THE MURDER OF CAPTAIN GOODLATAW in CHITINA, ALASKA .
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.THE MURDER OF CAPTAIN "CAP" GOODLATAW
in CHITINA, ALASKA in 1932 and THE LIFE OF
HIS WIDOW MARGARET "Maggie" BILLUM

by
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NOTE: The following four newspaper articles
just baffled me.

The unfairness of it all!!



In 1932, Captain "Cap" Goodlataw, the son of Chief Goodlataw and Kutchnaw Goodlataw,
was murdered near Chitina.  He and wife, Maggie Billum, had 2 daughters.
This is their story


~~~~~


ANCHORAGE TIMES 1932

After being missing for five days, the bullet riddled body of CAP GOODLATAW, a Native and resident of nearby Chitina, was found Saturday, buried in the turnip patch of R.L. Reed, about two miles from Chitina.  Reed has been taken into custody and is being questioned by the authorities.  It is known that Reed has had trouble lately with the Natives and it is thought that there may be some connection.  Reed is reported to have had several encounters with the law in the past due to liquor violations and only recently it is stated that his home was the scene of a drunken brawl in which Reed was severely beaten by some of the other Natives.


CHITINA HERALD 5/29/1932

 
Cap Goodlataw who is the son of the late Chief of the Native tribe, went out on Monday to Eight Mile.  He told his wife he would be back soon. He took no gun with him so it is certain he did not go hunting.  Captain Goodlataw, as he is known, has been missing for the last six days.  Natives hunted all over for him but couldn't find a trace.  Some people thought he was at Mr. Reed's, where he frequently goes, so they got a search warrant and some of the officials went out and made a careful inspection of the place.  While hunting they found the ashes of a recent fire and in the ashes found some shoe eyelets, buttons and buckles from Goodlataw's clothing.  While they were hunting, Frank Billum found a pair of stockings and a belt behind some moss and under a stump.  So they sent into town and got 15 shovels and set 15 men to work digging for his body in a turnip patch which is about 1/4 acre in size.  When they were about half done with it they found Goodlataw's body about 1½ feet in the ground on solid frost, so it was in good condition except for a bullet hole in the neck and the back.  They brought Goodlataw into town and packed his body in ice so it would keep until a doctor could come to town to perform an autopsy. They are trying to get an attorney from Anchorage.  Mr. Reed has been charged with murder and is in the custody of the Marshal at present.


FAIRBANKS DAILY NEWS MINER 6/17/1932

The complete story of the death of Cap Goodlataw and the circumstances leading up to his death, presumably by murder, and the discovery of his body, leaves little doubt but that Goodlataw was the victim of foul play, says a special dispatch to the Cordova Times.

Cap Goodlataw, son of the former Chief of the Chitina Indians, started out at 11 o'clock the morning of May 23rd from his cabin above the railroad cut, to visit his wife's parents who had been ill. They are located at Mile 8, out on the trail. Goodlataw promised to return the same day  he left.

Cap's wife, Maggie, in company with Mary Bell, went fishing that afternoon and at 4 o'clock were at Third Lake, some three miles from town and expected to join her husband for the hike back to town that evening.

On the way out, the two women with their keen sight, noticed that something heavy had been dragged across the road from the Reed ranch, to a large fire of stumps burning in the field opposite his cabin.

Bob Reed, in his truck on the way to town, had waved his hand and spoken pleasantly to Mrs. Goodlataw, a thing that he had not done for some months and she was somewhat puzzled.

At 9 o'clock in the evening the two women decided to come back to the village alone as they thought their relatives at Mile 8 were ill and wished Cap to remain with them overnight.

The next day Mrs. Goodlataw became very uneasy as she had told her husband that they were very low on food and he had promised to return in a few hours to restock the larder. Mrs. Goodlataw also was alarmed because her husband had gone unarmed in spite of her protests that he might meet a bear, as these animals oftentimes are seen within two miles of Chitina.

On Wednesday, greatly alarmed, Mrs. Goodlataw asked Jerry McCarthy and Jean Ring to walk out to the camp at Eight Mile but their inquiries revealed that Goodlataw had never arrived there and had not passed Mile 5, where Sam Frazier lives. Nor had he been seen by Pete Kennedy who lived at Six Mile.

The remote trail villages were then reached by telephone but no trace was found of the missing man. Some believed, however, that Goodlataw might have been out in the woods watching a still for a bootlegger, and they were not unduly alarmed until the Natives organized a search party and went over every foot of the road and on each side of the road for more than 150 feet from his home to his intended destination. Still there was no sign of the man and not a sign of any struggle with a bear.

After leaving the Tibb's fox ranch at the edge of town, and the nearby home of Paddy King, there were no houses on the trail until the Reed ranch about 2 miles out and then none until Five Mile.

