The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-13
The Tribal Troubles Caused
by a Bad Chief.
Tales of Woe to Be Told at
State House Tomorrow.
Indians In Senate and City Council
men in House of Representatives.

The Narragansett Indians, led by their
chief-Anram Chsmplin and Uncle Gid
Ammons, are going to the State House
tomorrow with all their war paint on,
fguratively speaking. That is they are
going to claim everything in the south
ern part of Rhode Island and they say
they have lot of new evidence to back
them up.
The tale OF the tribe Is something like
this: Way back in the Colonial days the
people OF Rhode Island promised to pro-
tect the 'Narragansett Indians from all
harm in consideration OF which the In
dians were TO cede TO the State large
tracts of lard, which today are assessed
for about &, ZOO, 900, and furthermore
the Indians were to reserve for themselves
aud their heirs forever the shore tracts
now known as the Reservation.
This agreement was entered into and all
wentwell until the election by the Indians.
ola Goo-Goo chief, Tom Ninegret, a
who did no wrong. But Tom was differ
ent. He wanted "reform" administra-
tion, and got II.
Tom hatched up a scheme whereby he
might afford to hang golden tapestries in
his wigwam and hire help TO weed his
garden. He padded up TO the city and
told the Legislature that his father had
died owing much money to the white
men and that he, being a good Indian,
and wise chief, wanted to discharge
the obligation OF his sire by selling the
land Of the reservation. The Legislature
told him to 60 ahead and sell all he want
ed to and didn't require him TO make any
report or give any account of the money
received. And he acted accordingly. II
Is also stated that the members OF the
Legislature helped him wipe the financial
stain from the escutcheon of the Nine
grets. by buying valuable lands for
old beaver hats and new rum. But that
is a fragment OF Indian folk lore rather
than matter OF colonial record.
But at any rate, the rest of the tribe
kicked, inasmuch as their chief wo uld
wait till their lands were teeming with
the crops and then-he would sell to the
white, man without previous notice and
there seemed to be no redress, for the
General Assembly paid no attention to
gret, and their "turf ana twIg" rights
OF ownership were not in the game with
the legislative authority OF Tom, the
black sheep of the inustrious line of MIN
egrets
Finally the tribe sent their case to Sir
William Johnson, the Indian commission
or representing the Crown. He decided
Einegret was deposcd and the whites
made second agreement to keep their
first But there was no offer on the part
OF the colonial government.
to return the lands of the reservation
which had been wrested from the tribe
during the wild reign. of Tom Ninegret,
the merry monarch OF Narregansett bay.
he was deposed, sure enough, but he
lived in mansion on land claimed by
the tribe.
Well, that state OF affairs continued for
years and years and each generation of
braves came to the Legislature and asked
for help. Finally the State agreed to pay
5000 In cash to be divided up In the tribe
and they We're to relinqiush all claims
against the State.
This seemed satisfactory until James N.
Arnold went TO Albany on some public
errand and discovered. in the archives a
lot OF documents pertaining to the State
OF Rhode Island and Providence Planta-
tion In the collection of Sir William John
son." He found the decision of the
crowns commissioner relative to the MIN
egret matter and reported TO the present
survivors on the reservation and
they are out for the stuff. They claim
that all of the $1,000 last agreed upon has
not been paid and that furthermore that
agreement or settlement is null and VOID
because a guardian has no right to make
q contract with his ward relative to the
latter's property and back OF all that the
colony did not keep its part of the origi-
nal contract by protecting the In
dians from being plundered by their
unscrupulous chief and therefore the
part OF Rhode Island now valued at 81
oO0, 900, reverts back to the tribe.
This is the new case OF the Indians
against the State and il will be presented
TO the judiciary committee Of the Senate
tomorrow.
The members OF the judiaciary commit.
tee OF the House are almost as well pro-
vided for In the way OF amusement. as
they will have referred 10 them. tornor-
row the city bill for an act TO compel the
Union Railroad Company TO give some
thing for nothing, regardless OF vested
rights, existing agreements and every
thing else.
Councilman West, the dissenting and
unwilling chairman OF the COMMITTEES
that Ia TO approach the Assembly, tonor.
row. will not be present lie has gone 10
Washington