Show Monument Absolves Indians of Guilt Once Attributed to Prank of Youth Grandsons of the first settlers near Hudson Mich have paid as best they can a debt to the Pottawatomie Pottawatomie Pottawatomie Potta- Potta Indians incurred because of what apparently was merely a prank of ot a Pottawatomie stripling For three years residents at Lickley Lickley Lickley Lick- Lick ley Corners have worked on a monument monument monument ment near the land once called last Michigan camping place of the The monument recently has been dedi The history has Jias as been handed down from rom one generation to the next More than a century ago the accounts accounts accounts ac ac- ac- ac counts relate a Pottawatomie boy playing with white boys brandished his knife around the head of t a white playmate The whites were incensed at what they thought was an attempted scalping But chief of the tribe explained that the boy was merely joking Most of the whites apparently took explanation at face value value val val- ue a few others covetous s of land held by the Indians used the incident incident incident inci inci- dent as an excuse to have them moved to a western reservation on as dangerous and not to be trusted R. R M. M Lickley spokesman for the group which built the monument to the and first such honor for the tribe asserts asserts asserts as as- We have yet to find a historical record where or any of his tribe ever committed an ity We have thought for some time that the should be publicly exonerated and should havo bavo recognition for their many kindnesses kindnesses kind kind- nesses to our forefathers Lickley's grandfather was one of white friends In hi the early early early ear ear- ly settlement |