Sunday morning a large party with Deputy Marshal Nels Sorby, U.S. Commissioner O.A. Nelson, William Delahout, R.A. Sullivan, Bill Cameron Jr. as well as some 24 Indians left town for the Reed ranch to see if the solution to the mystery might not be found there.

The cabin was searched and a small amount of whiskey was found in the cellar. Bob Reed, the owner,  was at once arrested and his gun taken from him.  Twenty gallons of whiskey were later discovered in kegs, hidden under stumps on the place. A belt, studded with nail heads, a peculiar red stone and a sock were found under another stump by Frank Billum and Mrs. Goodlataw gave a piercing scream when she recognized the articles as having belonged to her husband.

In the meantime, the ashes of Monday's fire were raked and buttons, shoe nails, eyelets and burned clothing were found. This was about 700' from the cabin, near the garden.

Despite the protests of Reed, that his garden was "planted", permission was given by the authorities to dig up the entire garden plot. The 24 Indian boys went to work on the turnip patch with shovels, shortly after 3 o'clock that afternoon. Nicholas Andy Brown soon struck something which proved to be a bare human foot and the authorities were called and the  body of the missing man was found in a shallow grave, resting on a bed of natural frost and covered with 8 to 10 inches of soil.

An examination showed that Goodlataw had been shot twice and the body now rests in the Pioneer Hall, packed in ice to keep it for an autopsy.

Reed, who is now held on liquor charges pending the continuance of investigation into the Goodlataw death, is about 60 years of age and from one of the southern states, being of the typical mountaineer type. He is rather frail looking. Five years ago he served a sentence for moonshining. The ranch where he has resided the past 6 years was purchased from Charles Simenson. Reed worked at the Kennecott Mines before coming to Chitina.

Last fall, as a result of a drunken party at the Reed ranch, in which Bob Reed and a number of Indians were involved. Goodlataw served 30 days in jail and Reed received a badly battered jaw which forced him to go to the Kennecott Hospital. However, Reed is said to have assured Goodlataw, several weeks ago, that they were friends and that he had nothing against him.

Cap Goodlataw was young, likable, vital, of good physique, tall, and weighed about 180 pounds. He was 28 years old and very industrious, having cut many ricks of wood last winter and providing well for his wife and two little girls. Joe, Charlie and John Goodlataw, residing out of town, are uncles of the murdered man.


SHOCKING CONCLUSION OF THE
MURDER OF CAP GOODLATAW



ANCHORAGE TIMES 12/20/1932

The inability of the government to sufficiently connect the defendant R.L. Reed with the death of Captain Goodlataw, Native of Chitina, resulted in a verdict of not guilty. The jury deliberated for 7 hours. The murder trial was held in Valdez court and took 4 days. The jury consisted of: Mrs. A. S. Day, E. C. Edgerton, Mrs. M. Gravelle, Mrs. Ted Johnson,  Owen E. Meals,  W. H. Palmer, Isabelle Streeter, Todd Winter of Valdez;  W. W. Jones, Robert Manthey, Roy Neville and Mrs. Hilma Urie of Seward.

According to  testimony, Captain Goodlataw left his home in Chitina on 5/23/32 to visit relatives residing 8 miles out of Chitina on the  Richardson Highway. He left his home about 11:00 AM, promising to return about 9:00 in the evening the same day.  So far as known he was not seen on the road to 8 Mile that day nor did he return home that night nor the following day.  A messenger sent to 8 Mile reported that he had not arrived at that place.  A search instituted by the Natives between Chitina and 4 Mile revealed no trace of the missing man.  A later search by the Natives between 8 Mile and 4 Mile did not yield any results.  It was alleged that there was a deep enmity between Reed and Goodlataw and actions of the former during the search by the Natives excited their suspicion that he might have had a part in the mysterious disappearance of Goodlataw. 

On 5/29/32, armed with a search warrant, Deputy Marshal Nels Sobby and U. S. Commissioner Q.A. Nelson visited the Reed homestead to search the place for intoxicating liquor.  They searched the property with the aid of several Natives from Chitina and found several kegs of moonshine.  In the ashes of a fire (near the turnip patch) they also found some buttons, shoe nails and other articles and under a stump they found a belt and a pair of heavy German socks that belonged to Goodlataw.  Commissioner Nelson gave the Natives permission to dig in the turnip patch and after three or four hours of work the body of Goodlataw was found buried in the patch, minus shoes, socks and trousers. An examination of the body revealed three bullets had entered the body from behind, any one of which would have been fatal according to Dr. W.H. Chase of Cordova. A loaded .30 government rifle, an auto loading shotgun (loaded) and a revolver (also loaded) were found in the cabin of Reed. 

At the conclusion of the government's case, Attorney's Donohoe and Taylor, for the defense, made a motion for a directed verdict of not guilty on the grounds of insufficient evidence to connect the defendant with the commission of the crime charged.  The defendant did not take the stand or speak on his own behalf. Argument to the jury was opened by Attorney Taylor for the defense. He was followed by Assistant U.S. Attorney and he in turn was followed by Attorney Donohoe. Closing argument was made by U.S. Attorney W. N. Cuddy.

