The New York herald., 1922-05-06
FAKE INDIAN CHIEF,
AFTER DUPING MANY,
HELD ON j. S. ORDER
Circulars Asking Aid for
Starving Ojibways Traced
to Red Wing
ADMITS HIS DECEPTION
Is Venezuelan, Educated in
London, and Was Never
West of Hoboken.
CAME HERE A YEAR AGO
Victim Says He Gave Address
at Columbia; Was Well In
formed and Plausible.
CAME HERE A YEAR AGO

Several persons wto in the last few
weeks have heard the lectures Of a
man who called himself "Chief Red
Wing of the Oiibways" were shocked
last night when they were told that
neither he nor his ancestors ever were
further west than Hoboken.
The chief, who has had lot of
trouble lately, what with arguments
with his wife and difficulties attend
ant to eating regularly. was arrested
last night by Detectives Bartk, and
Correll of the Bomb Squad on the re-
quest of tho Bureau of Indian Affairs
at Washington and locked up at Po-
lice Headquarters. He is charged
with perjury because he testified on
April 10, when his wife had him In
Jefferson Market Court, that he was a
fun blooded Ojibway Indian.
The detectives said the chief admitted
readily enough that his real name is
L.cnel James; that he was born in
Caracas. Venezuela, twenty-six years
ago. and that all the Indian lore he
knows was obtained from books: He
was a former student of mechanical
engineering at London University, Eng
land, but he said that he had been in
terested in the history of the American
Indian for many years.
Came Here Year Ago.
He came to the United States little
more than year ago. He said he made
o, fair living as a mechanical engineer,
nut that it was easier and more inter-
esting to lecture about the Ojibways.
III his lectures he appeared in full
chiefs regalia.
A few months ago he met Marian
| Sjehlik, who was employed by the Vogue
| Designing Company at 35S Fifth ave-
rue. They were married on March s.
They lived in her apartment In West
! Seventy-second street for a time, and
then moved to West Fifty-ninth street.
Last month she had him arrested for
abusing her. The case was dismissed.
On April 2S the chief went to a
friends antique shop in East Fortieth
street and got so excited In an argu-
ment that he had fit.
He was taken to Bellevue, where a
bottle OF poison was found on him. He
the poison instead of merely having a
! fit. He got out of Bellevue a few days
ago.
Indian Bureaus Inquiry.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs has
been investigating the circulars asking
help for the Starving Indians" and
traced them TO the chief One of those
who says he was duped is Wesley
Woods, real estate operator and banker
of S25 West 17Sth street. Mr.. Woods
says he met RED Wing" in Miss Steh-
lik's office and listened with sympathy
to his story of the Ojbways. He and
Mrs Woods heard the lecture on the
pathetic passing of the Ojibway tribe.
He said the chief delivered lecture
two weeks ago at Columbia University.
''He was very plausible" said Mr.
Woods last night land I'm amazed
True. he didn't look like an American
Indian to me, but he seemed the real
thing because he had so much informa-
tion that could not be disputed. lie
claimed to have served during the war
In the British aviation service. and we
believed him. though he never showed
his discharge papers"
Mr. Woods was in the studio of Miss
Vera Simonton, an African explorer. AT
"a East Fortieth street. when he was
told of the chiefs downfall He had
introduced the chief to Miss Simontou
and n lecture had been arranged in her
studio. the Blue Door Club. on Easter
Sunday, when Red Wing got into some
trouble with his wife and failed to ap-
pear. Miss Simonton, n lecturer for the
Department of Education and the author
OF several authoritative books on the
manners and customs of the tribes OF
the west coast OF Africa. said she had
gone to bed to try TO get over the shock
which the news of Red Wings arrest
gave her. It seems she has given him
several meals on the suppositon that he
was u real Indian.
I'm prostrate." said Miss Smonton.
ITO think that he came so near putting
II over on me 20