The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-03
JOHN WILBUR WIVES
Swinomish klootehmans Con-
fest for an Estate.
TRYING TO GUST A WHITE WIFE
Ska2ft Romance of Pioneer Days->uit
That VIII Determine Rights OF
squaw-Men's Children.

The fight over the estate Of John T.
Wilbur the Skagit county 'sauaw-man-
IS ~ no means finished. and the contest
brought by his Indian widow on aenaH of
herself and children against the Hhife
widow. Is yet 10 be decided. The property
involved consists of two ranches valued
al about saeGsa each OF $50 acres, one
above Mount Vernon on the Skagtt, and
the other a short distance below that
place In support OF their side Of the
case. Lindsay. King * Turner, OF coun-
sci for the kiootChmau. have prepared an
I exhaustive brief for submission 10 the
court.
The case viii come up for hearing on
the petition OF Mrs Wilbur No ,. who Is
, administrator for distribution. and upon
the several petitions Of Kittie Follinshie'
the rejected Indian woman, John Davis
Wilbur and Charles Wilbur. each claim
ing 10 be an heir and entitled 10 share
in the estate kittie claiming widow
OF deceased and John David and Charles
as his legitimate children. The admin
istrafrix claims the whole estate, deny
ing the marriage between Wilbur and
KitfTe and the legitimacy Of the two
children.
The Two Wives.
The facts as stated indicate that in 1858
Wilbur then single man. married Kit
tie full-blood S~wnomish Indian " oman.
according 10 the peculiar customs OF 10
tribe and that they lived together until
1876. during which time three children
were born 10 them. the two sons named
above and a girl, who has since died.
After eight years OF lie with his Indian
wife. the country in the meantime haV-
ing been partially settled by white men
with their wives Wilbur cast Of hittie
and installed in her place Sarah j. VIII
cox. whom he brought from the East
and married after the law at La Conner.
Mourning for Her Child.
The examination OF the witnesses In the
case when II was heard before Judge Me
Bride, brought out some very pathetic
testimony relative TO the Indian wife.
The little girl that died was named Dolly
and Is described as a child of wondrous
beauty. with blue eyes and brown hair.
and sweet gentle ways that. as an aged
witness testified on the stand, seemed 10
appoint her an ethereal creature from the
spirit world She died when years old,
and her funeral was conducted with I'M
usual ceremony for little child. nder
the direction of Aaron Kincaid the par
ents marched hand in hand behind the
hfeless body. and many mourners follow
ed TO the grave. In the court room Kit
tie. through an interpreter. told how az
terward she and Wilbur would visit the
mound and mourn for the departed child.
When she was first questioned. il is said,
her face took on the eXpressionless, stoi-
cal east of the Indian, and that she
turned her eyes upward and sat motion
less, The interpreter who was an In
dian. in low tone cautioned all that the
woman would speak in a moment, and
an impressive silence fell upon the room.
After few seconds the mothers face
lghtened. her features relaxed, and she
spoke eagerly and quickly in answer 10
the questions. \ spectator remarked that
she seemed for the time to have forgotten
spectators, court room and all. and 10
have centered her soul on the grave of
her little girl 1t suggested a solemn
and loving communion of the living with
the dead.
why Kittie Gave Up.
The questions then turned to the aban-
donment Of the Indian woman for the
white wife. Kittie was asked why. hav-
ing promised 10 live with Wilbur as his
wife she had left the house as soon as
her white rival had appeared. Wilbur. it
is said. had informed her that the other
woman was his sister but she had been
told the truth by friends kittIe said:
Il was only a squaw. while he was a
white man and she was white woman.
and | knew | stood no show. So ] took
my two babies and went to my fathers :"
Afterwards according to the evidence.
Wilbur acknowledged his half-breed chill
dren, and in 1876 took David John, the
Oldest into the family. The hoy was
treated as son until he became OF age.
Judge Mcbride. the Celebrated.
II was in the Wilbur case that the cele-
brated findings OF fact. afterward with
drawn were filed by Judge Mcbride. The
peculiar marriage customs Of the tribe
were there touched on. and the require
mcnts explained which calls Tor three pro-
posals and two reiections OF a sutton bs-
fore marriage can he solemnzed. VIII
bur, 1t seems, had made two proposals.
and had been given the refusal twice
Judge Mcbride. holding himself as nearly
as possible within the sun formulas and
cast-iron rules or law which forbid on
excursion into the realms OF fancy or
/ philosophy. gave the account in these
words
once more Wilbur returned to his
| lonely ranch There. i'm the solitude Of
/ his cabin, with no ono 70 spread his
blankets no one to weave his mats he
/ brooded over his state Of single unbless-
/ edness. until az length hc determined to
make one last dospairing effort This
/ time he would go IN state. So he con
/ suited Chip Brown. who hal taken unto
/ himself as a wife a child of the forest.
| and IL was all arranged
The Third Time and ont
"One day as Kittie lay upon the hank.
! viewing her charms as reflected in tho
waters ~ the Swinomish she was
! startled hy th" approach of "A canoe con
( tanning our amoTous swain. Chip Brown
4 Mrs Brown and 81 large number of In
( d'ans from "A neigh boring tribe hired for
/ the OCCASION. The line Of battle was
/ drawn on one side We're ranged Kittfc
/ h"r father. mother relatives and friends
/ ana Joseph. their tribal chief. on the
Z Other. Wilbur chip Brown Mrs chin
/ ana PAS mercorary train And the prize
/ conftntet for was none other than Xii
/ re herself. Mrs. chip being detailed
/ 20 art as interpreter. advanced - the
/ irons. ard the battle Of words which was
} 20 decide she fare ~ tire dus+lv maiden
( hogan. Tho Interpreter the ronrr Il
3 crieNet 20 sat-utace be- 20 her ashes
/ abused her position az trust 20 dessar-
( upon the charms ana graeaS OF Kilh,,r
( ani, ioasmUch as she herself had tasted
/ ~" delights of rtie8 Ufe with a pale-
I +aet- hey words had great weight ,-ru.os
: long toHbtful 90 Uh. "a side vi-tcrv yya-,Il
/ in'i ne out ~ an opporrunc moment.
+ WilHar himself advancing with Sea in his
/ "li~ife" he4 palm. The battle was v.op
/ thict Joseph thought the sal. VAS "A FOOD
( one. and her father was satisfied WIN
! 'h" price so the money was divided
/ among her male relatives ami kfttte ar-
! r"t inS 20 'te Law e her tribe vas a
/ Nc
! To prevent others FROM being aiSeo,ir-
/ aged + might ho wel. 90 30 thar Wilbur
( ran ~ III" price. ami so is The hirnes,
sHfH en- re orf pa.f for nIte Resides
httt.e belonged - family ~ sis,,,r,
f ton Neither should any one DESTROYS 90
! lm''afinS Nllhurs example hesitate over
/ long because his 4sSky sn<tas.r said M,
tNief- TIE court recalls some fsirer
Z daughters a. Eve VINO said No moro
f IRAN tAices ans. What Is worse Sf4,eL