Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-19
MILLIONAIRE spLirLoo.
Some of the Curious Personal Traits OF
The NNnnIfIfnnt Inhtnn


Some of the Curious Personal Traits OF
the Wealthiest Indian.
have just returned from trip threHgh
ArkOrsai and Indian territory and in the
course of my travels met what / never OK
pected to see in this world-a millionaire
Indian. | had heard of this unique per-
sonage. but was not prepared to meet such
strange combination of opaleHca and L.
norance. He is known as Matthias Split
log, the chief of the Wyandotte tribe, and
is powerfully built man, 8 feet inches
tall, with swarthy eountcnancc, bat not
the high cheek bones usually found in the
Indian. This is accounted for from the
fact that Splitlog is a half breed, having
been born in Canada and afterward adopt
ed into the Wyandottc tribe in 1913, before
its removal from northern Ohio to the
west. Spiitlog is now 20 years old, and
cannot read or write. He speaks English
impcrfectly, but is a great moncy getter,
and is constantly growing richer by the
advance upon the thousands Of acres of
lands which he owns in southwestern Mis-
souri, and the Indian territory.
A story will give an idea of the old chiefs
manner of transacting business. About
two years ago syndicate Of Kansas City
capitalists persuaded him to part with $40
acres of land on the Kaw bottoms between
the two Kansas Citys for $4,000 The
trade WINS to be completed at one Of the
banks on Minnesota avenue, Kansas City,
Kan, at 10 o'clock on Il certain morning
Promptly few minutes before the time
Splitlog walked into the bank and took Il
seat. lie kept his eye on the clock, and us
the hand pointed to the hour of 10, and the
other party had not yet materialzed the
chief put on his hat and started down the
avenue, At u short distance he met the
capitalists on their way to close the bar
gain. They said they were ready for bust
ness.
Not today" replied the chief
Knowing that persuasion would be use
less, they asked when he would meet them.
Tomorrow, 10 O'Clock" was the laconic
response.
At 10 O'Clock all were present at the bank
Cant sell for $4,000; must have $780,
900, said the Wyandotto chief.
The surprised purchasers held hasty
council and decided that they must hustle
up the $1,000 600 or tho figures would go still
higher. They raised $4,000 more and
counted out the money in crisp grcenbacks.
AS the chief saw the paper money he shook
his head
Can't take paper money; must have
gold" said he.
Quickly half dozen hacks were called
and the banks of Kansas City were ran
sacked for the required amount of the yell
low metal After it was fixed upon Ia
bic before the chief he paved it over like Il
miser and then said:
GIVE 'cm decd"
The money was deposited in the bank,
but Splitlog would have opened his eyes
had he seen the same hacks used in col
lccting the gold receiving it again and be-
ing driven rapidly back to Missouri. That
40 acres Of land is now selling at the rate
of $200O,O00 and proved ono Of the best
speculations ever entered into at the mouth
of the Kaw.
Spltlog is married and has seven chill
dren. He never stops Mt hotel when Wis
iting Kansas City, Kan, where he owns
valuable property, butalways puts up with
n negro who is one of his tenants. One of
his daughters is married TO Il negro. He
il building railroad in southwest Mis-
souri, In religion he il Il Roman Catholic
There is rather peculiar history given of
the origin of his name At the time Of his
birth his mother was ut work with other
Indian women in II field near a log that had
been split. As she gave birth to him near
that log he was christcncd "Spltlog" He
ia still robust and active and bids fair to
live to n great age. Denver News