The Palladian Brotherhood of Skull and Bones revealed!

This is my experience with a very old, previously only rumored-of secret society at my college. I am a sophomore, majoring in pre-med, and until this year I never believed in such things as secret organizations, etc. I am e-mailing my story to notable figures, such as Jordan Maxwell and Anthony Hilder. I will not reveal my name, and I do not seek anything but a venue to reveal what we have collectively uncovered.

Essentially, I had no business ever learning about one of the oldest student associations ever to exist at the University of Arkansas. I do not come from wealth; I am not an exceptionally bright student...but from behind I seem to look like someone named "Michael"...
This is my story.

I am a student at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Last Fall semester, I was mistaken for a student called "Michael", and I was approached by an older student in an unforgettable way.

I was tapped very roughly on my left shoulder, spun around, and handed a black book with a tiny skull and bones pin stabbed into the front cover. Underneath the book was a parchment-colored scroll with a huge crimson colored wax seal on it. I couldn't see the design. As I was spun around, the person asked me something like, "Palladian Order of the Bones...Accept the Light?"
It scared the hell out of me, naturally. Just as I was about to ask what this was about, a tall student yelled something at us, ran up to us and grabbed the stuff from me.
He and the other guy turned and walked away.


I went on to the student Union and had lunch with some friends. I told them what happened. About a week later, one of them came to me with some info.

At out college, one of the oldest Greek-letter fraternities is the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Their house is gorgeous; an old, ivy-covered brick 3-story house. I started my search by talking with a senior-year Kappa Sigma man.

In 1912, the Kappa Sigma house created a Tap-Society called "Skull and Key"; the purpose was to select the best and brightest of senior-year fraternity men and unite them into a nepotistic network of old money and new talent.

He told us that the "Keys" were an offshoot of another, much older group called "The Palladian Order of Skull and Bones". The split - away happened because of newer pledges rebelling against the long-standing tradition of Bonesmen having to join the Masonic Lodge upon graduation. Skull and Key, on the other hand, only required that its men belong to a fraternity- any Greek-letter frat.

The man introduced my friends and me to several alumni in the area who had more information.

Fayetteville, Arkansas has the disctinction of having the first Masonic lodge in the state: "Washington 1 Lodge" (named after Washington County, I guess?)
Some of these University Alumni are former Freemasons, and they really filled in the holes in my search for answers about the Bonesmen.

It turns out that the University was originally a Teachers College and that the primary building was what we today refer to as "Old Main". Old Main is built with the Civil war as a theme; whereas, the North tower is slightly taller than its otherwise equal South Tower. This was done in symbolism of the post-civil war sentiment, I was told.
Old Main has huge, Palladian-style windows: I inferred that the Order was called "Palladian" due to this building style.
I was wrong.

Shortly after its inception, the college became the University of Arkansas (1871) Not many people outside of Arkansas have ever heard of Albert Pike, but apparently he was a lot more than just a famous Arkansas lawyer and civil war general (the south).

Albert Pike, a very powerful and influential 33rd-Degree Scottish-Rite Freemason, created the "Palladian Order of Skull and Bones" at the University of Arkansas on May 1, 1876.

Allegedly, the account is concealed inside the repository archive inside the Masonic lodge in Fayetteville.

From what the former freemasons told me, this senior-year secret society was founded on the ideal that Pike could control Arkansas politics by producing class year after class year of loyal, educated men who were bound to later join the Masonic Order.

Many cities in Arkansas have memorials, highways, and statues of Albert Pike. Even the Scottish Rite temple (A HUGE, immaculate building) is named in his honor, complete with library and marble-tiled flooring. The wealth this organization has is just incredible.

ANYWAY....point being that this group that I unwittingly encountered is very old, very secretive, and very disagreeable to revelation.

I do not know much about this organization, the Masons. From what I have read, they are either just a bunch of old farts with a penchant for holding secret meetings about raising money for sick kids... or else maybe they are powerful men of means. I don't know for certain.

Please forgive my lack of coherency as I type what I know... The University of Arkansas produced a once-powerful politician after whom many buildings and even a college has been named: Senator Fulbright.
Fulbright was a Rhodes Scholar who returned and was University President for a time.
Bonesmen tap seven college men each year, and may tap up to three faculty or area business men.

While University President, Fulbright was faculty-tapped in the Order of Skull and Bones. He later moved on to become a famous politician.

While teaching law at the University of Arkansas, a Rhodes Scholar named William was faculty-tapped into the Palladian Bonesmen: We later knew him as President Bill Clinton.

I have on good authority that the son of the head of the Federal D.E.A. (and former Arkansas congressman Hutchinson) was tapped.

It is strongly rumored that the son of a prominent Federal Judge in Arkansas was tapped in 1993; the son now works at a very prestigious Arkansas law firm.

********take a reading break, there's juicy stuff ahead!!*****************


Ok,
Now you know that "Why" of their existence.
We learned much more than we ever wanted to about the Skull and Bones of Arkansas, though!


It started with the founding of Chi Omega sorority. This large, national sorority was created at the University of Arkansas many years ago.

Part of the Chi Omega sisters' Initiation Ritual include a coffin and a death-burial-rebirth kind of thing.
Each year, the initiation coincides with the Palladian Skull and Bone's Initiation Ritual. The blindfolded pledge girls are brought before the pledge boys and are made to perform services upon them in order to complete their ceremony and join the sorority.
In exchange for this annual sexual event, the Bonesmen apparently swear to protect these young women, help them find work after college, get better grades or admission into graduate school, get them grant money,etc.

Now THAT is CREEPY stuff.

I have heard unsubstantiated rumors that the Bones Initiation is pretty gruesome. I hope to figure out where it's held and maybe tape it or something.

Anyway, now the group knows what we know:
At the very least, this very old, creepy thing - Founded on May 1, 1876 - seems to be still operating at my college.


Have any of you heard of the Arkansas group (Not the Yale Bonesmen, which everyone has heard of)?

Do any of you have any more information on this? This Pike man seemed pretty controversial on the internet research about him. What about any Freemasons reading this? Are you allowed to shed any light on it?