III.
Election of Chiefs
Section I. All regular nominations must be
opened two stated councils previous to the
sleep of the election, and closed at the next
council sleep after being opened, except when a
vacancy is to be filled, when the nomination
and election may be held on the same sleep.
Sec. 2. No brother of this Tribe shall place
in nomination more than one candidate for the
same chieftaincy.
Sec. 3. Each chief shall be separately bal-
loted for.
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ARTICLE IV.
Relief Committee
Sec. 1. The Sachem, Senior Sagamore, Junior Sagamore, Prophet, two Sannaps and First Warrior shall constitute a Relief Committee.
Sec. 2. The jurisdiction of the Relief Committee shall consist of all territory within the limits of the hunting grounds (three miles from the wigwam of the tribe).
Sec. 3. If necessary, the Sachem shall appoint two brothers in the order in which they stand on the roll, to remain with a sick brother during the sleep providing the case be not contagious and said brother is within the hunting grounds of this tribe.
Sec. 4. No order for the relief of a brother shall be drawn until after the brother shall have been visited by one of the Relief Committee unless the brother reside without the hunting grounds.
Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of the Relief Committee to pay the benefits that a brother is entitled to receive immediately after the order therefore has been authorized, drawn and paid.
Sec. 6. The Sachem and Senior Sagamore, may, if in their judgment they deem it nec-
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essary, employ a competent nurse to nurse a sick brother, the compensation to be paid by the Tribe, and to be fixed at the time of employment. The Sachem and Senior Sagamore shall report to the Tribe at the next council after employing said nurse the name of the nurse and the compensation to be paid, at which time the tribe shall determine whether such employment shall continue and if so, for what period and the compensation therefor, preference to be given to a member of the Tribe.
Sec. 7. It shall also be the duty of the relief committee to attend the funeral and see that the last rites and solemn duties are properly rendered to a departed brother; and in the absence of a near relative it shall be the duty of the Relief Committee to procure such articles as they may think necessary and pay for them out of the funeral benefit and report to the tribe.
Sec. 8. The brothers of this tribe shall assemble at the wigwam previous to the time for the funeral, unless otherwise directed, and proceed in a body to the late residence of deceased brother.
ARTICLE V.
Benefits, Etc.
Section 1. Any brother of this tribe of the
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Adopted 4th sleep Hot Moon G. S. D. 416.
Attest:
Sachem William H. Eno.
Brewster S. Oldis,
[Seal]
Chief of Records.
Sec. 4. Art V, adopted by Kakiat Tribe 15
Sun Traveling Moon G. S. D. 416.
Attest:
Eugene S. Reimer, Sachem.
Brewster S. Oldis,
(Seal)
Chief of Records.
Approved by Committee on Laws and Usages
Great Council of New York, 8 Sun Traveling
Moon G. S. D. 416.
Oct. 28th, 1907.
C. C. Smith,
S. A. Curtis.
Samuel J. Jones.
Approved by Committee on Law and Usages,
Great Council of New York, 6 Sun Buck Moon
G S. D. 416, July 6, 1907.
Stephen C. Bolton,
C. C. Smith.
S. A. Curtis.
By Laws in effect Nov. 12, 1907.
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on the Reservation of New York or the By-
laws of this Tribe shall be decided in accord-
ance with the rules as found in Cushing's Man-
ual.
ARTICLE XI.
Amendments.
Any amendment or alteration to these by-
laws shall be submitted in writing to the tribe,
signed by at least two brothers, at least two
regular councils before any action thereon
shall be had, (and shall be read at time of sub-
mission), then, at the expiration of which
time, if two-thirds of the members present vote
in favor thereof, the same shall be adopted.
Notice in writing of the time at which such
amendments or alterations will be acted on
must be mailed to the last known place of res-
idence of members as appears by the records
of the Tribe. Said notice shall be mailed
within three suns after the said amendments
or alterations shall have been submitted to the
Tribe.
George Wm. Reimer.
James W. Ackerson.
F. L. Biedermann.
Eugene S. Reimer.
Chas. Walter.
Committee on By-Laws.
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er changing his place of residence shall notify
the Collector of Wampum or Chief of Records
immediately after doing the same. The mail-
ing of any notice to the last address furnished
to the Collector of Wampum or Chief of Rec-
ords and appearing on the books of the Tribe
shall be due notice in any case arising under
the Constitution or By-Laws where notice
must be given unless it is specifically provided
that personal service of notice must be made.
Sec. 4. Holding of Bonds. The Bonds re-
quired by these By-Laws and the Constitution
to be given with the exception of the Bonds of
the Trustees, shall be held by the Trustees.
The bonds of the Trustees, if such are required
by the tribe shall be held by the Sachem.
Sec. 5. Compensation of Representatives.
The compensation of representatives shall be
three fathoms per sun and mileage to and from
the place of holding the Great Sun or Special
Councils.
Sec. 6. Admission to Council Chamber. No
brother shall be admitted into the Council dur-
ing the reading of records and calling of the
roll nor during conferring of degrees except in
case of necessity.
Sec. 7. All questions of Procedure, etc., not
provided for by the Constitution of the Great
Council of the United States, The Great Coun-
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