NAMES IN THE NEWS : Onassis, Indian Tribe Near Pact
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GAY HEAD, Mass. — Jacqueline Onassis and the Wampanoag Indians were nearing an agreement to end a 10-year struggle over beachfront property on Martha’s Vineyard, officials said.
Under the agreement, the Indians would sell Onassis the land in return for money and another tract, said a clerk in Dukes County probate court.
According to Wampanoag legend, Chief Moshup and his wife, Squant, are buried in the disputed land, a stretch of 264 feet of coastal property.
Paul Sulla, a Boston lawyer who represents some of the Indians, said Wednesday that an agreement has been reached between “95% of the parties.” He declined to specify the terms of the agreement, which would have to be approved by the court.
Onassis’ 380-acre private estate surrounds the property. Onassis, the widow of President Kennedy, bought a 17% interest in the land in 1980 from a Wampanoag family. The Indians retained a right of access to the site.
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