The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-30
MAINE INDIANS OF WE1LrB.
The Survivor Fifty Years Hence Likely I
He the States Richest Man.

OLD Town. Me-. April 2T.-If the members
Of the so-called old tribe OF Abenaki Indian,
take their case before the next session Of tho
Maine Legislature and gain their point ths
richest man living In Maine fifty years hence il
likely to be an Indian.
The trouble between the old tribe and IN.
new tribe is OF long standing. 1t arose from
the strong infusion OF white blood that was
added to this tribe every year. As a rule the
men are contented to wed women OF their own
color. The squaws are more ambitious, and
prefer a Yankee or a Frenchman. Such is their
fondness for Caucasians that they will cheer.
fully accept repeated whlppings from white
husbands. while II an Indian raises his hand
against his copper-hued spouse he is likely to
spend from three to six months in Bangor Jail,
The tribe was split ten or twelve years MO
over a proposition to admit to membership
only persons whose blood was at least hail
Indian. II was then that the division into
the old and the new tribe occurred.
For a time things prospered with the row
tribe. Through the sale Of Indian townships
Nos. / and 2 the State OF Maine deposited
100000 worth OF @ per cent. bonds to the
credit Of the Abenakis in the State Treasury.
In addition the State appropriated about
$4,000 a year for bounties on crops raised by
the Indians. The sale Of wood and grass and
the rental OF shore frontage on the 800 fertile
islands which the Indians own. between Old
Town, and Mattawamkeag yielded them from
dom ? from ta;D2Ha ' and h ps' r"tes ! over
oil. Maine railroads the 300 or 400. HIGH
and low grade Indians Of central Maine
luxury without being comnelled to labor. A
soon as the shiftless lumbermen learned how
IN mt the na st29a; nRI" MARKET Tste Il WhHa resy qf a p"or
white man was fortunate enough to wed a
the State provided a home for him and kent
him in food and clothing for the remainder Of
f hi Say Vent II u S,f il ysnFss a 81 g D Sc1s tSsn g sJ indian
It Is learned from The BOOKS, but when ,nspr Is
bers Of the new tribe were growing in numbers
other community in New England. the per
capita shnre OF tea. tobacco. woolle n sweaters
grew smaller. Thus. Instead OF six plugs
Of tobacco a week. the allowance was re-
Guced 70 four, Later a similar dsic t in cloth:
no general uprising OF the tribe until several Of
the s3u9ws who had acquired white husbands
had drawn State bounty for a year or more. the
new tribe held Q great powwow to decide their
time a mum Der of fervent orators were taken
home and attended by surgeons The final vote
TfsoI Ssd BEEN ie a a vdIGtStfyd i into The the T tribe. hS W soon:
er had the decision been reached than nearly
Sss,nSlt Of sn thG ;oi ReT III slS Se t2Gbs' ub 6tHR G shsI55
easily control the island.
Since then the two factions have been at odds.
A few OF the transplanted whites have been
evicted by force. though most OF them con-
tinue TO draw State bounty. AS a final resort
the old tribe proposes to appeal to the Maine
Legislature and have the jnterlopers expelled
by law. Should the old tribe secure the legis-
lation 1t desires the Abenaki tribe will proba-
numbers are now kept up by an infusion OF
white blood. When the whites and all below
half breeds are barred out the early death OF the
tribe seems inevitable. Meantime the 800 isl.
ands In Penobscot River which belong to the In.
to-day consists Of $40 members. who own land
valued at a million dollars. BY wedding out
such a. have less than 90 ner cent. OF Indian
blood. the number will be reduced TO less than
$50, The average loss In Indian colonies thar
are kept to themselves is between. 3 and 4 per
cent. q year. and thus at the end OF forty or fitty
years. by which time the islands will be worth
s .0OO.OOO or S5.OOO.OO0. the last Indian Is
likely to he the richest man in Maine. Upon
his death the whole property will probably
escheat to the State.