The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-04-22
MASTER GooDAL BONE OF CON-
TENTIoN IN FAMILY.
SHERIFF HAS LIVELY CHASE
Officer Called to Stop Supposed Kid
napers Finds Himself With.
out Authority.
From Mondays Daily Gazette.

From Mondays Daily Gazette.
In response to a telephone message
from Laurel this morning Sheriff Hub.
bard rode in that direction post haste
to stop two supposed k%idnapers. The
sender of the message was E. P
Searles. grandfather of the child al
legged to have been taken for the pur-
pose of abducting him.
The description of the rig and the
men, as we'll as that of the boy en-
abled the sheriff to recognize the par
ty as soon as he met them, but he
speedily saw that his services would
not be required, at least not just then,
for the principal Of the alleged kid
napers proved to be the father of the
boy. aged about 8 years, and whose
right to possession of the lad could
not be disputed. However, Mr.. Hub
bard informed the man that he would
detain him and not permit him to
get away until after the arrival of Mr..
searles. The latter reached the city
a few minutes after the sheriff and
the others and at once proceeded to
see what he could do to regain the
boy and return him into the custody
and care of his mother. At last ac-
counts he had not proved very sue
cessful in this direction, as the father
still retained possession of the boy.
A Family Quarrel.
Today's sensational proceedings
were but another chapter in a family
quarrel. The father of the boy is
named Charles Goodal and is we'll
known hereabouts. He Is a deaf mute,
as is also his wife, who is a daughter
OF Mr.. Searles. Up to within a
month or two ago they lived at Park
City. Something occurred to break
up their hitherto amicable and pleas
ant relations and Mr.. Goodal left his
wife and returned east, leaving the
boy with his mother. 1t was not
known that he had returned until this
morning, when he was recognized by
the sheriff.
AS related by Mr.. Searles the boy
was sent to school this morning as
usual. In accordance with her GUS
tom Mrs. Goodal remained at the door
OF her home until after the boy had
crossed. the railroad track, which
passes in front of the house, and was
in the act of re-entering when she
observed two men in a buggy drive
up and stop. One of them got out
n lifting the boy into the vehicle
got in himself again, after which the
team was turned and driven off rap
idly toward Billings.
Mrs. Goodal Immediately notified
Mr.. Searles and the latter started in
pursuit, riding as far as Laurel, where
he telephoned to the sheriff and Sc
curing a team drove on to town,
reaching here almost as soon as the
men whom he was chasing. He found
the boy and the latters' father, as
also the other man who was in the
buggy and who proved to be a brother
of Goodal,. The brother made some
remarks rejecting on the character
of Mrs. Goodal, which Mr.. Searles
promptly resented and only the inter-
ference of b~y-standers prevented a
personal collision between the two.
Father Has the Boy.
Inquiry satisfied Mr.. Searles that
he could not proceed criminally
against the father of the boy, as under
the law he is entitled to his custody
equally with the mother, especially as
the separation is not the result of a
legal action, neither has the child ever
been awarded to her by a decree of
court. The only remedy, he was told,
available would be to- apply for a writ
OF habeas corpus, and in order to Sc
cure this it would be necessary to go
to Miles City, where the judge of the
district court is at present. Before
such action could be taken the father
could leave the state and place him
self beyond the jurisdiction of the
court.
At last accounts matters were rest
ing with the father possessing the boy.
--.,-- r.. d.