~~~~~

Captain Goodlataw's wife, Maggie Billum, was the daughter of Chief John Billum and wife Marian. She was born at Lower Tonsina 4/12/1911. Maggie was widowed 3 more times after Captain Goodlataw was murdered in 1932.


Her 2nd husband was Hank Bell b. 3/28/1910 Lower Tonsina.
He was the son of Tonsina Bell and Etta Marshall.
Hank and Maggie had 1 daughter named Lucy before he died.


Her 3rd husband was Ed Charley, b. 3/16/1905 Chitina.
He was the son of Chitina Charlie and wife Nettie.
Ed and Maggie had 1 son named Albert Charley.


Her 4th husband was Joe Eskilida b. 12/25/1910 Chitina.
He was the son of Chief Eskilida of Chitina
Joe and Maggie had 6 children.


The 1950 U.S. Census for Chitina Native Village

Eskilida, Joe age 41
Eskilida, Maggie age 38 wife  (Captain Goodlataw's widow)
Eskilida, Roy age 6 son
Eskilida, Barbara age 6 daughter
Eskilida, Marilyn age 3 daughter
Eskilida, Linda age 1 daughter
Bell, Lucy age 17 step-daughter  (Father: Hank Bell  Mother: Maggie Billum Goodlataw)
Charlie, Albert age 15 step-son  (Father: Ed Charlie Mother: Maggie Billum Goodlataw)
Billum, John Sr. age 79 widower  (Father-in-law) (Maggie's father)
Miller, Vernon age 20 son-in-law
Miller, Helen age 10 step-daughter (Father: Captain Goodlataw  Mother: Maggie Billum)
Buck, Billy age 30 son-in-law
Buck, Mildred age 37 step-daughter (Father: Captain Goodlataw  Mother: Maggie Billum)


In spite of being widowed 4 times, Maggie Billum (Goodlataw) (Bell) (Charley) (Eskilida) lead a full life,
living until she was 97 years old; she died 10/17/2007. Maggie was raised in Lower Tonsina and the Chitina area. She worked as a mid-wife before moving to Anchorage in 1954. In 1964, she moved to Glennallen and worked for
the State of Alaska. She also helped create an Ahtna dictionary and taught Ahtna language classes. She raised 11 children and was nicknamed "Grandma Chitina.".

Maggie's obituary lists the following survivors:
Brothers: Samson, Alex, John and Frank Billum
Sisters: Ella Mae and Alice Billum
Children:
Roy Eskilida Sr., Mildred Buck, Marilyn Joe, Linda Alexander, Beverly Harris, Sandy Samuelson,
Lillian Goodlataw, Helen Miller, Albert Charley and Audrey Eskilida.


1910 TARAL INDIAN VILLAGE
10 MILES DOWN THE COPPER RIVER FROM CHITINA

NAME
FAMILY
DATE OF BIRTH
MARRIAGE
NOTE
Goodlataw, Chief **(see below)
Head
6/1875
13 years
Ahtna
Goodlataw, Kutchnaw
Wife
8/1878
13 years   6 children / 2 living
Ahtna
Goodlataw, Captain
Son
4/1901

Ahtna
Goodlataw, Esteslna
Daughter
10/1908

Ahtna





Goodlataw, Charlie
Head
11/1880
1 year
Ahtna
Goodlataw, Talkanne
Wife
5/1889
1 year
Ahtna





Goodlataw, Johnny
Head
8/1883
2 years
Ahtna
Goodlataw, Kliesna
Wife
10/1890
2 years
Ahtna
Goodlataw, Taraline
Daughter
9/1908

Ahtna





Snowtelna
Head   widow
1845

Ahtna
Snowtelna, Joe
Son
11/1894

Ahtna





Chittyna, Charley
Head
11/1879
5 years  
Ahtna
Chittyna, Tatatina
Wife
1889
5 years    2 children  /  1 living
Ahtna
Chittyna, Tatazline
Son
10/1905

