The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-18
GOSSIP OF ADAY.
Facts About Indian Mar
TiagcS and Divorce.
Red Man Finds Wedding Fet-
tiers Bear Very Heavily
Since He Came Under the Jurisdic-
lion OF White Mans Court.

with most of the Indians OF the plains
marriage consists simply in picking out
q maiden. leading her to a cabin or wig
wan and installing her an mistress of the
house and cornteld, sometimes with the
necessary pre.iminGr of paying the
father pony or two or an iustailment of
blankets. and occasionally with some
slight ceremony performed by chief or
medicine man. And when the brave
grows tired OF his partner he can get rid
of her as easily as he won her. The fact
having been formally announced by the
head man OF tine clan, the divorce takes
place wnen the tribe 10 gathered at a
dance When all are assem- bleu and the
circle formed, the discontinued warrior
strikes drum used by the jewellers, gives
away q few presents--oitimcs, making a
present TO the squaw he intends to take
next-and then in a short bcmbsstic
speech he stigmatizes his wife by giving
her over to the tender mercies OF other
braves. while they look upon him en-
viouIy and consider that he mas per
formed an act Of bravery In his desertion.
Often as many az half dozen divorces
are thus obtained at a single dance. No
tedious waiting, no courts, no lawyers
aud no trouble about alimony or the Gus.
tcdy Of children. And the squaws thus
cast of, as q general thing. seem to take
II as mstter of course. With the taking
OF land in severslty and putting on OF citi-
zsnship. however, the Indian 1nds that |
ne has ceuented the ties that were so
loose before, for the courts everywhere
are deciding that the tribal marriages nre
iezal and pinding upon the Indian who !
btcomss citizen. And il the weight OF |
one legal marriage wears somcw nat heav-
lily upon white man, how must II be |
with the red sman. who has contracted
two. three, four or even more alliances
which the court now declares legal, and
at the same time takes away his former
VENUE OF reIiof?
Prisoners awaiting trial or sentence
have before now been known to kill
themselves In various ways, but Ii is
uou btful II any OF them succeeded In ac-
compiishiug mis- own taking OF in quite
the same way as did Fon. An Get out In
San Francisco the othor day. He was
arrested October 20 by Sergeant WoIlwc-
ber and Policeman Flynn on the charge
of murder and had been confined sinc.
that time. He hanged himself In his
,sll. About half an hour before discov-
.ring the suicide Sergeant BidweIl passed
Town the corridor and conversed with
hs rrisopsr, who was apparently cheer
oL On the next trip Fong All Get was
ianginR from the bars. He had st BOD Oh
small box in the cell near the door,
visited his queue around one OF the
'ars, kicked tue box away and slowly
trangled. Fong An Get was suspected of
he murder OF Lee All Mie, q waiter.
vho was serving a meal when he was
hot from behind as he ascended the
sairs. Nearly two weeks later Fong All
let was pointed out to the officers as he
Fss walking along the street. His case
nd been before Judge Campbell several
lines, but the State had secured contin-
ancss.
This 10 the story of what befel a bad
ian who had terrorizsd the people OF
Elizabeth. N.J., fer some time: whist
|un OF 20 members, young men and
omen, met at tho residence of one of
he members. They were about to sit
own to play, the young men still stand
lg Ia the hall and psrior, when a big
ian 10 big COAT walked in at the street
Dor. He surveyed the pnrty OF youths
! the hall, took of bis hat and said: Il
Where's the bar?''
"Fil show IL to you," said one of the I
'ung men, seizing the stranger by the
nm.
"Pil help" said another, grabbing the
her arm.
"we ell know where the bar is: come
}, boys." shouted third, seizing the =
& man by the collar from behina.
Somebody opened the door. There was n
rush and momentary struggle. n
versi football feet landed on the
ranger smidsbips, several baseball fists Il
nded on the back OF bis neck and Y
ouIder and when he landed in tho Il
rect he didn't pause to investigate the