The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-01-02
Daughter of George W. Carmack
by Tribal Marriage Fights
for His Wealth.

st. Louis.-When George Washing
ton Carmack, trapper, packer, pros
pector and adventurer, discovered the
KlondIke, Kate Mason. Tsgish squaw
known as Mrs. Carmack, was the
sharer Of his joys and SORROWS.
She went trapping with him. pack
ing their belongings on her back. She
toiled by his side as a burden bearer
She lived with him In cabin and tent
and on the trail. 1t was pot luck with
them. Sometimes they had enough to
eat, sometimes not.
OF their hardshlps and prlvations
The day In 1896 when Carmack, pros
pecting up Rabbit creek and down
Bonanza sreek, found gold, the wom-
an and child were waiting for him at
the mouth of the Klondike.
When fortune made the pathfinder
forgetful of the past he put away the
Indian mother of his child and es-
poused woman of his own race.
Carmack Is dead and the Taglsh
white man and squaw Is fighting today
for the good name OF her mother and
for a daughters share In the Klon-
diker's estate.
The question which the courts of
Washington state are called upon 20
answer Is whether there was cere-
mony which made Kate Mason. daugh-
ter Of former chief of the Tagish
tribe, the wife of the white man.
Proof of ceremony is lacking.
Estate Valued at $500.0o0.
There is no lack of proof that the
Indian woman, with Carmack's full
cognizance. was recognized as his
wife, and that he acknowledged him
self as the father of her child but in
after years he swore that she had
never been anything but his "klootch."
Besides the good name Of her moth
er, Mrs. Graphic Carmack Saftig, the
daughter, stands to win all of the es-
tate, valued at one-half million dol
lars. If the courts decide that Car
mack was married to the Indian wom-
an. Mrs. Sattig will be tho only heir.
Failing to establish a ceremonial mar
rage, Mrs. Saftig may stili win half
of the estate.
Carmack, born In California, was
twenty-five years old. when In 1885.
he started to the Yukon over the Dyea
trail. The following spring he es-
tablshed the Kealy trading post at
Dyea. 1t was there that he met Kate
Mason. She was twenty and pretty.
There was no young white woman In
all that region to be the wife of the
trading post man. So It was quite
the natural thing. the mating of
George Carmack and Kate Mason.
OF the marriage ceremony, If there
was one. there is no record, and no
living witness has been found.
Discovered tho klondike.
In the fall of 1892 he went to Fort
Seikirk. n the dead of winter, jan
uary IL, 1898, the child was born.
When Carmack, with Tagish Charley
and Skookum Jim, brothers of the
woman. as companions, went prospect
Ing, he left the woman and child where
they could have shelter and the
meager comforts which native village
or trading posts afforded
Carmack spent the early part of the
summer Of 1893 salmon fishing at the
mouth of the Klondike. In August he
and Skookum Jim went prospecting
up the north bank as far as Dominion
river. On Bonanza creek, beside an
old birch tree. on the edge Of the rim
rock, he found sprlnkling of gold.
washed there by the running water.
And that was the discovery of what
came TO be known as "the KlondIke."
They staked their claims. one for
Carmack. one for Skookum Jim and
one for Taglsh Charley.