The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1922-02-23
"WRINKLED MEAT
NOT l37 YEARS old
INDIAN RECORDS SHOW THAT
THE LATE JOHN SMITH
WAS ABOUT 80
BYRON CARR is INTERVIEWED
SAUK CENTRE MAN SUBSTAN-
TEATES CLAIM OF FEDER-
AL AGENT POWELL

Facts brought out since the death
of John Smith "Wrinkled Meat IN
dictate very clearly that instead OF
being 1877 years old at the Tune OF
his death he was, as matter Oh
fact, less than 100 years. His exacf
age probably being about so.
Byron Carr of Sank Centre who
probably knows the Chippewa In
dams ON the White Earth Reserva-
ton as well as any living man verl-
fies the statement made in the Jour
nal Wednesday evening of last week
by Ransom j. Powell, federal en-
rollment commissioner, in which ne
claimed that the record showed that
Smith was 80 at the time OF his
death.
The Sank Centre man first became
acquainted with that section OF the
country over 80 years ago when ne
was employed by the Northern Pa
cific railway, and for over lO years
he was special employee OF the
Federal Government setting a far
price on the timber and land owned
by the Indians to protect them from
the raids of the white man. Regard
ing John Smith and the statements
made byFMr. Powell, Mr.. Carr In an
interview with the Herald Tuesday
made the following statement:
"Mr. Powell knows the Chippewa
for the reason that he had been
among them for many years. he
talks Chippewa language and ne is
considered reliable on their history
He was the man who checked up the
land bought on the White Earth res
eryation for the government and 1t
was necessary for him to get the
status of all the Indians on the re-
seryation. 1t was necessary for him
to talk their language because when
an interpreter was required ne want
ed to know what they were talking
about.
"I have known for years that
John Smith was not a chief nor the
son of a chief. There is no ques-
ton that he was not as old by many
wears as he claimed to be. | have
talked with a lot of the old Indians
about this many times. | was talk
ing with an old chief several years
ago who was about 85 at that time
and he said that John Smith was a
little older than he because Smith,
could take the arrows from him when
they were boys together.
"About eight or nine years ago l
was talking with Smith and ask
ed him how many wives he had, ne
hung is head down and said maybe
seven" at this time he was living
with young woman.
In connection with the death OF
call himself "Haywood's partner.
The elder Haywood was logging on
Leach Lake at and the close OF each
season the boom logs would be taken
out of the lake and placed near
Smith picturesque Chippewa Indian,
them for Haywood. In conapensa-
ton for this he would be taken to
st. Cloud for couple of weeks ey-
cry year and given place to sleep,
his food and plenty to drink, and ne
really imagined he was a partner OF
Haywood in the logging business.
GAS far as / know John Smith new
er had any children. He was al
so very lax about his marriage obli-
cations. / first got acquainted with
smith when l was working for the
Northern Pacific Railway more than
80 years ago."
In connection with the edath OF
Smith the following story published
in the Journal Wednesday evening
of last week will be of interest.
"That "Wrinkle Meat or John
Smith picturesque Chippewa Indian,
who died the other day in northern
Minnesota was not 1877 years old,
but only 8S, was the declaration
made in Minneapolis today by Ran
som ]. Powell, federal enrolment
commissioner, who cited government
records to prove his contention.
"Mr. Powell made these state
ments:
saJohn Smith was neither a chief
nor the SON of chief, as credited
with being in the popular stories.
ellis Indian name, "ka5be-nun-
ewe-waincep did not mean "Wr1nk-
led Meat" when translated into Eng
Ish.
"The deep burrows in his cheeks,
brow and nose were caused not py
age, but by disease.
aHe was born in 1888 or shortly
before that year, and in the Indian