THE OMINECA HERALD

TERRACE
KITIMAT

Townsman

_ Published by Sterling Publishers Ltd.
Published every Wednesday at 3212 Kalum St., Terrace, B.C.

Serving ‘lerrace, Kitimat, Nass Valley, Stewart and the Hazeltons

JOLUME 1 NO. 22

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1977

—

Vou. 14

NEW HAZELTON, B. C., JUNE 27, 1910

T

No. 49

‘Simon Gumanut a Willing
. Prisoner in Hazelton Jail

Thirteen Years Agu Two Men Were Found Dead on the Road---Gumanut Credited
With Both Deeds But He Was Never Captured---Lived Secluded Life in
the Mountains Until he Surrendered Last Tuesday .

The last chapter in probably
the longest drawn out murder
| cage. in the history of the pro-

vince was opened in Hazelton on

Tuesday laat when Simon Gama-

nut walked into the police station

and pre ented himself to acting
~ehief Kelly. Kelly put his will

ing prisoner behind the bara and
‘ gnapped the lock, Gumanut will

appear for his preliminary hear-
ing. on Monday next.

Simon Gumanut is supposed to
have shot and killed Alex. Meln-
tosh on June 19, 1906, just a few
daya over the 13th anniversary.
He ia aleo credited with shooting
Max Leclair whose body was
found the same day on the Kis-
piox road near the present site of
the bridge.

_ The shooting is supposed to

have been caused by too much

booze and the usual family and
neighborly row, although there
promises to be much variance in
the evidence as ta the cause and
what lead up toit, It is under-
" gtood that most of the important
witnesses are away, although &
number of the Indians who were
in on the booze bout are atall here
and will be bravght into court.

_ The killing of Alex. McIntosh

took place on thé main highway

between Hazelton and Two Mile.

Qo his tet trip over the road the) |

wiiter was ghown the exact post
beside which the body was found
and the bullet hole wag still there

Mining Recorder Kirby was the
local bull at that time and he sent
Gus Sampare out with a pair of
handcuffs to bring Simon in. Gus
went up the Kiapiox road until
he found Lecluir’s body in the
road, He-thenand there decided
that a pair of handcuffs were not
much good against a gunman and
returned to town.

From that day on Gumanut has
been a “bad man”! and as time
went-on his degree of badness iu-
ereased until of reeéni years his
name was mentioned in a whisp-
ered ave, . .

Soon after tha murder the pro-
vineial yoverninent offered a re-
ward and an armed posse started
from the head waters of the Nass
Stikine and Sheena rivers aud
worked in, covering & very large
count ry, but Gamianut did not get
inte the net, Since then innum-
erable dare devils und adventur-
or’s have pulied the guverament's
leg fur expenass to hunt Guma-

not. Mast of these Hon-fightera},

wound up their hunt in a bar
Ffoom at ‘Eseington, Kitselas or
Hazelton where their nerve flaw-

ed out as the whiskey flowed in.
The writer met one of the said
man-hunters in Vancouver just
after he got back tothecity. He
had some wonderful tales to tell
of his search through the moun-
tains and his hand tohand battles
with the badman. He never got
beyond the Kitselas hotel and he
got there by steamer.

In the meantime Gumanut has
been living by himself in the
country between town and the
Groundhog, with occasional visita
to Kispiox and Hazelton. He is
a good trapper and hunter and
is reputed to have amassed a con-
siderable fortune in cash and fur.

Geo. Beirnes haa known for
years the residance of Gumanut,
and the lecal police have had a
good idea of his whereabouts.
But from the'start the Indian gat
a reputation of being a gunman
ond he and hia friends played
that game to the extent that the
whiteman bothered him very tit-
tle in his mountain fastnesses.

Recently Stewart Henderson,
a lawyer from Victoria, became
interested In Gumanut and has
undertaken his defence, It was
through him, assisted by Beirnes
that the “terrible savage’ con-

sented to give himself up and
stand trial. When he arrived at
Hazelton he was accompanied by
his two friends.

Gumanut is about 45 years of
age, a big, powerful, healthy In-
dian, but whose life, during the
past 13 years, has been vary quiet
and peaceful, 90 far as known.

Dominion Day at Hazelton
Arrangements are well under
way for the Dominion Day cele-
bration in Hazelton next Tuesday
and if the weather and roada are.
fit there promises to be a good
crowd of visitors from outaide
points. The two Hazeltons and
the surrounding district will be
at the grounds en masse. The
sports program, as published last
week will ba run off and every
thing points to a good time.

Indians Returned

After celebrating for a couple
of-weeks the death of one of the
chiefa at Burns Lake a crowd of
Hagwilzet Indians, accompanied
by Father Godfrey; returned to
their homes Tuesday morning,
They had a very good time and
got their chief well planted. —,

. Mrs. Larkworthy returned on

=
OVERHEARD AROUND
NEW HAZELTON

The asaize court is in session at
Prince Rupert.

Misses Wenzel were week-end
guests of Miss Richmond.

Joe. Roreig returned to Prince
Rupert last week with his bride.

Mra. Arthur Leverett arrived
Saturday night and is now settled
in her new home.

Saturday night after having spent
t.e winter in the east.

Mrs. L..A. Brown of Seattle
arrived Satnrday night to visit
with Miss Gladatone.

Chas, Ek has gone to Skeena
Crossing and will do his assess-
ment work on the Red Rase.

_ Atumber of Indians came in
Thuraday morning to take part
in the potlatch at Haszwilget.

Mrs. MeLeod and Mra. Taggart
left Sunday morning for Vancou-
ver after a pleasant visit here,

_ A number of travellers were in
town the past week and they all
report business on the upgrade.

Geo. T. Crow was in town the
first of the week buving lumber
for an addition to his residence at
Two Mile. -

Miss Gladstone resumed her
duties at the school on Monday
after spending a couple of weeks
at the hospital,

Mrs, W, S. Sargent entertained
Saturday night at bridge. Mra.

McLeod and Mr, Affleck wan 'the
prizes. W. M. Boyle got the

booby.
_Conault Wm. Grant’s Agency:
for fire insurance.

W, S. Sargent waa up the Val-
ley ‘the firat of the week to ar-
range for selling some land he
and Collin Munro have up Drift-
wood creek,

Mr. Norvie-Loawenthal want to
Rupert Thursday morning on a
business trip. He also expects
his daughter Frances from Van-
conver an the Saturday boat, = -

W. S, Harris was up the line
over the week end and got an-
other horse. He left here early
Thursday morning on the freight
with four head of horses for the
coast and then up to Stewart,

The school children have been
writing on their exams this week
before the long summer holiday.
Jeasie Smith again won the Roll
of Honor for regularity and punc-
tuality and Tamsen Dale for pro-
ficiency, :

Al. Harris of Stewart aays that
machinery is to be placed on The
Mineral Hill group at any early
date, The property ia owned by,
General Stewart, Pat Welch and
R, W. Martin. The ore is high
grade ruby silver.

W, M. Bovle went up ‘to Telk-
wa Wednesday night and Jack
Wrathall has taken his place here
for a. couple ot days when he will
go to Fifth cabin for three months
to.relieve John Dore who has not
been down for three years. Som
Dough MeKuy, aleo-of bth Cabin,
and Geo. Smith of 4th Cabin are
coming down at the game time.
Carroll from the Hazelton office
will come here,

Some of the
Land That the
Southern Visit-
ors Enthused
Over in the
Bulkley Valley

-
Ye Po Some la