Ahtna





Pete, Tony
Head
1884

Ahtna
Pete, Watsakau
Wife
1870
8  children  /  3 living
Ahtna
Pete, Talakonsuni
Daughter
1890
widow
Ahtna





Chittyna, Mary
Head
1862
widow      1  child  /  1 living
Ahtna
Chittyna, Sesetla
Granddaughter
1896

Ahtna
Taral, Johnny
Nephew
1889

Ahtna
Taral, Lucy
Niece
1895

Ahtna
Taral, Senetesna
Niece
1900

Ahtna
Taral, Nicknesan
Nephew
1898

Ahtna
Goodlataw, Migenon
Boarder
1900

Ahtna

** The Cordova Daily Times 3/16/1918
Chief Goodlataw, most famous of the Indian Chiefs of Alaska, has been called to the happy hunting ground
according to a message received last evening by Rev. A.G. Shriver, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church.
The Chief passed away on Saturday night at his headquarters at Taral, according to the information received
by the minister, but the cause of death was not given in the mesage.

Thrifty, naturally a leader and of a line of chieftains, Goodlataw had no trouble in becoming the head of the Copper River Indians and remaining the Chief although there were many older men of the tribe and at least one
of them ambitious to be in the supreme position. He was the nephew of Nikoli, who was the Chief at the head of the Copper River Indians when the white men began to crowd to the North in the late '90's.

The exact age of the chief is not known, but old timers who knew him well say that he was about 40 years of
age. Due to his thrift and to the fact that he always managed to save part of his annual earnings, it is believed that he left an estate of several thousand dollars.

The Rev. Mr. Shriver left this morning for Taral to conduct the funeral services.


 1930 U.S. CENSUS
CHITINA, ALASKA
Charles, Edward age 23
Charles, Susie age 30 wife
Charles, Chitina age 50 father (widower)
Evtame, Dick age 33
Evtrame, Bessie age 40 wife
Elam, Andrew age 21 step-son
Elam, Anena age 19 step-daughter
Elam, Samuel age 11 step-son
Evrtame, Edosie age 6 daughter
Evtrame, Margaret age 4 daughter
Cray (or Gray?), Oscar age 21
Cray (or Gray?), Rena age 19 wife
Cray (or Gray?), Arthur age 2 son
King, Harry age 33 widower
King, Martha age 6 daughter
King, Bether age 4 daughter
Escaleta, Mortie age 26 widower
Escaleta, Fannie age 9 daughter
Escaleta, Veda age 6 daughter
Escaleta, Edvin age 1 son
Escaleta, Mrs. Chief age 60 mother (widow)
Escaleta, Joe age 19 brother  
Counsel, Lottie ge 22 widow
Counsel, Mathew John age 3 son
Phillips, Andrew ge 39
Phillips, Bessie age 42 wife
Gulligee, Charles age 19 step-son
Phillips, Dorothy age 5 daughter
Gulligee, Frank age 16 step-son
Gulligee, Eva  age baby  daughter
Stephens, John age 40
Stephens, Annie age 25 wife
Stephens, William age 8 step-son
Stephens, Jack age 6 son
Stephens, Richard age 4 son
Stephens, age 1 month  son
Goodlataw, Charles age 45
Goodlataw, Mary age 29  wife #2
Goodlataw, Inglo age 15 daughter
Goodlataw, Walter age 10 son
Goodlataw, Ruth age 3 months daughter
Bell, Thomas age 40
Bell, Mary age 29  wife #2
Bell, Delia age 10 daughter
Bell, Patrick age 15 son
Nicholi, Molly age 13 lodger
Goodlataw, Joseph age 36
Goodlataw, Mary age 24 wife
Goodlataw, Philip age 4 son
Goodlataw, May age 3 daughter
Goodlataw, Joseph age 8 months son
Council, Lawrence age 12 lodger
Council, Martha age 11 lodger
Nicholi, Joseph age 37
Nicholi, Carl age 9 son
Goodlataw, Cap age 25
Goodlataw, Margaret age 20 wife
Goodlataw, Helen age 5 daughter
Goodlataw, Bessie age 7 months daughter

Bell, Joseph, age 67 widower
Bell, Lay age 20 son
Bell, Dora age 17 daughter
Bell, Henry age 15 son
Bell, Hannah age 12 daughter
Bell, Maymie age 10 daughter
Pete, Antone age 40
Pete, George age 13 son
Pete, Benjamin age 9 son
Pete, Mary age 4 daughter
Charles, Ring age 69
Charles, Mary age 45 wife
Charles, Gene age 21 son
Charles, Henry age 14 son
Charles, Axel age 6 son
Council, Jack age 16 lodger
McAlister, Sport ge 42
McCarthy, Jerry age 39


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